RELAPSE CASES DROP WITH MATRIX SYSTEM

New Approach Has High Success Rate

It has not been an easy time for Pik, but for the last 10 months the
22-year-old former methamphetamine addict has managed to stay clear of drugs.

Pik is the beneficiary of a new approach to rehabilitating addicts which
boasts stunningly low addiction relapse rates.

"There is no better way to give up drugs for good than to take control of
yourself," said Pik, who in almost five years as an addict dropped out of
treatment programmes twice, before finally finding success at the city's
rehabilitation centre last year.

The matrix intensive out-patient system - a United States approach
introduced last year to 19 health centres in Bangkok - gave Pik the
strength to just say no.

The system involves both addict and family members in social and mental
rehabilitation. Addicts have to deal with their problem in the real world,
rather than in a controlled environment.

The matrix approach was extended to all 62 city health centres yesterday,
with the goal of treating all 55,000 city addicts. Most are hooked on
methamphetamines.

Manop Kovitaya, acting director of Wat Paiton Health Centre, said the
system had been working well, with the addiction relapse rate among
patients falling from 95% to 30%.

Dr Manop said involving family members in the 16-week programme was the key
to success.

One mother said the programme counselled patience. "I used to get terribly
upset with my son's addiction. I sometimes hit him, but now I have learned
to be more patient. I learn to encourage him to fight on," said the mother,
who has accompanied her son to treatment sessions for two months.

Pik said support from his family had helped, but so too had his ability to
identify and steer clear of risk: namely, his former addict friends.

"As much as I want to help bring my friends to rehabilitation, I could not
spend much time persuading them because I fear that they would instead
convince me to go back to drugs," he said.

Dr Manop said patients typically lacked family support and resistance to
peer pressure. In some cases having to travel a long way to rehabilitation
centres also aggravated their problems.

Krit Hiranrut, the Health Department chief, said centres would involve
successful patients in the consultation programme.

"The experience of those patients is invaluable. No doctor or psychiatrist
could match it," said Dr Krit.