ASHA workers to help battle alcohol addiction in Bengaluru

Soon, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) will be deployed to scout for those grappling with alcoholism, said a senior official who is associated with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). He believes that though AA meetings are free and open to all, they are more accessible to the educated and well-informed.

“Awareness on the subject is lacking in some neighbourhoods with low income and low literacy rates. With this new initiative, we will be able to spread awareness in places where we could not earlier,” the official shared. He has been holding meetings with representatives of the Department of Health and Family Welfare. “We hope to launch this initiative in the next few weeks,” he told Metrolife.

This comes barely a week after the murder of a civil engineer in Bengaluru. It is alleged he was killed by his wife with a common wooden object, used to make ragi mudde. The woman claims he had an alcohol problem and they had gotten into an argument after he returned home inebriated.

Currently, Bengaluru has 120 alcoholism support groups affiliated with AA. They hold meetings daily across the city. Those who have been attending these meetings for decades shared that the demographic has changed drastically over the years.

“When I started attending the meetings, most of the members were above 35. Now we see kids as young as 16 looking for help. The number of women struggling with alcoholism has also increased,” said Shiva S (name changed), 56, a businessman who has been in the programme since 1998. After a relapse in 1999, he has now been sober for 26 years.

A graphic designer, aged 64, first joined AA in 2011. After multiple relapses, he is now sober for four years. “I was a basketball player and represented the state at the national level. But then I got addicted to alcohol and my life changed. For the first 10 years of my addiction, I did not think I had a problem,” he shared.

Jeeva N (name changed) had been sober for seven years. Last year, he had a relapse, but has been sober for nine months now. “I had a tough childhood. My family has a history of alcoholism. I was a functioning alcoholic. I had a good job and career despite being addicted. But I had a very small social circle, which was toxic,” explained the 40-year-old. Depression and anxiety drove him to alcohol. He points out that being sober is a way of life. He attends AA meetings daily, journals, prays, and meditates to keep himself out of trouble.

Dr Rajesh Kumar notes that “early onset alcoholism” (alcoholism in those aged 18-25) has become common. “Earlier, our patients were mostly 30 or above. And addiction was often the result of personal crises. Now, people are exposed to alcohol at a much younger age and it is also easily accessible,” explains Kumar, a de-addiction therapist and assistant professor at Nimhans.

NEED HELP?

CALL AA Bengaluru helplines for all: 98455 87507, 99022 62316, 080 2234 0444;

AA helpline dedicated to women: 97313 12520.