The Malaysian Insight

THERE are currently two methods used for drug rehabilitation in Malaysia; using a substitute drug or psychotherapy.

For the substitution method, activists say addicts show a higher rate of success in a shorter time period, but chances of relapses are also high.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s methadone or ketum, the effectiveness of using substitutes to wean off drug users is limited, and it comes with negative effects.

“You may become addicted to the substitute instead,” said drug rehabilitation centre Rumah Victory supervisor Nan Soon Chai.

Methadone is a form of opioid that is used to treat pain and is also used to wean off drug users from their addiction. The substitution method can produce results from within a month’s time to half a year’s time.

However, the substitution method only addresses the physical aspect of addiction and not the mental side of it, which leads to higher rates of relapse, said Nan.

“The mental effect of drugs on an addict is huge, you need to be mentally strong to resist the sense of excitement and euphoria that you get from drugs,” he said.

Rumah Victory, which uses religious teachings to assist the rehabilitation process, has five centres. In its 30 years of operation, the centre has treated about 3,000 patients. Only about 500 have successfully remained drug-free.

Nan said even though the success rate at the centre is low, it goes to prove the mental dependence of substance abusers on drugs.

“Usually, those who come here do not do so voluntarily but are forced by their family. For cases like those, about 50% of them will run away from the centre. They are unwilling to cooperate and do not want to be told what to do,” he said.

He said there have been cases where the family of drug addicts could not bear to see them suffer, so they refuse to let them be treated.

“That’s why when we begin treatment, we need to communicate with the patient’s family to reach an agreement,” Nan said.

Increasing youth addiction

Nan said he finds the rate of drug use among youths concerning.

“At our centre, about 30% of the addicts that need detoxification are youths between the ages of 14 and 20,” he said.

Meanwhile, Akasha Learning Companionship Association of Malaysia founder and CEO Nandor Lim told The Malaysian Insight that addiction is a lifelong affliction.

“You cannot completely get rid of addiction, because the best moments of an addict’s life is when he or she is taking drugs, and it won’t be easy to get rid of that feeling.

“It is only through endless self-reflection, rehabilitation, and increasing one’s self-confidence that an addict will not relapse,” Lim said.

“If you are still counting how long have you been clean every year, then that means you are still aware that you have the risk of relapsing.

“Some former addicts have even refused to drink alcohol or gamble because of their addictive tendencies, out of fear that they will get hooked on the feeling again.”

Lim said an addict’s family play the deciding factor between the success and failure of kicking the habit, and their involvement is vital.

“It is not enough that the addict wants to participate, the family have to as well.” – March 31, 2019.