Mumbai: The consequences of the ongoing lockdown are not entirely negative. While citizens are battling the spread of the coronavirus confined to their homes, some of them have also conquered addictions like alcohol, drugs and smoking.
Mumbai, the city that never sleeps, is famous for its nightlife and party culture. But the sudden lockdown put paid to all such activities. Under the strict surveillance of Mumbai Police and the civic body, people dare not go looking for shops selling cigarettes, beedis, gutkha and alcohol.
Black marketeers, buoyed by the prospects of a sudden increase in demand, began to charge five to eight times the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for such items. Since not everyone is in a position to shell out such extravagant sums daily, there is no choice for them but to do without the stuff.
"There has been a 50 per cent increase in patients suffering from withdrawal symptoms. During the initial days of the lockdown, many people have called us for help as their lives revolved around the consumption of alcohol and smoking" said Dr Sagar Mundada, consulting psychiatrist, Healthspring, Mumbai.
"People have nothing to do now, so they are left with no options. Also, many can't afford alcohol and cigarettes, which are currently selling at a premium on the black market," added Mundada.
He said, in pre-lockdown days, there were at least five cases of people calling in with withdrawal symptoms every 10 days but in the lockdown period, every day there are one or two cases on an average.
Discontinuation of drugs and other addictive products have severe effects on the individual, as he/she suffers episodes of vomiting, angry outbursts or irritation and lack of sleep.
However, Dr Mundada feels, after the lockdown is over, people may get back to their normal patterns of alcohol and substance use but fewer will do so.
"People who are consulting psychiatrists and doctors are doing so to seek help. We counsel them. However, many patients do not continue with long-term medication. But we are still hopeful that fewer people will go back to drugs after the lockdown is over," he said.
In another case, a civic volunteer organisation, 'Roads of Mumbai' (ROM) has conducted an online survey of Mumbaikars from all age groups and different walks of life.
The organisation has nearly 40,000 followers, who took the survey. As many as 31 per cent of respondents said they had sobered up, managing without alcohol and cigarettes, as black market prices are unaffordable.
"When polling ended, we learnt that 31 per cent of people said they had quit their habit. Many people have told us it is impossible for them to consume such substances," a member of ROM said, on condition of anonymity.
"We believe many of those who have quit their addictions during this period will remain sober post-lockdown, as many wanted to quit but couldn't as the substances were easily available in the market before," the member said.
