By Thomas Scaria
Mangaluru, April 22, 2020: A group of social workers and media groups has launched a study on the impact of Covid lockdown on alcohol dependents and excessive alcohol users.
Ecolink Recovery Online, a Mangaluru-based online therapeutic group, has initiated an opinion survey in cooperation with Global TV and News Karnataka. The survey also provides online counseling for alcohol dependents.
Ronnie Thomas, the coordinator of Recovery Online, told Matters India that Alcohol Lockdown Survey is a short term project intended to develop a support system for the suffering alcoholics who are “forced to undergo detoxification process” with the closure of wine shops throughout the country.
“Many of them had to accept this compulsive detoxification due to lockdown, but will surely rush to the wine shops immediately after the lockdown is over,” predicts Ronnie, who points out that the survey is held separately for the general public, alcohol dependents and volunteering counselors who are willing to assist.
The alcohol withdrawals have affected thousands of people in India. Around 40 to 50 alcoholics have committed suicide in various parts of India and some others have developed severe withdrawal related issues. Some reports indicated that the increasing domestic violence during lockdown also was linked to alcohol withdrawals.
“However, their withdrawal period is almost over now and most of them are back to normal,” said Ronnie who pointed out that this process has happened automatically. “We wanted to make sure at least some of them remain sober even after wine shops are back to business,” he added.
“With this survey, we are planning to build an online platform of therapists who can provide psychological support to the recovering alcoholic, so that we can reduce the number of immediate relapses”, said N V Paulose, the chairperson of the Global TV, a partner of the project.
Recovery online has more than 10 professional counselors signed up for providing online counseling to the needy with more are being registered in the online platform. The survey is conducted online through a simple questionnaire.
Brian Fernandes, the CEO of News Karnataka who launched the survey on April 19 with an online musings with the organizers, said there was no perfect solution to the problem of alcoholism as several of them are likely to return to drinking if no urgent intervention is done.
“It is our social responsibility to reach out to them with some possible support for which the media fraternity and the deaddiction professionals and social workers ready to help,” said Fernandes.
Expert studies on alcoholism have proved that staying away from alcohol for 30 days will automatically detoxify oneself from alcoholism, set right minor medical problems.
“The lockdown could be a blessing in disguise for alcohol dependents if they convert this crisis into an opportunity,” says Clara D’Cunha, one of the first counselors signed up for free service. “It is up to them to take a decision whether to continue sober or return to alcohol use again”, she said hinting at the relevance of extending therapy to them.
Recovery Online is an initiative under Ecolink Institute of Wellbeing that offers free online counseling and therapeutic assistance to alcoholics to strengthen their motivation, heal their psychological wounds and suggest ways and means to continue in sobriety even after lockdown ends.
The survey and the therapeutic assistance are implemented also in Sri Lanka and some other Asian countries, as similar situation prevails there too.
Thulitha Wickrama, a psychologist in Colombo who coordinates this project in Sri Lanka, told Matters India that the situation in his country is not different from India. “All will run to the liquor shops as soon as the lockdown ends, unless we do this intervention,” he added.
To join the movement either as a social support group, alcohol dependents or therapists, one needs to log on to www.ecolinkonline.com/recovery-online.