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Drugs/Alcohol Dependency Prevention, Treatment & Rehabilitation

Treatment and Rehabilitation Modality ‘LOTUS Program’

Turning Point Foundation- Drug/Alcohol de-addiction and rehabilitation follows a indigenously developed and tailor made rehabilitation method namely LOTUS programme, derived from the existing treatment philosophies around the world and the practical lessons learnt from our experience in the past, keeping in mind the ancient Indian wisdom and traditions.

The LOTUS Programme ensures the physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing as well as wellness of an individual. The LOTUS programme builds the knowledge, skill and ability of the inmates (Drugs/Alcohol addicts) to prevent relapse and take discreet decisions in life. After undergoing LOTUS programme, the individual will have a positive attitude towards life and a responsible behavior.

Philosophy of the Lotus Program
‘It does not matter where you come from…. It matters what you can achieve.’

When drug and alcohol dependent seek out the service of the Turning Point Foundation (TPF) and have arrived at the conclusion that they have lost the direction of themselves and are lost to themselves, they feel that there is no other refuge in which they can hide themselves. They are afraid of themselves; they don’t trust themselves and are very confront-ational with other people. Deep in their hearts they know that they have been alienated not only in themselves but also from other people. Their great desire is to be in communion with other people, alive to themselves and others and recognize that there is something greater than themselves in whom they need to trust.


Or to put it in more poetic terms expressed by the participants of the group:


I am here because there is no Refuge
Finally from myself until
I confront myself in the eyes and
Hearts of others I am running,
Until I suffer then to share my
Secrets have no safety from them.
Afraid to be known.
I can know neither myself nor
Any other; I will be alone
Where else but in our common ground
Can I find such a mirror?
Here together
I can at last appear clearly to myself.
Not a giant of my dreams
Nor to be aware of my fears.
But as a person,
Part of a whole, with my share
In its purpose in these grounds
I can take root and grow,
Not alone any more as in death but
Alive to myself and others.

(Courtesy: AA philosophy)

The LOTUS program was adopted to help these people to start their journey to wholeness, recovery and rehabilitation, so that once again they may enter the mainstream of society and make a contribution to it.
The word LOTUS defines this journey
L – Acknowledge Loss of direction
O – Opportunity to change
T – True to oneself and others
U – Understand that problems are part of life
S – Achieve Serenity
“LOTUS” is the seat of Creator and a symbol of Wisdom, Prosperity and Infinite reality.

Change of Attitudes

One of the greatest challenges for drug and alcoholic dependent people is to acknowledge their weakness and over time to modify their attitudes.

This is a long journey but each day participants in the program must ensure that they become aware of their negativity and confront it head on. Some of the examples which participants have identified are:

From
Disrespect for others
Selfishness
Resentment
Lack of Communication
Confrontation
Laziness
Lying
Giving up

To
Respect for others
Sympathy for others
Acceptance
Sharing
Listening and learning
responsibility
To truth
To becoming motivated.

Methodology
The TPF uses a holistic approach for the participants undergoing “Lotus Program” by supporting people through the physical, social, mental and spiritual aspects of their lives.
The aim is to ensure that when the participants leave the Center, they are aware of and are in touch with all aspects of themselves.
TPF also wants to ensure that there is ‘balance’ in their lives. Each individual is treated differently since they have arrived at different stages of their addiction. Sometimes a gentle and sympathetic approach is taken; at other times there is a tougher stance taken as the indiscipline of the addict has been ruling his life for several years.
So each day for the three to six months that they are at the Center the participants follow a very strict, consistent and deepening program which involves the following:

  • Daily events which are consistent so that there is a rhythm in the participants lives

  • Reflection on how they are feeling that day and what they have learnt

  • Prayer, meditation and Yoga to put them in touch with their higher power

  • Work therapy so they can begin to learn skills and develop a attitude of selfless service.

  • Meetings with other members to learn from each other

  • Reading so that they can learn about themselves and others

  • Counseling from professionals so that they can learn more about themselves and act upon the shortcomings in behaviour and attitude.

  • Taking meals with others ensures a oneness feelings Physical exercise

  • Complementary therapies are available when needed

Each week then also the days are set aside with a theme which will be carried through that day. The themes for these days are:

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

Encounter
Input
Seminar
Encounter
Input
Appreciation

Other Complementary Services

As the participant progresses staff will encourage them to take advantage of other services which are available at the Center and which they will need as part of the holistic development to ensure that they continue to become aware of their own higher self and Power.

