Substance Use Disorders

Drug addiction also known as substance abuse disorder comes at a great cost and undoubtedly has become a major cause of alarm all over the World. It's impact is devastating for the person, society, country and is an obstacle for the welfare of society and humanity. The concerned substance user is affected mentally, physically and emotionally and may get involved in Illegal activities and it also brings a lot of pressure on the resources of the family and the society. All these make stake holders to try their best to put an end to this growing menace. In India, substance disorder abuse comprises mainly of Alcohol, cannabis, opioids, inhalants, stimulants, and sedatives. As per Government of India data,16 crore people (14.6%) between the age of 10 and 75 years are current users of alcohol, and out of them, 5.2% are alcohol dependents. About 3.1 crore individuals (2.8%) are cannabis users, and 72 lakh (0.66%) people suffer from cannabis problems. 1.18 crore (1.08%) are current users of sedatives (non-medical use). The government aims to make India “drug-free” by 2047 and has undertaken many initiatives including stricter enforcement of related laws and Nasha mukt bharat abhiyaan. This book is envisioned for healthcare professionals across disciplines, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, physicians and other seriously interested persons. We hope that it will aid as a treasured resource in your practice, knowledge and work with persons besieged with addiction, and contribute in more real and empathetic care. About the Editor Dr Arun Kumar Pandey completed his MBBS and MD in Psychiatry from SMS Medical College Jaipur. He has been a faculty since 2007 & Professor wef Jan 16 in Government of Haryana. He did his short-term training as government sponsored candidate in Deaddiction from NDDTC, AIIMS, New Delhi and Geriatric psychiatry from King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow.