Rise in substance use among youth spurs uptick in unregistered de-addiction centres

Coimbatore: Psychiatrists in Coimbatore report a troubling rise in substance use among adolescents and teenagers, with a growing number seeking help at de-addiction centres. Many of these young people reportedly try illicit drugs such as cannabis, often driven by curiosity and peer pressure.
In one recent case, a 27-year-old man from Coimbatore, reportedly addicted to cannabis for over seven years, inflicted serious injury on his father before surrendering to police. Police investigations revealed that he had developed Substance-Induced Psychosis (SIP). The attack was triggered when his father urged him to seek treatment and offered to accompany him to a de-addiction centre. The man was referred for treatment and is reportedly in stable condition.
In another incident, a 22-year-old man, who developed a friendship with North Indian drivers working in his company, began using cannabis, which they supplied. He continued the drug habit for three years, leading to violent behaviour at home where he broke household items. His brother admitted him to a de-addiction centre, where he was treated for a month as an inpatient. Now, he attends monthly follow-ups as an outpatient and is reported to be stable.
"Coimbatore has around eight registered de-addiction centres, each treating an average of 30 to 40 young patients monthly. Five years ago, each centre managed only about five cases per month. Though the number of de-addiction centres has increased, many operate without registration, adequate facilities, or qualified doctors, often avoiding any direct mention of their services by using alternate names," said Dr Selvakumar Parthiban, a clinical psychologist at Saaral De-Addiction and Psychiatric Centre in Neelambur.
"A decade ago, most individuals seeking treatment for cannabis addiction in Coimbatore were over 45 years old. Today, people aged 16 to 25 comprise roughly 30% of cases, with some school-aged children as young as 16 seeking treatment. A small but growing number of female patients are also affected," he said.
Dr A Venkateswaran, managing director of Natchiyar Mind Care in Marudhamalai, noted that many adolescents begin using cannabis out of curiosity or due to peer pressure, only seeking treatment after experiencing complications.
"They are often affected by a motivational syndrome, where they lose motivation, drive, and the ability to initiate tasks," he said.
Treatment varies based on the level of addiction. "We provide supportive care and, in some cases, antipsychotic medications. Treatment includes educating the patient and family members, psychological therapies, and lifestyle changes to address the root cause of addiction. We also document their behaviour at the time of abnormality, with family members' consent, to show them later. This helps patients realise how their behaviour changed," said Dr NS Mony, senior psychiatrist. The average cost of treatment is around Rs 30,000 for 15 days.
Currently, Coimbatore lacks a dedicated de-addiction centre within govt hospitals. "A 20-bed de-addiction centre is being established at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital and will be inaugurated soon. Until then, patients are being treated in the psychiatric ward alongside other psychiatric cases," an official from CMCH said.
Some de-addiction centres in Coimbatore remain unregistered with the Tamil Nadu State Mental Health Authority due to their inability to meet the required standard operating procedures (SOPs) for registration.
"Patients admitted to unregistered centres risk inadequate treatment and compromised safety, as these centres may not follow the scientifically approved approaches prescribed by the state and central governments," said JV Raj, chairperson, Mental Health Review Board, Coimbatore.