SATYAMEV JAYATE
ALCOHOL ABUSE – THINK BEFORE YOU DRINK
Aamir Khan is different. He is not
the average Glamour-seeking, Popularity seeking Film personality – though, he
is glamorous and Popular. He gets then as Bonus – apart from what he seeks to
achieve through his movies.
Aamir, to me, looks like an intense individual,
who wants to make a difference to all people around.
His movies are therefore different.
They do not merely entertain. They create an impression. They evoke some
thought processes, which linger – longer than most other movies of today - in
the minds of the audience.
His SATYAMEV JAYATE – is much different from any of the movies he
makes. They stand on a much higher pedestal.
How many have watched these Satyameva
Jayathe episodes – I do not know. But, how many should watch – this, I think, I
know. All of us should. If not already
done, now is the time.
Yes. I have also not seen all the
EPISODES. But, I saw this Episode on “THINK BEFORE YOU DRINK” yesterday - twice.
It was Excellent; It was Brilliant ; and It was purposeful; And, it went
straight into the heart.
This episode, and may be many more
like it, were needed sixty years ago,
when India became FREE.
An Aamir Khan was therefore needed
sixty years ago – to make such episodes. India would have become REALLY FREE –
from the real Dictators of our life – like Alcohol, drugs, Smoking and….. so
on. Crusaders against these real enemies
would have had lot of public support and political support and success back
then.
Today – such support is likely to be considerably less. The fight
against ALCOHOLISM is therefore that much more difficult.
There are more Politicians, more film
personalities, more leaders in other fields, more students, more fathers and more- of everybody – who are drunkards
today – than 65 years ago.
The worst of all changes that is
taking place today is that– the last hope – the young educated woman – is taking
to Drinking – very fast. And she protests more, when others advice or object.
In a scenario like this, this episode of Satyameva Jayate – is a refreshing
contrast.
End to end – the Episode is
absorbing, educating, inspiring and refreshing. Stephen covey, the writer of the
Seven habits of Highly Effective people – says in one of his books that - the main thing in life is to keep the main
thing the main thing. This Episode is successful in focusing on the Main
thing as the main thing.
The important thing throughout the
Episode is that – Aamir preaches or teaches almost nothing himself.
People, who are badly bruised in
their own life due to their Alcohol Addiction, speak – of themselves and their
life; and very candidly. How they got in to it, how they suffered on account of
it, how they got out of it, and how they are now.
Vijay Sinha, (Executive Editor,
Financial world) is one such live example. We must thank him for coming forward
and telling us all – how alcohol can become your Master and your most cruel
Dictator and reduce you - to worse than the road-side Beggar and worse than the
most unethical persons around you – all under the control of Alcohol.
The important thing is – there is
hope; one can come out of it. It needs that strong, tough decision – and there
is huge support, once the addict makes an iota of effort and comes into the
right company. Vijay Sinha has demonstrated it all with his own LIFE EXAMPLE. He
was an effective speaker and an honest confessor – almost in the Gandhian
Genre. I can’t help recalling how Gandhi talks of his own failures in his Book “My
Experiments with Truth”. Such Public confessions of people who have reformed -
are the best way of reforming others.
Mr.Javed Akthar, the famous film writer, was equally
candid about how he got into this habit and how got out of it. He talks of - how young people feel that drinking is
glamorous and how Filmy Heroes look and act like Heroes after drinking. In reality,
drunken people don’t act like heroes; they do utterly stupid and dangerous
things.
You don’t get drunk with Milk, even after a
decade. You won’t say, I drank one cup of milk then, I drink ten now. It is
only Alcohol, which gets you down the hill along with it. Akthar candidly says
- Whatever bad and foolish things I did,
I always did under the influence of alcohol. He says, he has left alcohol over 20
years ago and is totally from it now. Getting Drunk is foolish. Do you want to
be A FOOL- asks Akthar. It is good that
he came out with his candid views on alcoholism.
Dr.Ashish Deshpande says – Alcoholism is not just a Habit
which depends on the Individual. It is really a disease like diabetes. The
person who takes Alcohol first time, in his mind, Alcohol receptors take roots. Every time, he drinks, these
receptors go on increasing.
