Need to understand the plight that leaves these victims hopeless and helpless

Life is a blessing for those who know how to live properly and enjoy every moment heartily and enthusiastically. The bounty of existence is without a doubt the greatest bounty the Almighty blessed the living beings in general and the human beings in particular with. All the living beings, whether the trees and plants or the numerous species of birds and animals enjoy this holy nectar of life with great awe and regard. All of them fight every moment to live and make this planet an abode full of colours and vitality. But some human beings lack the courage and the ability to live life as it deserves to be lived; fully and completely. They surrender their braveness before some trifling challenges and become the victims of negativity and pessimism. In this way, they turn to mere pawns who lack the real current of life in them and the vitality needed to live the proper life. They sell their beings to drugs and lose all their wit and wisdom at the cheapest prices.
Those who are entangled by the curse of drugs witness only a twilight existence in this world. They can hardly witness the real joy of life which is a mixture of highs and lows, shines and shadows and pleasures and sorrows. But the snare of drugs does not let their victims be mindful of the blessings that life keeps sharing with us time and again.
It is an extremely unfortunate fact that drug addiction is on an alarming rise in our so-called modern world. The knowledge has grown to empower human beings more than ever. Numerous means of entertainment and joy are available to us. We are being assured that life is much better than what it used to be in the past. But still, we witness that the number of victims who are hit by the curse of drugs is rising and not subsiding.
The recent report in the Indian Express, one of the leading English newspapers in our country, shared some eye-opening facts about this menace which is on an alarming rise, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. According to its findings, drug addiction has become a mammoth challenge for the administration to deal with. This monster is enlarging day by day and at least one patient victim of drug abuse is entering the OPDs of our local hospitals every twelve minutes. Almost five patients walk into DDC Srinagar each hour and not less than 114 every day. There is an alarming 75 percent jump in OPD patients from the previous year. This is no doubt an alarming rate.
Drug menace according to this report has become a bigger threat than militancy challenging the administration with more might. It is perhaps due to the ignorance of the stakeholders who remained unprepared for such a terrible challenge. One of the most threatening facts about this fact is that about 90 percent of these drug users are in the age group of 17 to 30 which means that our future generations are on the brink of devastation. If these facts and figures are not taken seriously we will be facing deadly consequences in the future.
According to the experts, the level of mental health and hygiene among our younger generation particularly is the direct cause of this challenging rise. It seems that the society as a whole has largely failed to nurture the young minds properly. The parents and teachers have hardly been able to guide these numerous boys and girls properly who have fallen as the easiest prey before the vicious plots of the drug mafia. Many of our youth are overstressed due to many reasons and they feel the worst agony of the ever-simmering pressure in their minds. They are the most vulnerable lot and are the easy targets for the drug mafias and their supporters.
Thus need of the hour is that we use our most brilliant skills and efforts for normalising the tension in the tender minds of our youth. We must learn to respect every young mind particularly those who seem over-stressed and full of anxiety and pessimism. The human mind is like a fragile bud that needs extra care to grow and develop and spread the fragrance all over. The parents and teachers must act properly to treat the mental issues of their wards and students in an effective manner. Love is the kindest and the most benevolent cure for those who feel like a burning fire is about to burst their minds open. The young and tender minds particularly in this age feel a lot of stress and strain due to many reasons. Our elders must know how to deal with such stressed minds in a kind and companionate way.
Our message may not reach directly to those who are the real victims of drug addiction at present. But we have to inspire those who seem under threat and awaken those who are directly connected with the drug addicts. We have to understand all the forces that lead human beings to take such drastic and deadly steps in their lives.
There is a famous quote in this regard put forth by Alice Miller, a Swiss psychologist and philosopher, which seems enough to guide us to deal with drug addicts properly. It says,
“What is addiction, really? It is a sign, a signal, a symptom of distress. It is a language that tells us about a plight that must be understood.”
Majority of the drug addicts at present are forced by different circumstances to take such drastic steps. Only a few do it for their pleasure. We have to decipher the signals, signs and symptoms of distress that force the tender minds particularly to become the easy victims of drug addiction. We have to understand the plight that leaves these victims hopeless and helpless before such addiction.
The writer is a teacher and can be reached at [email protected]

Hilal Bukhari