PREVENTING IS EASIER THAN CURING

Rana Rinawi investigates what help is available for Lebanon's young drug
addicts

Looking at Samir's smiley face and listening to his wise talk, it is hard
to believe that he has a history of addiction to drugs and prescription
medication.

But at the age of 18, Samir (not his real name) has witnessed more
unhappiness and abuse than most of his peers.

However, things are looking up for the young man. Samir is about to leave a
rehabilitation center for drug addicts after a 16-month stay.

The center is run by Oum al-Nour, a non-governmental and non-profit
organization. Formed in 1989, Oum al-Nour has three centers in Kesrouan:
two for men in Ashqout and Sahaileh, and one for women in Faytaroun.

Oum al-Nour was initially formed from the need to reintegrate drug addicts
into daily life. However, last year it decided to launch wide-scale media
awareness campaigns that emphasize prevention instead of just treatment.

Oum al-Nour will do the same Tuesday in line with the United Nations'
International Day Against Drug Abuse. The organization is hoping that with
a campaign for prevention and awareness, it will help people like Samir
before they become addicts.

Samir said the unhealthy relationship with his parents and lack of
communication skills, as well as low self-confidence, were at the source of
his addiction. His mother was strict and abusive.

"She used to shout and beat me. I started hating her," he recalled. "My
parents used to fight the entire time, and what might happen between them
used to scare me."

Filled with self-hatred and suffering from low self-esteem, he started
looking for role models. He found them in friends who consumed drugs.

At the age of 14, Samir tried hashish and then started using prescription
drugs. "I thought I found the solution," he said. "The drugs made me feel
so at ease. So strong. I simply felt in control of my life and feelings."

But in the long run, he developed an addiction. Instead of getting better,
everything went downhill. "The problems I had at home increased, and my
already weak school performance - I changed four schools - deteriorated,"
he recalled.

It was only a matter of time until his mother discovered pills he had
hidden in his shoes. His father forced him into detoxification at a local
hospital, and then proposed Oum al-Nour.

"I accepted it as an escape from my mother," said Samir.

He described the first months of his stay at the rehabilitation center as
difficult. With the support of a specialist and of former addicts at the
center, however, he eventually felt as if he was surrounded by a loving and
supportive family.

"I could not believe why I was being loved so much without giving anything
in return," he mused.

"One year ago I wouldn't have been able to express my feelings as I am
doing now. I used to get aggressive at the slightest challenge."

Now Samir has learned to deal with his feelings without getting angry or
using drugs. After taking his baccalaureate exams at the center, he has
goals, including entering university in the fall.

The relationship with his parents has also drastically improved, thanks to
efforts from both sides.

He knows now that his addiction turned him into a liar and an opportunist.
"I realize how much pain I inflicted on my parents," Samir said.

Although there are no reliable statistics about the current number of drug
addicts in Lebanon, studies conducted by Oum al-Nour indicate that the
average age of addicts is dropping.

Forty percent of drug addicts that underwent rehabilitation therapy in 2000
at Oum al-Nour were under the age of 24, compared with only 5 percent in 1990.

"Ten years ago, the addicts were part of a militia. Today the addicts are
young school and university students," said Mona Yazigi, Oum al-Nour's
general director. That is why the NGO's prevention campaign is targeting
youth and their parents.

Rather than simply warning youth about the dangers of drugs, and informing
them about the side effects of each drug, a good prevention campaign should
detect and fight the reasons which might lead to drug abuse, said Nadi
Sfeir, a counselor at Oum al-Nour's walk-in center.

Campaigns that try to spread fear have failed, he said, especially because
vulnerable adolescents seek to challenge society's rules and norms.

"A poorly planned campaign can backfire and lead to the opposite effects,"
he said.

Because many factors drive teenagers to drug abuse, the best way to prevent
abuse is to offer alternatives and teach them problem-solving skills as
well as how to express their feelings.

"Adolescents don't know how to confront their problems. They try to escape
problems rather than confront them," Sfeir explained. "Neither a life
without suffering nor a magic pill eliminating pain does exist," he said.

One of the media campaign's goals is to emphasize the importance of the
parental role in prevention. Oum al-Nour urges families to better
communicate to keep their kids away from drugs.

To target parents, Oum al-Nour will post ads in major Lebanese newspapers
over a period of six days. It will give parents advice on how to prevent
abuse, including raising questions such as: "My daughter talked to me this
morning, did I really listen to her? My son hangs out with friends, do I
really know them? I always lecture my son about ambitions he should have -
what about the one he has?"

The campaign also includes billboards addressing vulnerable individuals by
offering clues on how to prevent addiction. A TV spot will target those who
are already abusing drugs by offering them help.

"A campaign based on fear will not help a person who is already an addict
to solve his problem," said Sfeir. "He's aware of the dangers of drugs but
needs a solution."

Oum al-Nour's determination to combat drug abuse through prevention will
not fade once the UN's International Day Against Drug Abuse passes.

On the contrary, the NGO is determined to adopt a new mission on top of its
rehabilitation efforts. While it has already increased awareness by
organizing seminars on addiction for schools and universities, it also
wants to set up a center focusing on preventative education by the end of
the year.

"Preventing the problem from occurring is better than remedying it," said
Sfeir.

Success doesn't come cheaply

Oum al-Nour offers the country's only drug rehabilitation centers.

Supported by the ministries of social affairs and health and by donations,
the non-governmental organization offers a free service. It has 33 staff
members and another 33 volunteers.

In addition to the three treatment centers, Oum al-Nour also has a walk-in
center in Zouk to answer questions for people concerned about addiction. A
team of psychologists and social workers at the walk-in center warn about
the dangers of drugs to drop-in clients and advise whether they need to go
into rehabilitation and seek medical treatment.

"Drug addiction is a disease," said Mona Yazigi, Oum al-Nour's
general-director. "Rather than blaming the addict, society should help him."

Before they enter the treatment program, addicts must undergo
detoxification in hospital as well as physical examinations. They are then
referred to one of the organization's centers, provided they show clear
willingness to stop using drugs.

Addicts spend a minimum of 14 months in one of three centers, where they
receive therapy, medical assistance, food and board, and psychological
follow up. No medications are used in rehabilitation. Therapy is divided
into four stages: stopping the use of narcotics and beginning physical
activity; developing psychological and physical strength; initiating
responsibility and vocational education; and emphasizing social reintegration.

The therapy is done through individual and group sessions, which teach
patients how to express their feelings, assume responsibility and deal with
problems. To initiate responsibility, addicts must maintain the residence,
prepare meals and learn skills, including painting, sculpture, farm work,
agriculture and computers. The therapy stresses social activities such as
sports, culture and leisure as a means of remaining drug-free.

Although the centers have been successful - since opening, Oum al-Nour has
treated 800 addicts - the NGO's rehabilitation programs are not cheap.
Monthly treatment costs can be $1,000 per patient, and the three centers
together can only accommodate 50 addicts. Oum al-Nour said there is a need
to build new centers and is hoping that both public and private funds
increase. "There's a long waiting list for patients," said Yazigi, "and
the needs are greater than the facilities."

Rana Rinawi