THANK GOD I 'M ALIVE !

Introduction

Read the Captions given below. Then close your eyes and give a thought to the Captions you have read. Do you agree/ disagree with the statements?

1. Drug Addiction is a serious problem, but can be solved.

Answer - Agree

2. Drug addicts need help and support.

Answer - Agree

3. Drug addicts are people too.

Answer - Agree

4. Drug/alcohol addiction helps in getting rid of all problems.

Answer -  Disagree

5. Using, drugs, alcohol, tobacco never does anybody any good rather one's life is in danger.

Answer - Agree

6. Addiction is an incurable disease : there is nothing we can do about it .

Answer - Disagree

Before we read about the experiences of a young boy, let's read a note on "Substance Abuse" (Drugs, alcohol, tobacco and other substances.) While reading you will come across some difficult words. The meanings of these words are glossed below. 

Abuse : use of something in a wrong and harmful way / misuse 

Doses : an amount of a medicine or a drug.

Trauma : a mental condition caused by a severe shock, especially when the harmful effects last for a long time. 

Hallucination : the fact of having seeming to see or hear something that is not really there.

Fits : a sudden attack of an illness.

FUN WITH WORDS 

1. a. Given below are meanings of words which you came across in the lesson. Find the words and match it with the meanings in column A. 

COLUMN A
1. Not living together	- to smell very strongly of   something unpleasant
2. The way in which two people    are not like each other	- gradually
3. Coming across/ meeting	- differences
4. Eagerness to know something	- separated
5. Slowly	- destructive
6. Try out	- encounter
7. Opposite of constructive	- experiment
8. Cry bitterly	- sullen
9. Reeked	- curiosity
10. Silent and bad tempered	- weep

Answer -

 

COLUMN A
1. Not living together	- separated
2. The way in which two people    are not like each other	- differences
3. Coming across/ meeting	- encounter
4. Eagerness to know something	- curiosity
5. Slowly	- gradually
6. Try out	- experiment
7. Opposite of constructive	- destructive
8. Cry bitterly	- weep
9. Reeked	- to smell very strongly of    something unpleasant
10. Silent and bad tempered	- sullen

b. Find out two words in paragraph 4 and paragraph 5 which mean the opposite of each other.

     

(i)         Happy (Para 4)                                           

             

            Answer -   miserable 

(ii)        Improved (Para 5 )                                    

               

            Answer - deteriorated 

LET'S READ 

2a. Read the lesson and complete the following statements :

1. The narrator's parents were not living together because of personal differences.

2. The narrator initially took drugs and alcohol because of curiosity .

3. The narrator started smoking because he often got teased by his friends .

4. The narrator 'became a slave to substance abuse' means he had become an addict .

5. The narrator took alcohol and tobacco because it was easy to acquire.

6. In paragraph 4. The narrator says, "I felt miserable...."Why did he feel so?

Because for the first time he saw his mother crying.

Read paragraphs 4 and 5 again and do the following activity .

b. There were certain changes in the narrator's behavior after becoming addicted to drugs. Fill in the blocks to bring out the changes :

CHANGES - 

1. Regular absence from school

2. Sudden change in behavior 

3. Rebellious attitude 

4. Become sullen 

5. Uncommunicative 

6. Stopped socializing 

c. Read the lesson again (Paragraph 5 ) and do the following activity .

What were some of the after effects of drugs and alcohol addiction on the narrator's health and appearance? Fill in the bubbles

After effects of drug addiction -

• Health deteriorated
• Acute stomach pain
• Glazed blank look 

LET'S WRITE 

The youth of today are falling to the evils of drugs. Their moments of joys are limited and after that, pain and death follow. In this regard, prepare a speech for the Morning Assembly on the topic "Harmful Effects of Drugs in one's life" and why it should be avoided by all. The beginning of the speech is given below. Complete it.

Respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends,

Today I'm here to talk to you about the harmful effects of drug addiction. Drug addiction is becoming very common among our youth. Perhaps the youth find this life too tiring and burdensome, and as an escape from it they take drugs. Very often, love of fun and new thrills makes the beginning. External factors such as peer pressure, family's expectations, failure, rejection, societal pressure etc., can also lead to drug addiction. 

Drug addiction is a severe problem all over  the world. A person who is addicted cannot resist using them and unable to function correctly without ingesting them. Taking drugs can lead to many health problems such as vomiting, respiratory and lung issues, brain and lung damage, liver and kidney damage.  It also effects their family, friends and work. 

There are various treatment methods available to treat drug addiction such as behavioral counselling, medication, treatment of anxiety and depression. In addition to this,  we must educate children about the dangers of drugs so that they don't ever try drugs in the first place. With this I would like to conclude my speech. 

Thank you.

LET'S LISTEN 

Your teacher will read out a paragraph on Sikkim Rehabilitation and Detoxification Society (SRDS).

Listen carefully, and as you listen complete the table given below. 

(Note to the teacher: Before reading the text and before students do the listening activity, please familiarize the students with certain words which they would hear as the text is being read. This would be a part of the pre-listening activity.)

Rehabilitation: Help given to a person who is an addict to lead a normal life.

Detoxification: treatment given  to people to help them stop drug or taking drug.

NGO: Non Government Organization.

Inmates: persons living in prisons or such rehabilitation centres.

Holistic: treating the whole person rather than just the symptoms.

Text 

Sikkim Rehabilitation  and Detoxification Society (SRDS) is a non profitable and a charitable NGO. It was established in the year 2000 and was registered in 2001 under Society Act. The SRDS works to help people with associated problems of HIV/AIDS, drug and alcohol addiction. The centre is located at Nimtar Busty 32 No, East Sikkim.

The SRDA is the first such centre in Sikkim with a capacity of 105 inmates - 75 for male and 30 for female. Since the year 2000, 2053 males and since 2004, 263 females have been admitted. It's a Rs. 29,000/- five month package. At present there are 14 females and 77 males in the centre. The centre has 19 staff members including one psychiatrist and 1 doctor. The psychiatrist visits the centre thrice a week and the doctor visits once in 2 months. Other than that there are counsellors, volunteers and a cook.

The main objective of the SRDS is complete, whole person recovery through holistic approach. 

Sikkim Rehabilitation and Detoxification Society 

Type of NGO	Non- profitable and charitable
Year of establishment	2000
Year of Registration	2001
Areas it works for	HIV/AIDS, drug and alcohol  addiction
Location	Nimtar Busty, 32 No, East Sikkim
Capacity  Male                     Female	105 inmates, Male- 75, Female- 30
Total no of male inmates  admitted since 2000	2053
Total no of female inmates  admitted since 2004	263
Cost/ duration	29000/ 5 Months
No. of staff	19
Psychiatrist schedule	thrice a week
Doctor's schedule	once in 2 months
Main objective	complete, whole person recovery  through holistic approach

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