Written by Leonie Mifsud, 3RD Year Medical Student
Dabbling around with drugs has become quite accepted nowadays. However, irrespective of this ever-growing drug usage, addiction is still a taboo topic. The MMSA’s Standing Committee for Human Rights and Peace will be working on a campaign called Aware in Care. It will focus on educating medical students on how to handle certain patients presenting with difficult socio-cultural problems. Addiction will be one of these topics discussed.
When simply scratching the surface, it is very easy to state that addiction is a problem that is brought about by that very person. One can simply argue that it was that person’s choice to initially start using. Or, that there is such a thing as free will. Then the blame falls wholly on that person for ‘deciding’ to become an addict. However, one ought to look into these types of situations from a deeper perspective. Then, one can quickly realise that these people become victims of a vicious cycle that is almost impossibly hard to break out of. It is also important to look into why that person initially started to make use of drugs.
Difficult upbringings in relation to drug usage
The majority of these people would have had very difficult upbringings. While a difficult childhood doesn’t mean that you’re doomed to make all the wrong choices in life, making the right ones can be much more challenging. A simple conversation with them can quickly get you off your moral high horse. It gets you to begin to understand that while everyone is free to make their own choices, it is almost impossible to make the right one when the options life has presented you with were all wrong.
What we are trying to strive for through this campaign is to break the idea that a patient’s drug problem is their own fault. This type of misconception can push the addict to feel ashamed. This pushes the person further away from seeking the necessary treatment. Furthermore, this type of stigma can intensify that person’s drug use. Imagine already having a massive problem like addiction and then being met with judgment when you finally decide
‘Aware in Care’ Campaign
Ultimately, the whole point of this campaign is, as the name suggests; raising awareness in this regard amongst our future doctors, with the hope that it translates into genuine care. Every human being has their own thoughts and pre-determined ideas about people. It simply boils down to realizing and understanding those ideas, putting them aside, and looking at people from all different walks of life from the most neutral and unbiased perspective possible. This is particularly crucial for the health care professional, as gaining trust through care is the foundation for being able to start helping these people, and for them to start accepting that genuine help.
The Aware in Care campaign will also be educating and raising awareness about various topics. These include LGBTIQ+ sexual history taking, GBV and sexual assault along with refugee and migrants’ health, and discrimination, and xenophobia in the health sector.
