THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Anoop, a bright young man from Kottayam, had high hopes when he landed a job at a reputed IT company in Bengaluru through campus placement. Hailing from a middle-class family, his success was seen as a beacon of promise for his future. But within two years of joining the firm, Anoop found himself staring at a disheartening email from HR—his dismissal owing to poor performance. The news was crushing, but it was not the only shock in Anoop’s life. The real story lay in the journey that led him to this point: a path marred by substance abuse and its devastating impact on his personal and professional life.
Anoop’s descent into addiction began in the most unremarkable way. At the IT company, he became immersed in a fast-paced hustle culture, where bonding with colleagues over weekend parties was the norm. During one such outing, he was introduced to drugs—something he had never even considered before. Raised by a teetotaller father, Anoop had no prior exposure to such substances, but the temptation to fit in with his colleagues was too strong. “Why not?” he thought, rationalising it as part of the social experience.
At first, it was just a one-time affair. The euphoria of the drug was an escape from the pressures of work and life. But as time passed, that fleeting pleasure turned into a need. Anoop found himself relying on the drug not just on weekends, but whenever stress at work became unbearable. The once occasional indulgence became a regular habit, and soon he found himself needing more to achieve the same high. His performance at work began to suffer, but Anoop, trapped in the cycle, couldn’t break free.
His story is not unique. Mental health professionals across the country are witnessing an alarming rise in young professionals, students, and even children succumbing to drug abuse. In Anoop’s case, it wasn’t just a recreational habit—it was a desperate attempt to cope with the pressures of his demanding job, isolation, and an environment that seemed to offer little beyond work and partying.
Mental health professionals like Dr CJ John, chief psychiatrist at Medical Trust Hospital in Ernakulam, notes that substance abuse disorders can affect anyone, regardless of their family background. “Earlier, we used to say that people with substance abuse disorders come from adverse family backgrounds, but we now see that even individuals from stable, caring families are increasingly falling prey to drugs,” he said.
Peer pressure, curiosity, and the desire to fit-in often drive young people to experiment with substances. Notwithstanding the history of drug-use, nobody can be sure who gets hooked and won’t, he added.
What makes drug addiction particularly insidious is how it infiltrates an individual’s life. Dr Sagar T Thevalappuram, senior consultant in psychiatry, district hospital Kozhencherry, explains, “Youth often get into drug addiction by chance. But it leads to deterioration at personal and familial levels, and may even lead to loss of life. It is important to start treatment early.”
Anoop was lucky in some ways. His condition could have deteriorated further had it not been for the timely intervention of his family members who identified that something was not right with him.
His story highlights a larger trend that health experts are increasingly concerned about—the role of peer pressure and the ease at which young people are exposed to drugs.
Dr Jitha G, specialist of psychiatry & behavioural medicine, KIMSHEALTH, Thiruvananthapuram, said children are easily influenced by peer pressure. “The brain of a child is less developed. So they do not think like adults. The chances of substance abuse in children are easy. I have seen children as young as eight-years-old using drugs. But substance abuse is the tip of the iceberg because there are so many underlying risk factors,” she said.
According to health experts, constant awareness helps children stay away from substance abuse. It has helped children from using alcohol and cigarettes, but they generally lack the awareness that the use of drugs can damage the brain. However, they added that ad hoc awareness classes are useless without interventional strategies, as peer group promotion, movies, and general promotions glorifying drug use often outdo such efforts.
Some patients come up with online reports of the advantages of cannabis, they said. When there is propaganda to initiate youth into drug use, health activists feel that it is important to empower the youth to say no and the need to develop a social fraternity that says it is not good. It is a fact that the longer a person uses drugs the more difficult it becomes to get cured. But it is also important not to stigmatise the people looking for a cure and get out of the habit.
“Getting initiated to a substance is a normal thing in today’s world. Everyone has human vulnerabilities. But temptation or pressure is something that needs to be prevented,” said Dr John.
The impact of drug addiction is not confined to the individual. It penetrates into every corner of their life, disrupting relationships, causing financial instability, and leaving deep scars on family members. The children of drug users are particularly vulnerable, as studies show that they are three times more likely to experience neglect or abuse.
Mental health experts are stressing on the importance of early intervention and regular follow-ups for the success of any treatment. Even after treatment, the patient is going to the same environment where he or she got the addiction. In addictive behaviours, the chance of relapse is high if they go back to the same toxic social circles. Recovery from addiction requires a sustained effort, and follow-up treatments should continue for at least a year to reduce the risk of relapse. Substance abuse does not discriminate—it affects people from all walks of life, from the most privileged to the most vulnerable.