MENAU's Adventist Development and Relief Agency trains Iraqi professionals to confront the addiction crisis using compassion, critical thinking, and holistic care.
Iraq is facing a rapidly escalating drug crisis, with synthetic drugs like crystal meth and Captagon driving a surge in addiction among its youth, impacting social structures. There is an express need for public health solutions.
A recent training seminar organized by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and the SDA Church for mental health professionals in Erbil presents a groundbreaking approach to addiction treatment. Led by Dr. Yuri Bondarenko, a medical doctor from Ukraine, the "Addiction Diagnosis and Treatment" seminar moves beyond outdated and judgmental terminology like "substance abuse," recognizing addiction as a complex disease requiring a holistic understanding.
The training emphasizes the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual (BPSD) dimensions of an individual struggling with addiction. It equips doctors to utilize the Stages of Change model, acknowledging that recovery is a journey with distinct stages. This personalized approach allows for effective support tailored to each patient's readiness for change.
Furthermore, the seminar highlights the power of human connection in fostering healing. Critical Thinking and Logical Laws are presented as therapeutic tools to help patients overcome denial and contradiction. Spiritual principles, including the 12-Step philosophy, provide a structured pathway for self-reflection, amends, and spiritual growth.
Crucially, the training underscores the importance of prevention. It emphasizes the role of "Significant Adults" in nurturing resilient children and promotes evidence-based interventions like regular family meals and affectionate hugs as buffers against adversity.
By blending clinical science with compassion and human connection, this new model aims not only to treat addiction but also to prevent it. This transformative approach holds immense promise for building a healthier future for Iraq, grounded in understanding, support, and hope.
The seminar concluded on a powerful note of success and hope. Post-training evaluations revealed overwhelming positive feedback, with participants unanimously affirming the practical value of the curriculum. "For the first time, we have a clear, scientific, and compassionate framework to understand and treat addiction," shared one attending doctor, a sentiment echoed by many. "The methodologies we learned, from the Stages of Change model to the use of logical interventions, are transformative and will immediately benefit our patients."
Buoyed by this success and the critical need for such services, ADRA, in close partnership with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is committed to continuing and expanding these vital training endeavors. This seminar marks not an end, but a significant beginning in a sustained, collaborative mission to combat addiction in Iraq. By continuing to equip frontline professionals with these innovative tools, ADRA is laying a durable foundation for healing, resilience, and a healthier future for individuals, families, and communities across the nation.
By Dennis Baratov, ADRA Regional Director, MENAU