ഇനി എത്ര ദൂരം

 Behind the Healthy Facade: A Researcher’s Eye-Opening Journey into Addiction Among Young Professionals

As a nutrition and dietetics academic, my research often explores the intersection between health, lifestyle, and disease. However, one particular study profoundly changed my understanding of addiction, youth vulnerability, and the hidden health crisis within our communities.

Research Objective

My study aimed to assess the nutritional status and determine the prevalence of lifestyle diseases among patients undergoing de-addiction treatment. The research required conducting one-to-one structured surveys, personally interviewing each patient.

Access was limited to individuals who were not under severe withdrawal, ensuring ethical and meaningful data collection. What I expected to find was nutritional compromise and metabolic disturbances. What I actually discovered was far more unsettling.

A Shocking Demographic Pattern

The majority of participants were:

* Youngsters below 26 years

* Physically appearing healthy

* Professionally successful

* Employed in Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Qatar

There is a common assumption that access to illicit drugs is limited in these regions. However, the reality conveyed by respondents was deeply alarming.

Except in Saudi Arabia—where access was described as risky—participants reported easy availability of drugs, often at very cheap rates or even free of cost.

Patterns Across Age Groups

One of the most striking findings was the generational divide in substance use patterns:

Older Addicts (Above 30 Years)

* Primarily used traditional/local substances:

    * Alcohol

    * Tobacco

    * Cannabis

Young Addicts (Below 26 Years)

* Reported use of all major categories of drugs at least once, including:

    * MDMA

    * Various forms of cannabis

    * Methamphetamine

    * Cocaine

Each drug had multiple code names, and some participants openly disclosed information about suppliers and distribution channels.

What was even more terrifying was that rare and highly potent drugs were easily accessible. Some substances were avoided not due to unavailability, but because users feared their excessive strength.

One of my case was a patient, around 30 years old 

* Unmarried

* Working at a petrol pump in Saudi Arabia

* Sole financial support for two bedridden parents

He was caught at the airport for possessing drugs. Despite knowing the severe consequences, he had become heavily addicted to MDMA.

His first exposure to MDMA occurred in the Gulf. He described how the drug gave him an “energy boost” that helped him endure long, physically exhausting shifts. Eventually, he began taking multiple part-time jobs, including food delivery—work that is particularly strenuous in extreme Arabian climates.

When he attempted to stop, his natural energy levels felt insufficient, and he found himself unable to cope without the substance. What began as performance enhancement turned into dependency.

Others had themselves caught up in peer influence and fun.  

The Starting Point: Schools and Colleges

A harsh reality emerged repeatedly during interviews:

* Most youngsters tried drugs for the first time in schools or colleges

* Peer influence was the most common gateway

* Some were introduced through roommates at workplaces

* The initial motivation was simply curiosity — “just to taste it once”

Even more disturbing was the presence of minors, including students from 4th and 6th standard, admitted for de-addiction treatment.

Addiction did not begin with intention. It began with experimentation.

The Invisible Trap

A consistent theme across interviews was this:

None of them truly wanted to become addicts.

They stepped into substance use casually—socially, experimentally, innocently. But once trapped, the cycle of dependency, psychological reliance, and physiological adaptation made exit extremely difficult.

The most painful realization?

You cannot easily identify them.

They looked healthy.
They were educated.
They had jobs.
They appeared successful.

Yet behind the façade was dependency.

Nutritional and Lifestyle Implications

From a nutrition and lifestyle perspective, the findings were equally concerning:

* Stimulant use masked fatigue and suppressed appetite.

* Irregular eating patterns were common.

* Long-term metabolic and cardiovascular risks were high.

* Psychological stress was deeply intertwined with substance use.

The apparent “healthy look” concealed silent physiological compromise.

Reflections as a Researcher

This study was not just data collection. It was a confrontation with reality.even though news popped up frequently this survey showed an addiction grp which was actually caught by their family and collegues abroad.our local youngsters was either not caught by their family or was simply hidden or neglected due to shame. 

It revealed:

* Addiction is no longer confined to stereotypical profiles.

* Accessibility transcends geography.

* Educational institutions may unknowingly serve as entry points.

* Prevention must begin earlier than we assume.

* Nutritional and lifestyle assessment should be integrated into de-addiction rehabilitation.

Most importantly, it showed that addiction is not always a moral failure—it is often a combination of curiosity, pressure, availability, and vulnerability.

Behind every statistic is a story. Behind every “healthy” face could be a silent struggle.

Nada Musthafa

Assistant professor of Nutrition and Dietetics

Al Shifa College of arts and science, Keezhattur, Perinthalmannna.