PREVENTION OF ALCOHOL ADDICTION THROUGH AYURVEDA – A REVIEW ARTICLE

Addiction is the repeated involvement with a substance or activity, despite the substantial harm it now causes, because that involvement was pleasurable and or valuable. Alcohol is commonly abused due to easy access and the lack of stigma around binge drinking. According to WHO, globally 3.3 million deaths every year result from harmful use of alcohol. Over the past 30-40 years, increasing percentages of young people have started to drink alcoholic beverages, their alcohol consumption has increased in quantity and frequency and the age at which drinking starts has declined. Alcoholism is considered as a disease and al-cohol a disease agent, which causes intoxication, cirrhosis, gastritis, pancreatitis etc. It is also an important aetiologic factor in suicide, accidents and injuries. Beyond health consequences, the harmful use of alcohol brings significant social and economic losses to individuals, society at large. Alcoholism prevention is a proactive approach to avoid the adverse effects of alcohol abuse. Prevention should be directed towards developing a healthier lifestyles and mental stability. Ayurveda laid its basement over prevention and main-taining health through right-diet, lifestyles and thinking. It gives emphasis for both body and mind and ex-plained Aahara, Sadvritta, Achara Rasayana, Yoga etc through which one can attain stability of both body and mind. From an early stage of life, if one follows these, can master their minds, guide his life and never be a victim of any kind of Addiction.

Possibilities for Co-Creation in Adolescents’ Alcohol Prevention

The aim of the current study is to pilot methods for the involvement and empowerment of adolescents in regard to alcohol consumption and situational abstinence and the possibilities of adolescent-created narratives in alcohol abuse prevention. Alcohol consumption is analysed from the practice theory perspective, where alcohol consumption is an independent practice shared through various personal stories. Action research and co-creation methods were used in workshop sessions with adolescents in one school in Estonia. Adolescents aged 13–15 participated in the workshops and engaged in storytelling and the co-creation of stories. During five meetings, participants shared their views and experiences regarding alcohol party culture and situational abstinence. Short and informal participatory action research meetings made it possible for adolescents to express their thoughts regarding alcohol culture, especially norms. The participants did not consider alcohol consumption to be problematic, and they found videos showing immediate consequences to be the best way to reach adolescents. Two different types of parties were discussed, and insight was provided on how a planned alcohol-free party turned into an alcohol party. However, action research and the co-creation method presented challenges, since the highly structured school context leaves adolescents little unstructured time that can be used for this kind of research, and fitting these activities into their tight schedules was complicated.