The Amal Psychiatric Hospital has admitted 10 to 20 women drug addicts, including new patients, this year. In addition, there have been between 100 and 200 female patients visiting the hospital for follow-up treatment.
The hospital’s medical manager, Dr. Khaled Al-Oufi, said a decision to hospitalize a female addict is taken only after she undergoes several examinations, including an evaluation of the patient’s psychological state and level of addiction using blood analysis. A patient is then referred to a social specialist and a religious counselor.
During hospitalization, a patient goes though detoxification while being treated for drug withdrawal symptoms using medication. She is then treated for drug abuse.
Al-Oufi told local press that among those hospitalized are youngsters under the age of 18 who have their own designated unit. These teenagers often become addicts if someone in their family is an addict, or if she herself is under psychological, social and economic pressures, coupled with lack of parental control or negligence.
Al-Oufi said the biggest problems the hospital faces are the refusal of a patient to continue with her hospitalization and patients not making their scheduled visits to outpatient clinics.
Some families are unaware of the importance of treating some cases at the hospital and some prefer to have their addicted members treated at a private hospital or even abroad to avoid social stigmatization.
He said the number of addicts is increasing around the world. In Jeddah, the hospital receives on average 150 male addict cases every month including new and frequent patients. The ministry provides sufficient quantities of medication stored at its medical supplies departments around the Kingdom.
He said there was need to expand addiction treatment and psychiatric services in the Kingdom. “Al-Amal is coming up with a 500-bed medical complex in the Asfan area in northwestern Jeddah. The expansion of drug addiction treatment and psychiatric services is the aim of the ministry’s General Administration for Mental and Social Healthcare as per its strategic plans,” he said.
The detoxification phase usually takes two weeks, followed by a 4- to 6-week behavior treatment and another period of the same duration for rehabilitation.
A local press report said the number of addicts was increasing at an alarming rate, claiming that the number was doubling every year. They also warned that addicts under the age of 15 are increasing.
“A number of intermediate school-level pupils were admitted into hospitals for addiction treatment. It is a problem that requires concerted efforts,” the report said, adding that factors causing child addiction can be imitating others, being falsely led to believe that drugs would make them more vigilant during exam periods and not being monitored by parents.
A 15-year-old addict was quoted by the local press as saying: “I’m not the only one using drugs in my school. There are some my age who visit hospitals for treatment, but many remain untreated and continue to go to school. Drug dealers promote drugs among pupils, especially during exam time.”
A 42-year-old addict said he has been undergoing treatment for 14 years and described local addiction treatment programs and rehabilitation programs as successful.
Female drug addiction on the rise