Psychological Wellbeing, Counseling Service and Behavioral Change Programs

The researcher Carol Ryff thought that wellbeing could be made sense of by breaking it down into a number of areas or components. She identified the following areas as contributing to people’s experience of wellbeing. For each area we invite participants of the LOTUS Program to consider:

  • “What does this mean day to day?”
  • “How much am I ‘doing’ it in my life, today?”
  • “How could I increase that tomorrow?”

Self-Acceptance

This means having a positive attitude toward themselves; acknowledging and accepting multiple aspects of self; feeling positive about their past life. It means being able to say; “when I look at the story of my life, I am pleased with how things have turned out so far. Of course this is a huge challenge to participants because they probably have reached a severe low in their self-esteem by the using of alcohol and/or drugs.
Each day they are asked to reflect on the following question:

  • “When I look at how I handled today, am I able to say, ‘I did my best with that. I feel OK about how I went'”.



Personal Growth

This means having feelings of continued development and potential and being open to new experiences; feeling increasingly knowledgeable and effective. It means being able to say; “for me, life has been a continuous process of learning, changing, and growth.”

So the question to ask is:

  • “How did I learn and change today? What was I open to?”

Purpose in Life and Spiritual Wellbeing

This means having goals and a sense of direction in life; feeling that both present and past experiences are meaningful; holding beliefs that give purpose to life. It means being able to say; “some people wander aimlessly through life; I am not one of them.”
Participants then can ask:

  • “What goal did I set myself and achieve today?”

Environmental Mastery

This means feeling competent and able to manage a complex environment; choosing or creating personally suitable contexts. It means being able to say; “I am good at managing the responsibilities of daily life.”

So the question is:

  • “How did I manage the practicalities of getting through today. What did I do well in there?”


Autonomy

This means being self-determining, independent, and regulating their behavior internally; resisting social pressures to think and act in certain ways; evaluating themselves by personal standards. It means being able to say; “I have confidence in my own opinions, even if they are different from the way most other people think.”
So the question is:

  • “What did I do or say today that expressed my opinion or belief?”

At the Center Counseling and Behavioral Change Programs have been developed for the individual as well as the families which include
  • Pre-admission counseling which they would have received prior to their admission
  • Ongoing Psychosocial Counseling
  • Family Counseling
  • Management of withdrawal symptoms
  • Behavior change communication

Regular Therapies are available which will support the counseling and the behavioral change programs so that participants will have an integrated holistic service.
  • Nature Cure Therapy
  • Massage
  • Mudpack/Mud Bath
  • Hip Bath
  • Spiral bath
  • Immersion Bath
  • Footbath
  • Steam bath
  • Hot and Cold fomentation
  • Wet Sheet pack

Spiritual Exercises
  • Yoga
  • Meditation
  • Prayer

Continuing Support is extremely important when the participant leaves the center and so follow up takes place through telephone support, home visits, workplace visits.
Prevention
In order to ensure that fewer people will present themselves for the LOTUS program there is much prevention work done by staff of the TPF Center such as the Outreach Camps
Prevention and referral outreach camps are organized for low income group colonies on regular basis. Topics include:
  • Social Health Awareness for children and adult population
  • Sexual and reproductive health and life skills Education for Youth
  • HIV/AIDS and Drug/Alcohol prevention for youth and High risk behavior groups.

General Information: Deaddiction & Rehabilitation Services

The past of Drug Addiction

When Paracelsus (Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, 1493-1541) stated that he would not like to be a physician without opium, he underlined the importance of opium, which was then widely used as an analgesic, hypnotic, sedative and tranquilizer and the treatment of diarrhea.

The use of opium itself as a universal drug has since become a part of THE history: opium no longer used in therapy, but it IS used as the starting material for the production of alkaloids, such as morphine and codeine. Today, natural and synthetic opioids are prescribed as analgesics and in the treatment of diarrohea. A great variety of synthetic hypnotics and sedatives are used to treat insomnia and many different psychiatric disorders. Thus, narcotic a drugs and psychotropic substances are as indispensable in the field in the field of medicine today as opium was in the past.

When Paracelsus was doing his best to convince his colleagues in Europe of the therapeutic value of opium, the non medical use of opium started to create major problems in Asia.

Impact of Drug Abuse

Millions of people suffered and suffering because of the dual characteristics of opium, as well as of many other narcotic drugs and many psychotropic substances, both natural and synthetic.
Drug Trafficking and drug abuse in South Asia continue to be largely transit-related owing to the close proximity of the region to the world’s two main opiate-producing areas: Golden Crescent and golden Triangle.
When drugs become and integral part of one’s physical, emotional and social life, the victim encounter with hell lot of problems. These problems can be classified in to Physical, Psychological, Spiritual and Social.

