DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Colours, paint brushes and sketch books are unlikely tools, but they are supporting Punjab's fight against drug addiction under the "Yudh Nashian Virudh" campaign.

Art therapy sessions are aiding the recovery and rehabilitation of victims of drug abuse at 30 government-run de-addiction and rehabilitation centres across 15 districts of Punjab. They are helping patients manage withdrawal symptoms, express their emotions creatively and regain confidence, officials said.

Introduced as part of the holistic rehabilitation plan with the help of the Leadership in Mental Health Programme (LMHP), India's first fellowship dedicated to preventing and mitigating substance use harms, art-based activities such as sketching, painting, colouring and craft-making are being used alongside medical treatment and counselling, a statement said. The art-based therapy is producing very encouraging results among patients admitted for de-addiction and rehabilitation.

At these centres, patients spend dedicated time every week engaging in creative activities. The artwork mostly reflects their personal lives and journeys, memories with loved ones, and their challenges and aspirations to lead a normal life.

Bhavna Sharma, a counsellor at Swami Vivekanand de-addiction Centre, Government Medical College, Amritsar, says, "When patients come to us, they do not share much. They are full of anxiety and have difficulty expressing their emotions. During art therapy sessions, they start expressing their feelings through activities such as colouring and drawing."

(editor@dailyworld.in)