Residential care offers hope for drug addicts

By Sirikit Syah

SURABAYA (JP): The corner house located in a middle class housing complex of Prapen Indah looks just like the any other house in the neighborhood.

In fact, the quiet Graha Panca Atma is a newly established rehabilitation center for drug addicts. The clinic, which can accommodate about 20 people, is built on a 600 square meter plot of land and has nine bedrooms for women on the first floor and another 11 bedrooms for men upstairs.

First class bedrooms come with air conditioning, TV and a refrigerator. In the second class rooms, air conditioners are the only amenity and only fans are made available in the third-class rooms.

"The idea to start the center came five years ago. It became more urgent as more people have fallen victim to drugs over the past few years," said Dr. Willy Fransiscus Maramis, one of the founders of Panca Atma Foundation which manages Graha Panca Atma.

There are another four doctors running the foundation, Soedomo Mergonoto, Fattyawan Kintono, Ignatius Darmawan Budianto and Iman Santoso Sardjono -- all are experienced in handling drug addiction.

They work at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital, the Navy Hospital, Menur Surabaya Mental Hospital and Lawang Mental Hospital. Between them, they have expertise in general practice, psychiatry and psychology.

The increasing number of drug patients at their private clinics and workplaces motivated them to pay more attention to the problem. They used to have one drug patient a month, now Maramis alone handles four to five patients a week.

According to Dr. Maramis, those addicted to shabu-shabu (crystal methampethamine) make up the majority of patients.

"They account for more than 50 percent of the patients," he said.

The rest are addicts of putauw (low-grade heroin) and ecstasy. Handling patients is nothing new for the doctors, but taking residential care of them like at Graha Panca Atma is different.

"Most of them come to Graha Panca Atma because their parents or relatives ask them to do so. Some stay long term, others pay a short visit and leave never to be seen again," Maramis said.

Destructive

According to Dr. Maramis, shabu-shabu is the most destructive drug because it destroys the nervous system and the brain. The victims may become paranoid, over sensitive, aggressive, suspicious, jealous, and easily provoked. Addicted married couples may fight; a young man may destroy home or office furniture. Ecstasy addicts, by comparison, are usually not aggressive; and putauw addicts are even calmer.

"Their problem is the addiction itself, which is very difficult to cure. Often, the addict seems to have kicked the habit but the addiction may come back at any moment. But they are harmless." said Maramis.

At Graha Panca Atma, the patients are given a two step treatment. The first step involves reducing the level of drug consumption, or detoxification.

During this period, their drug consumption is reduced gradually and eventually stopped altogether. After 10 to 14 days of medication, the rehabilitation program starts.

"This is more difficult and it takes longer," said Maramis.

For this three month rehabilitation period the patients stay at the center.

"If at this stage they are returned to the community, they may resume the habit because they will find it difficult to resist the drug dealers' offers."

Graha Panca Atma offers four categories of rehabilitation: physical, mental, social, and spiritual.

In physical rehabilitation, the patients are allowed time for exercises. Mental rehabilitation is involves the use of psychotherapy. While in social rehabilitation, the patients are engaged in social activities. For spiritual rehabilitation, the center guides the patients in the practice of their religious beliefs.

Whatever treatments the patient may receive at the center, the care shown by his or her family and the attitude of society in general are the keys to success. According to Maramis, many people still see drugs addicts as criminals. "They are not, they are victims."

Maramis is pessimistic that the problem of drug abuse will improve in the near future.

"Our guess is that the problem will worsen. Look, drug dealers are still free and the authorities are involved in the business," he said.

Graha Panca Atma is the first private clinic for drug addicts in Surabaya. The city used to have only one center, which was run by the local government.

Security is tight here. Security guards and nurses work 24 hours a day. Visitors are thoroughly checked, and are not allowed to bring mobile phones in with them, to prevent unnecessary communications with outsiders.

Among the patients are a man from Jember, who is always accompanied by his wife, and a young student accompanied by his mother.

There were only five patients there two weeks ago, most of them are in their 30s and married. Maramis and his colleagues treat more patients at their private clinics.

Maramis refused to disclose the exact cost of the center. He only said that the minimum cost is Rp 50,000 a day for those staying in the third class rooms.