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PanoramaNew book focuses on problem of drug-abuse through story of teen addicts on Charles Square
Alcohol and drug-abuse and addiction continue to grow in the Czech
Republic, especially among many young people, who, for various reasons
turn
to drugs and alcohol to escape. All too often, many end up hitting rock
bottom, a bitter reality that Monika Plocová knows well. The 42-year-old
therapist works with groups of alcoholics and drug addicts at the Bohnice
psychiatric hospital, helping them try and beat their addiction. She has
published several books on the subject and herself battled alcoholism
before undergoing treatment nine years ago and later completing a degree
in
order to be able to help others. Her latest book, Ventil (translatable as
“outlet” - as in an outlet for escape) is aimed at helping young
people
avoid the allure of drugs and the dead end of addiction. More
Current AffairsFigures suggest increased numbers of Czechs seeking psychiatric help
Newly released government figures suggest that more and more Czechs are
seeking psychiatric help. But does this mean that an increasing number of
Czechs are having mental health problems or do the numbers merely
demonstrate that more Czechs are overcoming the stigma attached to mental
health?
More
Talking Point"Alarming" number of gambling addicts raises questions over liberal gaming laws
There are around 130 casinos in the Czech Republic. Alongside them, there
are hundreds more arcades known as herna - gaming - bars. In fact, there
are over 50,000 slot machines in the country. That equals roughly one
machine per 200 Czechs, over twice the number per capita as in Germany.
Adding lotteries and other forms of gambling, Czechs bet a whopping 90
billion crowns last year (over 4 billion USD). More
Current AffairsNew study shows more Czech women have an alcohol abuse problem
Czech doctors are ringing the alarm: the number of women alcoholics has
doubled over the past ten years. In 2005 close to 3,000 women entered
Czech clinics with an alcohol abuse problem and medical studies reveal
that the increase of problem drinking in the female population is much
sharper than that among males.
More
One on OneJan Pfeiffer - striving to reform outdated system of care for mentally ill
Rob Cameron's guest in this week's One on One is Dr Jan Pfeiffer, a
psychiatrist and leading advocate of reform for mental health care. As
head of the Centre for Mental Health Care Development, Dr Pfeiffer is
striving to outlaw such practices as keeping patients in cage or net beds,
a practice which has been abandoned in much of the developed world. The
Czech Health Ministry recently banned such beds in psychiatric
institutions after protests in the international media. But hundreds of
them are still used in social care homes, a situation Dr Pfeiffer says is
unacceptable.
More
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