Saudi Gazette People usually believe that taking drugs is like living on the edge, like living in constant elation or being euphoric whenever they feel low. However, that it is one of the most destructive illusion they live and believe in. Over the years drug intake has rapidly increased in our society and it is not glamorous at all. Saudi wives of drug addicts portray the true picture of drug addiction which is ugly, demoralizing, and emotionally and physically tormenting. Umm Omar's husband frequently leaves the house in the evening, only to return 12 hours later, looking haggard and pale. In recent months, these mysterious disappearances have become regular and are explained with different excuses at home, such as a minor car accident, visiting a sick friend, or working overtime. She became suspicious when her husband locked himself in the bathroom, once, for over two hours. Her worst fears came true when she found a needle and a syringe hidden in the bathroom, and the final blow came when her husband admitted that he was indeed on drugs. She sadly said, “The first thing that crossed my mind when I realized that my husband was addicted to drugs is my children. What would happen to them if our family fell apart? Would my children imitate their father in the future and become hooked on drugs as well?” In desperation she confided in her brother, who spoke to her husband at length, advising, supporting, and counseling him. Umm Omar's husband promised to repent to Allah and to quit drugs, but unfortunately, he was unable to and his drug abuse has led to constant violence at home. To top it all he has depleted almost all of their financial savings. Another sorry state and struggle is of Umm Turki. Her husband became a drug addict after two years of their wedding. To avoid the social stigma of being labeled as a divorcee, she stayed in her turmoil and tried to stop her husband from consuming drugs. When life became unbearable and her strength and patience waned, she eventually asked for a divorce. “When a woman learns that her husband is addicted to drugs, the shock is very difficult to deal with. It is as if her whole world falls apart because she worries about her husband, children, their future, and at the same time she worries about what the society around her will think and how they will judge her and her children. After the initial shock is over, the wife of a drug addict actually becomes a social worker, counselor, supervisor, and security guard; all at once,” said Dr. Nasser Al-Dhabiani, a psychiatrist at Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah Psychiatric Hospital. “Anyone who has a family member addicted to drugs should seek professional help. The wife should calmly explain to her husband the dangerous effects of drugs and that they could end his life. Her biggest milestone is to convince him to accept medical treatments and the psycho-social therapy that he needs to help him quit. In a rehabilitation center or specialized health center the drug toxins and poisons will be flushed and gradually eliminated from his body. The process may be quite rough and may take from one month to six months for a full recovery. Family members can expect the withdrawal symptoms to include depression, irritability, anxiety, muscle spasms, chills, and generalized pain,” said Al-Dhabiani. He has helped many couples overcome the horrendous problem of drug abuse and he has long standing experience in this field. He narrated another heart-rending incident, “I know one man who actually turned his wife into a drug addict, so that she could stop pestering him to refrain from using drugs. The woman came to the center and asked for help for both her and her husband. I praise Allah that they were treated successfully and have overcome their drug addiction.” The doctor urges the Directorate General of Narcotics Control to put in more efforts in organizing public anti-drugs awareness campaigns in colleges, public places and shopping centers in the Kingdom. Al-Dhabiani also said that our society must be well-informed about the devastating economic, social, religious, and health impact of drug abuse and how drugs turn their life and everyone in his/her family circle a living hell. __
