More Saudi women seeking treatment for drug abuse

Admissions of women addicted to drugs have climbed steadily at Al-Amal Hospital in Jeddah due largely through increased awareness among users and their families.
Dr. Fatima Muhammad Kaaki, a psychiatric consultant at the hospital, said most substance abusers are between 15 and 30 years old and are addicted to hashish and Captagon, which is an amphetamine. Kaaki told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that 60 women are admitted for treatment every month.
However, the number of women seeking rehabilitation at Dammam’s Al-Amal Hospital is low according to its director Dr. Muhammad Al-Zahrani.
“One case every two or three months,” Al-Zahrani told Arab News. Women often become addicted to drugs through friendships or because a family member may be addicted, said Kaaki.
Najla, is a chemistry university graduate in her 20s.
“My friend who became an addict to hashish made me an addict too.”
Najla said she was married to a man who is 20 years older than her. “After doing several times it became hard for me to quit.”
Another woman addicted to Captagon tablets said she started with taking it to be able to study for long hours.
At the beginning, she would get the tablets as gifts from her friend, but later she started buying them.
Kaaki said treating addiction does not merely involve the doctor and hospital as other factors are involved, especially the addict’s determination to quit the use of drugs.
The rehabilitation stage depends heavily on parents’ support as well as the hospital. In the past the hospital’s regulations stipulate on receiving only girls who come with their parents. Now girls above 18 years of age are admitted when they come alone with their national identity card. However, the hospital is obliged to notify their parents.
“If the girl is a subject to domestic violence then we work on protecting the girl by notifying the party responsible for domestic violence at the hospital,” she said.
After recovery the woman’s condition must be followed up by psychiatric and social specialists, the rehabilitation guidance committee – which trains rehabilitated girls to be part of the committee’s team – and the religious guidance committee.
“All these parties’ and parents’ efforts must be integrated to treat addiction properly.” Rehabilitation periods differ according to the case, the type of drugs involved and parents’ attitude, she added.
Wafa Al-Shammari, a specialist with the Ministry of Social Affairs, told Arab News family disintegration is the main reason for some girls’ fall into addiction.
“In addition to being marginalized by parents, bad company is also a significant factor, especially in teenagers who usually want to try new experiences,” she said. “Honesty and admitting the existence of the problem is the first thing to do when dealing with addiction. The energy of the young generations must be directed properly.”
Psychiatrist Wafa Al-Jifri stressed the importance of parents’ observing their offspring’s activities and conditions.
“Signs of drug use can include red eyes, sleeping disorders and having a temper fits in addition to erroneous behaviors like stealing,” she said.
Al-Jifri, who works in a private clinic, said in most women seeking rehabilitation are in an advanced stage of addiction, which cause them to suffer withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include physical ones like sweats, skin irritation and faster heart beats. Psychological ones include depression, anxiety and social thoughts. “Drug addiction can be caused by social pressure and stress,” she added.