By Dr. Ndungu Makara
Worth Noting:
- In my journey in Alcohol Dependence Rehabilitation, I have come to respect this multi-sectional, multi_therapeutic approach. The process of rehabilitation is a continuous undertaking. As seen in case studies in Kiambu where some of these patients were locked in confined areas cum prisons died of withdrawal syndrome.
- This is where alcohol rehab is a quick or fast death sentence. Chemical substances in alcohol are highly addictive and slowly take over all the bodily systems and functions , may they be mental, digestive, circulatory, breathing, sight, hearing, nervous etc.
- Ever wondered why an addicted person wants to “remove the lock” meaning stabilize their nerves to stop withdrawal tremors? This means that the nervous system has been compromised.
Alcoholism may simply be explained as addiction to alcohol, on the next level it may mean dependence on alcoholic substances.
Alcohol may be any liquid substance which has chemicals elements of starch or sugar which may or may not contain ethanol derivatives which may have passed through the processes of distillation, fermentation, suspension, filtration or any other process that produces an intoxicating effect when taken.
Alcoholism is currently a derogatory term.Let’s deal with alcohol dependence. Dependence and ultimate addiction in itself is a disease and thus alcohol dependents should be considered as patients and not social misfits.
These groups of citizens should not be taken to prison or jails but should be taken to a holistic wellness centre where a physiologist is able to prescribe a variety of interventions including exercise, nutrition, pharmacology, psychological counselling and possibly occupational therapy.
The best fitting professional here is an exercise physiologist who has studied all the above therapeutic modalities.
They are expected to have studied exercise or sports science at undergraduate degree and must have done exercise science at postgraduate level with physiology option at course work and hospital internship.
However, with the scarcity of exercise physiologists in Africa, then a wellness centre may be required to have all the earlier mentioned professionals.
In my journey in Alcohol Dependence Rehabilitation, I have come to respect this multi-sectional, multi_therapeutic approach. The process of rehabilitation is a continuous undertaking. As seen in case studies in Kiambu where some of these patients were locked in confined areas cum prisons died of withdrawal syndrome.
This is where alcohol rehab is a quick or fast death sentence. Chemical substances in alcohol are highly addictive and slowly take over all the bodily systems and functions , may they be mental, digestive, circulatory, breathing, sight, hearing, nervous etc.
Ever wondered why an addicted person wants to “remove the lock” meaning stabilize their nerves to stop withdrawal tremors? This means that the nervous system has been compromised. When you immediately confine such an individual without alcohol, most likely he will have a nervous breakdown, mental disease, alcohol induced dementia, loss of hearing and eyesight faculties.
Of course most of you may now be thinking of alcohol induced myopia or even blindness.It is both ways. Just like in diabetes where Peripheral Neuropathyl (distortion of feeling at nerve ends) sugar level may be either too high or too low. Alcohol withdrawal will elicit same outcomes. In most cases extended withdrawal for these patients leads to fatality even death.
Erectile dysfunction is linked to over use of alcohol which is quite actual, however immediate withdrawal of alcohol causes temporal sometimes permanent impotence.
Individuals with this dependence eventually suffer from low self esteem, aggression, extroverted or introverted behaviour.
All this is activation of self defense mechanism.
They want to hide the root cause of their indulgence or even results of their alcoholic induced behavior. If alcohol is abruptly withdrawn in this phase, the patient is most likely going to commit suicide or homicide (killing others)
In my research I visited Many Highend Alcohol Rehabs in Kenya, Uganda and Sudan.
Most of these centres are actually prisons where monotonous routines which include eating and misguided counselling take place.
Most of the ‘inmates’ have been taken there unwillingly. These includes priests, pastors, people from rich families, civil servants , etc. Immediately these people are ‘realesed’ instead of being ‘discharged’ rush to the nearest bar and drink themselves silly.
Their systems have not healed naturally and the craving is at hair trigger or fever pitch.
What goes wrong in these rehabs and what should be done to contain this menace without killing the patient?
These questions and others will be answered in the next issue.
Remember many governments in different countries have in the past started these programs but have failed miserably and have ended being demonised for their shoddy approach.
The Institute of Exercise Physiologists and Sports Scientists Kenya has the complete professional capacity dealing with this issues in a well organised structure.
_Dr. Ndungu Makara JJ PHD(HC), MSC(C), BSED, DIP, ACSM, IEPSS_K. Consultant Human and Exercise Physiologist Scientist, Therapist, Endocrinologist Rehab_Specialist. DIRECTOR _ Institute of Exercise Physiologist and Sports Scientists Kenya. Contact: 0701806586