Possible signs of Addiction The following are the signs that you need to look for:
  • Dishonesty & Telling lies frequently
  • Unrealiable
  • Withdraw from family and friends
  • Does not finish what he/she starts
  • Mood swing
  • Depressed
  • Sleeping schedule upside down
  • Isolate oneself
  • Steals
Residential Treatment Centre

TPF is running separate De-toxification and Rehabilitation center having a capacity to 50 patients at any given time. Effective Treatment for Alcoholism and the following categories of Drugs (Substance) abuse are provided at the centre.
· Opium, Heroin, Morphine, Smack/Brown Sugar, Cocaine, Cannabis
· Pharmaceutical Medicines (abuse of Prescription Sedatives, tranquilizers, Hypnotics etc.)
· Volatile solvents-Inhalants (Petrol, adhesives etc.)
· Different varieties of Alcohol

Our previous experiences taught us that using drug substitutes in de-toxification is very vulnerable and risky, which may only help in diverting their addiction from conventional drugs to pharmaceutical ones- the end point will be the same. TPF does not believe excessive drug substitution and follows a drugless therapy in harmony with nature which is also cost effective.

Treatment Strategy

An integrated approach is followed by the TPF centre to address these problems and rehabilitate the individuals by bringing wellness and well being in his life. This been done by building the capacity to perform different roles and responsibilities in the society as well as to lead a full fledged and meaningful life.

  Physical Aspect

Naturopathy, Yoga & Meditation is effectively used in the management of physical and psycho-social withdrawal symptoms. The main objective is to avoid the side effect of sedatives and tranquillizers as well as to effectively combat the challenge of substitution to prescribed medicines (pharmaceutical solvents).  Therapeutic value of Earth, Water, Massage has been well established in the managing withdrawal symptoms.

Psycho-social Aspect

The psycho-social counseling aims at the Behavior Change of the addicts by providing them with knowledge pertaining to addiction and developing a positive and constructive attitude towards society. This enables them to have a new attitude towards life. The individual will be empowered to manage his desires, thoughts, emotions, feelings etc. without the help of any addictive substances.

Involvement of Family

Drug/Alcohol Addiction not only a disease that lands the individual in distress but also it badly affect the family. So the family members are intrinsic part of a successful treatment. Family interactive sessions and meetings are conducted in regular intervals at the Centre.

Comprehensive De-addiction Services-Steps
  • Pre-admission Counselling:This will help the addict to identify his problems, accept it and the need to undergo the treatment. This also prepares the addict mentally for the transition period.
  • Management of withdrawal symptoms: During first few days of detoxification, the patient may undergo the withdrawal period. The severity of withdrawal symptoms depends on person to person, types of drugs used and period of abused.
  • Psychosocial counseling:It’s an ongoing process during the process, it helps to identify ones strengths and weakness and address it with the guidance of a counselor.
  • Yoga and meditation:To address the spiritual bankruptcy/spiritual void ness and better coordination of body parts and organs. It also helps to identify the potentiality of 'self'within and use the spiritual energy to manage the challenges of daily life.
  • Behavior Change Communication:This involves providing information/knowledge, building awareness and changing attitude and behavior for healthy & safer choices in life
  • Community Therapy:It essentially teaches empathize and expressing ones feelings and emotions appropriately. This shall equip the person with better interpersonal relationship and communication skills and thereby will have better adjustments with community and society.
  • Family Counselling:In most of the cases the immediate family members will also be in distress due to the tremendous social, economical and psychological pressure.  The family counseling sessions enables the family members to better understand the situation, cope up with that and act appropriately.
  • Follow up by Telephone Calls/ House/workplace visits:As a part of the after care services, the discharged patients are encouraged to keep in touch in person or with help of communication tools. In case of need, the counselors visit the homes/workplaces.
 
Treatment Period:

As we are concerned about the results and well being of the beneficiaries, we DO NOT have any Out Patient Treatment facility.

In Patient Service: Since we believe that Drug de-addiction is a subjective matter (ie. Varies from person to person), we have customized treatment plan for each patient. However, a patient has to stay back at the centre for a minimum of 30-45 days.


Treatment Charges:

Keeping in mind, the need of catering different socio-economic category of drug dependents, we have flexible Charges options and deserving beneficiaries will be treated in subsidized or free of cost.

Outreach Camps

TPF identify drug addiction as a social problem and best method to combat it to prevent it. So awareness drives are undertaken extensively:

Vulnerable Areas:- Camps are frequently organized in drug prone areas and information regarding various aspects of drug abuse is provided.

Work Places & NGOs:- One/half day Prevention Cum Counselling sessions are conducted in factories, corporate houses, NGOs etc.