Socio-Cultural Determinants of Drug Dependence and Mental Health Vulnerabilities in Tribal Youth Populations of Arunachal Pradesh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/ajpr.v29i1.833Keywords:
Substance abuse disorders, Arunachal Pradesh, mental health, integrated treatment, tribal youth.Abstract
Drug abuse and substance use disorders (SUDs) continues to be a significant issue in Arunachal Pradesh, India worsening the public health challenges associated with mental health especially among the youths. This article explores the links between these challenges, particularly focusing on socio-cultural and economic factors. It delves into their underlying causes and consequences, highlighting the necessity for customized, integrated approaches that cater to the region’s specific needs, supported by local case studies. This review employs a narrative synthesis approach, drawing data from government reports, scholarly journals, government diaries, and rehabilitation centre reports focusing on publications in the last two decades.
References
1. American Psychiatric Association. (2015). Youth substance abuse and co-occurring disorders (Y. Kaminer, Ed.). American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
2. Atkins, C. E. (2014). Co-occurring disorders: Integrated assessment and treatment of substance use and mental disorders (2nd ed.). PESI Publishing & Media.
3. Chakraborty, K., Neogi, R., & Basu, D. (2011). Correlates of opium use: Retrospective analysis of a survey of tribal communities in Arunachal Pradesh, India. BMC Public Health, 11, Article 361. https ://doi .org/1 0.118 6/1471-2458-11-361
4. Chandler, R. K., Dombrowski, K., & Matthews, C. R. (Eds.). (2022). Co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders: Evidence-based integrative treatment and multicultural application. Routledge.
5. Channaveerachari, N., Varambally, S., Thirthalli, J., Andrade, C., Gangadhar, B. N., & Murthy, P. (2024). Underage drinking, prevalence and predictors in Arunachal Pradesh, India: Analysis of National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 66 (8), pp.723–729. https ://doi.or g/10.41 03 /indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_123_24
6. Chaturvedi, H. K., & Mahanta, J. (2004). Prevalence and pattern of substance abuse at Bandardewa, a border area of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 46(3), pp.268–271.
7. Chaturvedi, H. K., Bajpai, R. C., & Tiwari, P. (2013). Substance use among tribal population in Arunachal Pradesh: A community-based survey. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 55(Suppl 1), S56.
8. Chaturvedi, H. K., Bajpai, R. C., & Tiwari, P. (2019). Substance use among tribal population in Arunachal Pradesh: A follow-up survey. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 61 (Suppl 3), S456.
9. Hendrickson, E. L. (2009). Living with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders: A handbook for recovery. Hazelden Publishing.
10. Kena, T., Bagra, I., & Panyang, R. (2022). Patterns of psychiatric illness in a tertiary care centre of Arunachal Pradesh: An observational study. Cureus, 14(11), e31025. https ://do i.org /10.7759/cureus.31025
11. Kumar, N., & Chadda, R. K. (2024). Prevalence of mental health problems and substance use among school-going adolescents of tribal ethnicity: A preliminary study from North-East India. Journal of Indian Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 20(2), pp.123–130. https://d oi.org/10. 1177/097 313 422 412 39190
12. Minkoff, K., & Cline, C. A. (2023). Counseling individuals with co-occurring addictive and mental disorders: A comprehensive approach. Springer Publishing Company.
13. Mueser, K. T., Noordsy, D. L., Drake, R. E., & Fox, L. (2003). Integrated treatment for dual disorders: A guide to effective practice. Guilford Press.
14. Rao, P. S. S., & Kuruvilla, T. (1992). A study on the personality correlates of alcohol dependence. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 34(4), pp.323–327.
15. Singh, J., & Rao, V. (2018). Suicidal attempts among Idu Mishmi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 60 (Suppl 4), S502.
16. Singh, J., Singh, N. K., & Dkhar, B. (2013). Mental health problems in Idu Mishmi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. Indian Journal of Psychia try, 55(Suppl 1), S57.
17. Taso, K., & Bage, B. (2024). A study of inclusive community substance abuse approach in ICR, Arunachal Pradesh. ResearchGate. http s:// doi.o rg/10.13140/RG.2.2.12345.6789
18. Tsering, D., Pal, R., & Dasgupta, A. (2010). Substance use among adolescent high school students in India: A survey of knowledge, attitude, and opinion. Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences, 2(2), pp.137–140.
19. Watkins, T. R., Lewellen, A., & Barrett, M. (2001). Dual diagnosis: An integrated approach to treatment. Sage Publications.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License permitting all use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
