More Therapists Needed To Fight Addiction, Says Amam

Malaysia needs more addiction therapists to help win the war against drug abuse, according to the Addiction Medicine Association of Malaysia (AMAM)’s annual report on community based addiction treatment. Complementing programs offered by the government, the Community Based Treatment (CBT) is where an addict voluntarily checks in for addiction treatment by a registered doctor not in an institutional setting, but within a supportive family orientated environment in the community. The 2009 AMAM National Drug Substitution Therapy Report (NDST Report) reveals that while more addicts are seeking help and adhering to the program, there is a lack of addiction counselors to provide an effective community network and support the growing number of patients. Currently, in the private sector, there are only 12 certified counselors specializing in addiction counseling registered with the Substance Abuse Certification Council of Malaysia, (SACCOM). Meanwhile, the number of patients registered for CBT rose by 13.74 per cent to 21319 patients in 2009 from 18744 patients in 2008. “There are still many out there who are struggling with their addiction. Getting them to seek help is half our journey and our efforts must be in tandem with developing an effective counseling network,” said AMAM President Dr. Steven at the opening of the 6th National Conference of Addiction Medicine (NATCAM). “Counseling is paramount because our key objective is to assist patients towards eventually living a life without drugs, both prescription and illicit.” Dr. Chow explained that because addiction is a chronic disease, counseling offers patients the psychological and emotional support as well as the insight into addiction behavior to prevent relapses as well as help the patient return to society. “Most of these patients are aged 31 to 38 years old that there was a gross male to female preponderance of 41:1. The problem affects virtually all racial groups,” Dr. Chow said. According to the report, of the 21319 registered patients, 15078 were Malays, followed by 3568 Chinese and 1193 Indians. “Also, our findings also reveal that individuals who seek help early are more likely to live drug free lives,” Dr. Chow said. According to the report, addicts who begin seeking treatment between the ages of 16 to 30 are able to progress much faster as they are able to wean off the medication quicker. “But without proper counseling within their community and family support, they may relapse and it may be more difficult to start all over,” added Dr. Chow. To improve patient access to counseling, AMAM in 2008 signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Anti Drug Agency (AADK) to allow AMAM patients to seek help from the counseling and other rehabilitation services provided by the AADK. To assist individuals who may require help in fighting addiction, AMAM and the National Anti Drug Agency (AADK) will host a public forum in conjunction with the 6th NATCAM, themed ‘Is your child an addict?’ on October 25, 2009 at the Legend Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Organized by AMAM with the support of the Ministry of Health, AADK and Schering Plough, the 6th NATCAM, themed ‘Addiction & the Adolescent Mind’, held from October 23 to 25, will draw more than 300 participants consisting of  doctors, care-givers and experts practicing addiction medicine in Malaysia, Australia and the United Kingdom

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