Network for Peer led Drug and Alcohol Prevention

विपिन शर्मा की रिकवरी, शिक्षा और पीयर-लीडरशिप की यात्रा लेखक: विपिन शर्मा अध्यक्ष, Ankush Foundation | State Level Coordination Agency (SLCA), Haryana हाल ही में प्रधानमंत्री के मन की बात में नशामुक्ति की राह पर आगे बढ़ रहे युवाओं को “real warriors” कहकर संबोधित किया गया। यह केवल प्रशंसा के शब्द नहीं हैं। यह उस संघर्ष की सामाजिक पहचान है, जिसे नशे से उबरने वाला व्यक्ति, उसका परिवार और उसका समुदाय लंबे समय तक साथ लेकर चलते हैं। लेकिन सवाल यह है— क्या नशामुक्ति केवल दवा, डॉक्टर और उपचार से पूरी हो सकती है? हाल ही में Hindustan Times में प्रकाशित किरण बेदी के लेख “Why addiction strategy demands social overhaul” ने इसी सवाल को सामने रखा। लेख का मूल संदेश स्पष्ट है: दवा उपचार का हिस्सा हो सकती है, लेकिन दीर्घकालिक रिकवरी परिवार, साथियों, सार्थक काम, स्थिर रिश्तों और ऐसे समुदायों पर भी निर्भर करती है जो व्यक्ति को उम्मीद और अपनापन देते हैं। मेरी अपनी जिंदगी इस बात की एक छोटी-सी मिसाल है। मैं कभी मदद लेने वाला व्यक्ति था मेरी रिकवरी की शुरुआत उस समय हुई जब मेरे जीवन में नशे का प्रभ...

  A Call for Professional Associations and Civil Society to Lead Innovative Responses As the world observes the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking under the theme "World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses, " India has an opportunity to confront one of the most urgent yet under-discussed challenges in addiction care: building a humane, effective, and recovery-oriented system that extends beyond detoxification and institutional treatment. India's conversation on substance use often focuses on drugs, crime, law enforcement, and treatment. Far less attention is given to recovery, relapse prevention, family support, community reintegration, workforce development, and the role of people with lived experience. Yet these are precisely the areas where the future of addiction recovery will be decided. The Challenge Beyond Detoxification India's addiction response continues to be heavily centred on detoxification and...

At Jeewandhara , we often say that recovery is not a destination—it is a journey walked together. And sometimes, the strongest guides on this journey are those who have walked the hardest paths themselves. This is the story of Karamveer —a Karamveer in the truest sense , a doer, a survivor, and today, a quiet pillar of strength for others. 🌿 From Pain to Purpose Karamveer’s journey began decades ago, not in comfort, but in struggle. As a young man navigating addiction, he found his way to Navjyoti Delhi Police Foundation , where recovery was not just about abstinence—but about rebuilding life, identity, and dignity. Under the mentorship of Suneel Vatsyayan , Karamveer didn’t just recover—he transformed. What he found there was something deeper: A community that believed in him A model rooted in empathy, not judgement And a new role—as someone who could help others heal 🤝 The Power of Peer-Led Healing Long before “peer-led models” became a recognized approach, Kara...

Nada India highlights the ARPAN Project’s peer-led approach to addiction recovery, focusing on dignity, lived experience, and community care. The blog urges a shift from punitive inspections to collaborative learning, where peer educators and recovering individuals play a transformative role in building humane, evidence-based treatment systems. The journey of peer-led rehabilitation in India has taken a long road—from closed-door centers to heart-driven, community-owned healing spaces. At the core of this change lies ARPAN , a Nada India-supported initiative that champions peer-led drug rehabilitation centers guided by lived experience, compassion, and evidence-based practices. One of the biggest milestones in this journey has been the shift in how monitoring and inspections are conducted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) and its supporting units like the Project Management Unit (PMU) and the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD). 🌱 From Closed Doors to...

Nada India Foundation, with its commitment to peer-led interventions, is working to integrate the TB Mukt Bharat campaign into peer-led drug rehabilitation centers. This initiative acknowledges the double challenge faced by people living with addiction—where tobacco use is often underestimated compared to illicit drugs, despite its significant role in increasing vulnerability to tuberculosis (TB) infection. By bringing TB awareness, screening, and prevention strategies into these centers, Nada India aims to address the critical gap in health services for individuals struggling with substance use disorders (SUDs). The approach focuses on: Peer-led TB Awareness: Educating individuals in rehabilitation about the risks of tobacco and drug use in TB transmission. Early Screening & Linkages: Ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment of TB among people in recovery. Tobacco & Drug Cessation Support: Strengthening rehabilitation programs to include integrated cessation strategies for both...

  Reflecting on Navjyoti’ s impactful journey and the legacy of its UNODC project, I’m inspired by how it brought together experts and communities to create transformative change. Yesterday, with Anuj and over 120 participants, I revisited these milestones, realizing their relevance today—especially as Nada India continues this mission, addressing how #TB and #NCDs disproportionately impact drug users. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how peer-led initiatives like these can be a learning opportunity for psychiatric social workers and public health professionals. Let’s also shine a light on the vital role of peer counselors in bridging service gaps and creating sustainable solutions. Your insights mean a lot to me. Join the conversation! Let’s explore how these stories can inform and inspire our collective work for healthier communities.  vsuneel@gmail.com 

OPINION Prof. T K Thomas Jan 7, 2020   Is God’s Own Country shedding its favorite tagline? A series of edit page articles published by the mass circulated “Malayala Manorama” in the last week of December2019, hint at that. The articles, ”Bhaviye Vizsungararurthu Lahari Bhootham” which highlight how the demon of addiction can wreck young lives and the gravity of drug addiction among young students. The stories based on real life stories of children in drug treatment centers fallen victim to deadly addiction reveal how the state has a major mental health challenge at hand. The personal accounts highlighted in the first installment of the three part series are from children trapped by the demon of drugs who are children who sought help from the state excise department. They are undergoing treatment and counseling at the centers in the zonal offices of the department in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. Started a year ago...

Prof. T.K.Thomas   Pradip and Harish speaking during Nada India Capacity Building workshop  There were ‘’patient champions” running peer led drug rehabilitation centers. Two such National Award winning entrepreneurs Pradip Goyal, who runs Vikalp in Ghaziabad and Harish Bhutani who runs Nav Vikalp in Jaipur explained the challenges of working with patients who have, besides addiction, cross cutting NCDs like, Tuberculosis, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and mental health problems.... The annual World No Tobacco Day was observed on 31st May. The day is observed by the World Health Organization [WHO] and global partners as an opportunity to raise awareness on the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form. This year’s focus for the day was, “Tobacco and lung health”. Everyone knows how tobacco affects our lungs. The WHO release says, the campaign will increase awareness on, “the...