These receptors unionise – and demand
Alcohol periodically. Every festival occasion and every important occasion in your life, they demand
Alcohol. Come what may. And resisting their demand becomes increasingly
difficult.
But, People don’t realize that they
have this disease. This is the first hurdle. Ask them – Are your neighbours any
time advising you to stop? Or, do you get angry if people say, please reduce
your drinking. Sometimes, when you get up from Bed, are your hands trembling
and you want to drink – to become normal? This disease goes on increasing
progressively – without looking like one. But, it takes its toll on you.
If you are diseased, you are
responsible for taking the treatment. The problem is not just stopping alcohol today
– but consistently avoiding it permanently thereafter – says Dr.Deshpande.
You need that desire – to stay away
from alcohol. At the earliest - contact alcoholics anonymous.
Another individual, who wishes to be
anonymous in the tradition of ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS – calls himself Lakshmanji and
he said he could not live without alcholol for several years. When he heard AA
will cure him free, he could not believe it at all. After all, he has spent 40
lakhs on this so far. He was of course, a devout person. After puja, he used to
drink. One Day, on TV he saw the alcoholics anonymous Ad. He contacted them – and then
onwards life changed for him. With some difficulty, of course. But the contact
with AA was the turning point.
The people at AA were so cordial, so
understanding, so reassuring and hope-giving. He has stopped drinking now for
15 years. He is now getting the real Joy of Life.
The Program at this point gives the
method of contacting AA – as below :
SMS TO 56363
TYPE AAAA<SPACE> FOLLOWED BY NAME, ADDRESS, CONTACT NUMBER
OR
CALL 09022771011
I am
giving this Info here – with the hope that readers will inform the suffering
persons or their well-wishers quickly and urge them to get in touch with AA.
Aamir says, there is another action,
people can take. In states like Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra – the
Governments have empowered the Panchayats – to take a decision in their
Panchayats – and if they do – all alcohol shops in their Panchayats will have
to close down. One such Panchayat in Punjab (changaal village)– came on TV and
detailed how they got these shops closed in their village – and how their live
improved subsequently. The villagers say – Governments must not look for
revenue in the ruining of the people.
People sometimes say - I am not a
drunkard. I drink rarely. But, when they drink, they drink too much and do all
bad and ugly things that day. It is called HAZARDOUS DRINKING. In such
occasional but excessive drinking - one can even take away one’s own life or
the life of others.
Karan Anand, a promising youngster
died precisely of such reason. He died because of his friend’s drunken driving.
His father described how. Mr. Anand described how his son was not at all drunk,
but lost his life sitting in a car driven by his drunken friend. In the hands
of a drunken man, the car becomes a weapon. Mr. Anand says – Police must do
their duty more consciously – in getting the drunken drivers convicted – which is
not happening now. If they do – things may improve to some extent.
Aamir says - please AVOID TRAVELING
in vehicles driven by drunken Drivers-whether a friend, senior, or an elderly
man. What happened to Karan should not happen to others.
Many families are affected in which
the Bread winner or the children take to drinking.
Dr.Vivek Benegal says - around 5% of
drinkers become alcoholics. Hazardous drinkers are about 50% of total alcoholics
. Which means – this huge number can bring problems to anyone – themselves and
others.
In many foreign countries –what is usually
called social drinking – is limited to a maximum of 1,2, 3 or maximum 4 pegs.
But, in India, the average person drinks 5 to 8 – which is much more than the
upper limit in other countries. 1-4 is ruled out. Starting point is 5. So,
alcoholism is more in India than these foreign countries.
Most accidents are due to such drunken
people. On festival and new year eve occasions many deaths and accidents happen
in India due to drunkenness.
So what do we do ? Aamir says - preferably
stop drinking totally. If you can’t, at least reduce it to the barest minimum.
But, I strongly urge - please contact
AA – at the earliest - and before it is too late.
Thanks Aamir – for your
wonderful effort. I think, this episode is worth translating into all Indian
languages (English included) – and playing it in all colleges, companies (especially
software companies) and schools.
I urge Readers to see this episode –
it is on Youtube also – and ask others too – to see it.
With Best wishes
Sd/-
(V.Vijayamohan)
No comments:
Post a Comment