Addiction & Substance Abuse Disorders

Around 65 years ago, when American drug regulators first approved antidepressants, patients and doctors were equally in awe of these miracle drugs. They were quick to act upon administration and seemed to have no side effects. Whether it be the loss of a loved one, divorcing your spouse, or feeling low due to academic pressure,...

Do you remember the first time you took a sip or a bite of something delicious? Roasted peanuts. Chocolates. Coca Cola. Red Bull. You felt like reaching out for another handful, another piece, another bottle. And you might have even said, "this is so addictive!" When it comes to alcohol or drugs, it can become...

‘Word by Word’ is a column by Garima Behal on learning to ride the highs and lows of everyday life “If you don’t like drinking, that severely limits your options.” A colleague and I were talking about things to do in Bangalore. Names of a few cult establishments came up. Bob’s Bar, Toit, Loft 38,...

Do you smoke? If you just nodded 'yes', you are one of the 266.8 million people in India who consume tobacco in some form. India has the second-highest level of tobacco consumption in the world, the first being China. A survey by National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) in 2019-21 showed that there's a smoker in...

People with mental illnesses often find respite in one thing or another. For me, it was yoga. This is the unlikely story of how that came to be. To take you back a couple of decades, my mother died on December 16, 1996, after embattling multiple sclerosis for years. She was only 39. Her death...