Alcoholism among Tribals: A Psycho-Social Study

Alcoholism has become an acute problem in the society, particularly at its peak, in the tribal community. It become a part and parcel of their traditions and conventions. Festival fairs and all occasions are celebrated with cheers and glasses up! they welcome infants with sip of win and bid farewell to the dead pouring drums of wine on the stake. Illiteracy, blind-beliefs, mal-nutrition, exploitation, poverty, neglect of health and remote from Science are some of reasons of the tribes in the lap of "Satpuda Range -Hill" being addicted to alcohols. They become unstable domestically, socially, economically and weak physically and mentally too. These people are naturally very sturdy and strong. But today many families are suffering from chronic and incurable diseases. They cannot afford medical treatment due to poverty. They become helpless. It create depression among many adults. They find relief only in drinking. Drinking become a medicine for them to get mental relief. It has become their life-style, children and women are not exception. These tribes living in the lap of nature, the children of nature have become victims, i.e., of imbalance of environment. They lead hard life , full of struggle, sufferings and wandering. They work day and night, wander hills and valleys, struggle with rocks and stones and grouping through dark and deep jungles searching for future to make living. In this long and uncertain journey of life, most of the tribal communities plunged themselves in to the flood of wine. It has changed their attitude to look at life. He become more and more lonely and senseless. Women are the first victims of the scenario. We look at this situation particularly of women in tribal area. Almost 55 years after independence, we still have illiteracy, malnutrition, exploitation and discrimination, offences of rape, dowry death, violence in the home and outside. Repeated child births, overwork and neglect of their health care requirements puts them amongst the highest mortality rates in the world for women and lowest literacy rate for them. Do we really feel concerned? we are living in the 21st century, an age of science and technology, an age of information technology, an age of medical science? What about the tribal communities? Where are they? They are still in the darkness of ignorance and blind beliefs, miles away from world of science and technology. Sabarkantha is one of the tribal districts in Gujarat. They are deprived of modern ways of the life and are addicted themselves to the wine. They need help. They need proper guidance and counseling. Therefore, Researcher has selected the topic of his study "Alcoholism among tribal's- A Psychosocial Study". In his study it has to find out causes of the alcoholism in tribal by guideline to implementation of various government schemes. To find out the psychosocial factors (cause) of alcoholism in addicted tribal(Adivasis). To compare addicted male tribal with addicted females tribal and to examine individual factors. To suggest the

There are Psycho-Social factors to alcoholism among tribals. There will be no significant difference between male tribals and females in relation to the factor of alcoholism.

The researcher selected 100 male tribal and 100 female tribals randomly from different Taluka in Sabarkantha and Banasakantha district. All the subject having drinking experience and also use to drink during study period. The research established the rapport with the tribal males and female with the help of alcohol salesman, familiar person, Adivasi students, teacher working in the Adivasi areas, Government officers, and Doctors. Good relation built with Adivasi's and collect their response about casual factor of alcoholism. The whole group was closely related to alcoholism. The age group of subject was from 18 to 45 years. among them 85% males and 98% females tribals illiterate.

Spencer Rathun's (1995) test was selected for the study. The test was translated in to Hindi and Gujarati and standardized as follow: Expert and Researchers fully agreed and have shown acceptability. The test showed high positive correlation and consistency to original test in relation to validity of the teat. In this test, responses are in the nature as agrees, non agreed. The test consist of 10 factors of addiction. Freedom from stress, pleasure expression social reward, religious and political celebration group action, scape-goating and habit.

Mean SD and t values were calculated from obtained results of two groups. The intensity(Degree) of causal factor of alcoholism for both the group was studied.

Table 1 shows that there is no significant difference between female group and male group in relation to the factors of alcoholism as group action, social reward, celebration, religious functions, habit. Mean differences between two comparative group on group is confirmed that there is no significant difference between male and female in relation to alcoholism. Table 1. Showing various factor to alcoholism of male tribal group, female tribal and their SD and 't; values But other factors like addiction (17.96), freedom from stress (6.29), experience of change (14.29), social power (13.6), scape goating (15.64) considering 't' value that there is significant difference between male and female in relation to these factors of alcoholism. Thus the hypothesis is not confirmed. According to the Table 2, the factor of addiction and change transformation male group have shown high degree while female group have shown low degree of alcoholism. The cause behind that is the outgoing activities of men, their attraction toward alcoholism and frequent contact with other people forced them to drink and also they want that new experience to change in leisure time made them addicted to the freedom of stress as both the groups showed moderate degree. It is shocking that females showed greater attraction towards alcoholism for freedom stress as compared to male. The similar findings by Rohesno(1983) show that the stressors of females were due to the misbehavior of husband, familial pressure, sexual maladjustment, the tendency to prolonged diseases, anxiety and fear of spouse that he may bring another woman, all these cause a woman to become alcoholic. Table2. Degree (intensity) of alcoholism among male and females on various

In the case of group action and pleasure expression female group show high degree where male group shows moderate degree to participates and enjoy the drinks. On the occasion of birth of new child, fair of godness, festivals like holi, dushhare, they enjoy with drink. On the factors of social reward , celebratation of religious functions and habit and family function both the groups showed moderate degree. In the case of social power, male group showed high degree where female group shows moderate degree. Men want leadership, compromise with government officers for monitory gain. Power of local leadership and social popularity attract them toward frequent drinking which resulted in to habit formation. In the research finding of Valliant and Milosky (1982) power factor is prominent in alcholism. And to the factor of scape goatng both the groups showed moderate degree. The finding of Tucker (1981) showed similar factors such as dis-appointment, depression and frustration as the cause of alocholism. Men and women participate and express same felling in celebration of festivals, and celebrate wine to express their joy and happiness. Male and female both participate social ceremonies as they are basically naturally festival lower. Sometime political, social or economic temptations by the government instinct them toward drinks which lead to addiction. Customs, conventions, habits and different rituals in different tribals are also the reasons behind drinks. Both of child and death of a person too, are celebrated in many communities celebrated with eating and drinking. There are the common occasions where male and female participate and enjoy wine. There is no significant difference between male 'adivasis' and female 'adivasis' in relation to the factors as group action (pleasure expression), social reward, celebration, religious functions and habit. The degree of alchoholism is found more in male tribals as compared to female tribals. Females use to take alcohol for freedom from stress, group action, celebration of religious and social functions and social social power male tribals start to drink which leads to addiction. Both male group and female group showed high degree of alcoholism for social reward, religious celebration and habit. There were psycho-social cause of alcoholism from both male adivasis and female adivasis. There is significant difference between male tribals and females tribals in relation to factors of addiction, freedom from stress, change, social power and scape-goating. There is high degree of alcoholism, among male group as compared to female group on various factors. The Present study may be useful as guideline for effective implementation of various scheme for adivasis upliftment for government, Ngo's liquor prohibition department, adult literacy program, IRDP, ICDS, child and family welfare department etc.

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