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 Addiction to alcohol and drugs is a gigantic social malady, which hits at the very core of human dignity and freedom. It sweeps across the world with India being no exception. An addict, if not checked in time, degenerates to a human wreck and suffers both physically and mentally; he or she also causes untold misery and economic hardship to his or her family.
Realizing the urgent need to address this huge social problem, The Ved Vignan Mahavidyapeeth De-Addiction Research Centre ( VVMDRC) was set up in November, 2003 at Geeta Bhavan,Unsani, Sasthitala, Howrah near Kolkata under the ‘Art Of Living’ Foundation..
The Center was inaugurated on 9th November, 2003, by the Hon’ble State Health Minister, Sri Surya Kanta Mishra, and started functioning with the objectives of:
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A physical, therapeutic and spiritual treatment in achieving de-addiction and abstinence from drugs and alcohol.
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Helping patients to develop a positive attitude to take appropriate decisions independently.
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Helping them to rehabilitate socially and for gainful employment.
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Assist family members to understand the dynamics of drug and alcohol dependant individuals.
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To conduct research and training to handle the problem
AOL’s exclusive knowledge sessions and regular practicing of Sudarshan Kriya are the distinguishing features at VVMDRC so far as treatment for addiction and prevention against relapse are concerned. More than 300 males from many parts of India have been treated in this Centre since its inception. The recovery rate is 36 – 37%, whereas less than 10% is the average as per the world statistics. The de-addiction programme at VVMDRC is conducted, based to a large extent on charity and donations.
A 30-day de-addiction programme at the Centre costs Rs 5000/- per patient. Special monetary considerations, at the discretion of the Management, can be made in case of patients with financial difficulties.
All over the world, Magneto-therapeutic treatment is effectively used to energize different nerves, connected to specific ailments of t he body, by which, a quick recovery can be achieved. The treatment is required to be followed for few days with proper guidance of an expert and it provides miraculous results if the therapy is carried out correctly.
Few patients in the neighbourhood of Geeta Bhavan (VVM De-addiction Research Centre) were given the treatment in the recent past and one of them, paralytic for some time, recovered so well that he has started moving on his own.
Encouraged by the results, an OPD was opened inside Geeta Bhavan (in one of the side rooms outside the main building) very recently. The OPD was officially inaugurated on 12th September, 2006. The treatment is provided twice in a week with proper registration.
Here are the few pictures of the past activities, outside Geeta Bhavan under Art Of Living like Free eye check-up camp at the outskirts of Kolkata, 2005 - 2006, AIDS Rally, December 1, 2005, Anti Drugs Awareness Campaign at Barasat, in the outskirts of Kolkata, Free book distribution among poor children in a village near Sree Bhumi, 2004.
"From my school life I started to experiment with various drugs and became an addict. I have abused drugs and alcohol for about 20 years. Due to my addiction, I lost many things such as family, friends, my job, money, talents, principles and values.
My addictive nature forced me to become an unsocial element in society and took me behind bars for five years. I was forced to live on the streets for over a year. Several times, I was treated for my problem, but I relapsed time and again.
After my last detoxification, I came to Art of Living’s VVM De-addiction Research Centre. After a month of stay at the centre, I was sent to participate in the Art of Living’s Youth Leadership Training Program (YLTP). And that was the turning point in my life. In the training I learnt the Sudarshan Kriya and sadhana. This training helped me gain confidence in myself. I realized that previously, the cause of my relapse was spiritual bankruptcy. Earlier I used to think that spirituality comes into someone’s life suddenly but I later learnt that spirituality is a practice. This became an established fact in my life after meeting Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji at the Centre.
Today I am working for other individuals suffering from addiction and am generating awareness in society. Today I am lucky enough because gradually I am recovering the things that I had lost, apart from time.
Today, I have a strong support system in the Sudarshan Kriya and VVM De-addiction Research Centre, its management, staff, inmates and the Art of Living family. This support helps me lead a healthy life free from addiction."
Dipankar Guha
"I started taking drugs from 1991. The euphoria of the drug made me stick to it and I never knew that this thing will land me in such a helpless situation. By the end of 2004, life became miserable. By that time I got married and had two children. Instead of looking after them, they had to be anxious about me. I lost my job and was leading life at the mercy of my elder sisters. I know I had to stop and change my life but I had no way out.
Then my elder sister, after I surrendered to her, brought me to VVM Deaddiction Research Centre. I never had any idea about de-addiction treatment. Everything was new to me. Here I leartnt that addiction is a ‘Disease’, which cannot be cured by medication alone. I learnt that the ‘Disease’ is mental and it needs patience, tolerance and acceptance on my part to get rid of addiction. But I didn’t know how to be patient then.
After 10 to 12 days I was taught the ‘Sudarshan Kriya’. I had no idea and, in fact, I didn’t feel like doing it and was wondering how it can help me in my addiction problem. I had to follow the centre’s time schedule and I had to do it. Gradually, I could feel the difference. My impatience, irritation and short-tempered behaviour started to diminish. Today, when I look at myself, I find myself totally different from my past.
After two months, I took a big decision. May be this is the first correct decision I made after 15 years. I stayed here to help other addicts and started my life from the root once again. Today my family is very happy. My children love me and eagerly wait for me when I go home. Trust and faith which I lost before is coming back.
Today I am happy leading a sober life and grateful to all the people at the centre who helped me to come back to a normal life."
--Ranjan Samanta
V. V. M. De-addiction Research Centre
"Geeta Bhavan"
Shastitala, Unsani,
Howrah - 711 112.
Phone: (91-33) 2669 5995; 093310 16179; 094330 07337
Email: vvmrc2006@rediffmail.com; tkbanerjee@vsnl.com
Website: www.vvmrc.com
P-263, C. I. T. Road,
Scheme (VI) M,
(opposite Ramakrishna Women and Children Park),
Kolkata - 700 054.
Phone: (033) 3200 9948; 093310 16179
E-mail : vvmdrc_cityoffice@yahoo.co.in
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