Alcoholics struggle to cope with lockdown

THE alcohol de-addiction centres in Chennai are receiving calls for emergency counselling from family members of tipplers as the state-owned liquor shops were closed due to Covid-19 lockdown, said counsellors.

They said the government and the media could help in spreading the de-addiction message aggressively as the time is right.

Owing to the coronavirus scare and also due to the lockdown, the de-addiction centres do not accept new patients but refer them to government hospitals.

“The calls received now are emergency or crisis calls, from family members seeing their loved ones suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms. The nature of calls received now are different from the calls received prior to lockdown,” said Jacqueline David, senior counsellor at TTK Hospital.

The de-addiction centres are receiving calls from family members, citing anger and violent behaviour on the part of the affected member.

According to David, the state has already seen deaths due to the craving for alcohol post-lockdown.

Three people died after drinking paint varnish with water and two lost their lives after consuming aftershave lotion with water.

David said not many realise that alcoholism is a mental and nervous disease, needing medical attention.

She said when an alcoholic is deprived of his drink, he suffers from what is called “withdrawal symptoms”. The withdrawal symptoms are anger, shaking hands, heartburn sensations, fits, hallucinations, sleeplessness, violent behaviour, and others.

According to her, to manage the withdrawal symptoms, an alcoholic’s fluid intake should be increased.

“An alcoholic could be given lime juice with sugar and a dash of salt. One can also give other juices.

The other steps that family members could take is to distract the alcoholic and keep his mind engaged,” she said.

Family members should see that the suffering member is well-fed with nutritious food and lots of vegetables, and he should not be allowed to feel hungry.

“A hungry stomach will trigger craving for liquor in an alcoholic. Apart from food, the person should be given lots of juice.”