DRUG ABUSE AND MENTAL ILL-HEALTH

The week that was focused on two important problems which have been holding
Sri Lanka in their grip for quite sometime: the widespread abuse of hard
drugs and increasing mental illnesses and emotional instability.

There is a close link between the grave malaises because increasing
emotional turmoil among vulnerable groups, exposes them to the risk of hard
drug abuse. This is particularly true of some sections of our youth,
although mental illnesses are no respector of age or generation.

Commenting on hard drug abuse, President Kumaratunga had this to say: "We
know that the youth are not wilful perpetrators of crime. Neither do they
become addicts out of choice... They are only victims of a wider social
crisis that our society is going through for which we are also
responsible". Very illuminating words indeed. A wider social crisis forms
the backdrop to these problems currently ravaging Lankan society: Hard drug
abuse and rising mental ill-health.

Yes, there is a grave anomaly in the adult world pointing an accusing
finger at our youth, for the propensity among some of them to contract
evils such as drug abuse. In a highly commercialized world which is showing
a penchant for individualism, selfishness and cut-throat competition for
those that are considered the good things in life, our youths tend to be
neglected by some of their parents and elders. Is it surprising that these
neglected youths pursue the chimerical thrills and suicidal pleasures of
drug abuse?

Likewise, the same social tendencies, gravitate vulnerable persons from all
age groups towards mental ill-health. In a selfish world even most adults
tend to feel neglected. This is particularly true of the ageing segment of
the population. Such a sense of alienation could lead to mental ill-health.

Speaking at a Sahanaya-connected event, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse,
drew our attention to this aspect of mounting ill-health. Decreasing social
consolidation and cooperation breeds emotional instability.

These observations need to alert all sections to the grave crises affecting
Lankan society. There is more than meets the eye here. The State as well as
the people need to think of how best they could balance their interests, so
that Lankan society would continue to be based on humanity and not avarice
and greed.