CHARLENE FARRELL

Goa is known for its sun, sea and surf. As people flock to our beautiful shores to enjoy what nature has blessed us with, spirits run high in more ways than one. Alcohol flows as freely in this state as the beautiful rivers. Sure, there is definitely nothing wrong with a few tipples of the mood-altering stuff. The problem arises when a few shots turn into addictions. In states like Goa, where alcohol is priced reasonably low, many households face the evils this brings. When we live in a society where mental health is considered taboo, our citizens seek solace at the bottom of the bottle.
What is very surprising about this whole problem of alcoholism in this state is the rate at which people quit and get back to it. Yes, I am talking specifically of those religious months in our calendars that call for abstinence. We experience this every year. No matter which religion we follow, when the months of moderation dawn, like Lent and Shravan, we have a number of dependent drinkers magically giving up the bottle and taking on the personas of peace. These sudden behaviours beg the questions, what is it that, 1. Makes them quit in the first place and 2. Makes them go right back? There are plenty of things that could answer question one. Some of the reasons could be, a ferocity in religious beliefs, societal and family pressure, will power, genuine belief that abstinence is a key to righteousness, and many such subjective issues.
When an individual is dependent on narcotic substances, their bodies have cravings. In its mere definition it means a strong, often uncontrollable, desire to drink. Can religious beliefs be so strong as to allow people to overcome strong physical discomfort for it? Yes, most people who are dependent on alcohol might find ways to keep themselves out of the abstinence fold, but there are a few who walk the long mile. Most people who do abstain are users and sometimes abusers of alcohol. Those who abuse alcohol are those who can carry on with some semblance of normalcy in their life. But the cravings are still very much there. It does, therefore, take a lot of willpower for someone to quit, even if just for a month.
However, a question that is most commonly asked, especially by loved ones and family, is that if one is able to abstain for a month, why is it that they go back to it once their religious month is over? Sometimes we also witness that at the end of these months, they hit the bottle harder than prior. One such individual who I interviewed about the same explained that it feels like being underwater for a long while. What happens when you break the surface? You breathe in large quantities of air, often much more than is required. Some even report that the one thing that gets them through the month is the knowledge that there is a peg waiting at the end of this long dark tunnel. This my dear friends is actually the best time to target healing and to get help. When an individual falls into the clutches of alcoholism, we can’t turn a blind eye to the truth that it is actually a disease and an illness that requires medical and psychological attention.
It is true that a number of individuals give up alcohol on their own, but everyone is different. Not everyone has the willpower of a saint. The reality of alcoholism is a real one. It truly alters the entire persona of an individual. It is very easy to get lost in the numbness that alcohol brings.
As I mentioned earlier, mental health has not been looked at as something very important. Many individuals who are alcohol dependent, started consuming because they wanted to try something different or for fun, but remained a consumer most often because the feeling they got post stress and trauma was one which numbed the pain. As family and friends reading this, know that you are not helpless in the face of this tantalizing liquid. There is help out there and this is a great time to broach the subject. We need to make people aware that their behaviour during the time of abstinence makes them wonderful to be around with.
Alcoholism does not only affect an individual, it is an evil that consumes the entire family. Always remember, a little step forward can change an entire nation, one family at a time.