Impact Of Drug Abuse On Teenagers

Substance or drug abuse is habitual consumption of certain chemicals for the purpose of pleasurable effects. Drug abuse has become a prevalent sickness that mentally and physically affects an individual. It starts with a minute quantity and gradually disperses to a fatal extent. Approximate proportion that is addicted to drugs is around 190 million. Major causes include teenagers transitioning to higher institutes, deficiency of knowledge, competition among colleagues, social complexity and desire to try new products. This problem is killing away many youth at an alarming rate especially teenagers. It is of utmost importance to note that drugs leaves devastating effects on families, communities and nations. Drug abuse has been a diligent issue in developed and non-developed countries and it does not follow a pattern and neither there are rules that determine whether or not someone will develop an addiction. Drug abuse is a serious illness. Directly any addiction has no cure but precautious measures can be adopted to minimize its effects as it can have severe psychological and physiological consequences. What are the effects of drug abuse and how it can be prevented among youth?

Literature review

Drug abuse is the reoccurring use of drugs on regular basis which not only leaves physiological effects but holds serious consequences on one’s social life and society. It interacts with one, physically emotionally and mentally, leading severe alternations and impairments.(Gelder Meta Al).

The extent of drug abuse depends upon attitude to drug use, which is quite variable across different regions. Different psychological and social factors contribute to the onset of drug abuse.

The frequency to which drug abuse disorders occur within some families depends on the environment to which children are subjected. If healthy environment is present, then children are more likely to abstain from drugs but it still depends on the conditions. (Emmanuel,& Rahbaretal).

The most influential factor in child drug abuse is the parent’s substance abuse. It was found that majority of the youth who reported to use drugs came from families where other members used drugs. No tests can determine whether someone is addicted to drugs or not nut there are variety of symptoms one can observe which appear due to drug addiction. ( Bush).

A substantial portion of teenagers consume drugs to a level where health, relationships and school performance in negatively influenced. This devastating affect of drug abuse among youth is widely increasing as there is no check and balance of the extent of abuse.

All children and adults are equally vulnerable to drug abuse and also pose serious consequences when it comes to addiction. This can lead to increased destruction of individuals, families and communities. (Rossow,2001; Velleman,2005).

Drug abuse has a very severe effect on government as well. Although more drug consume means it effects economy but at the same time government has to spend a substantial amount on documenting the drug preventing measures. Although government tries its possible ways to eradicate such issue but youth who is addicted cannot help themselves as it has incorporated in their lives to a dangerous level.( Republic of Rwanda. Ministry of Health, 2014).

Most of the time, we come to know that teenagers who are engaged in labor or some are dropouts, they are more likely to enroll themselves in a variety of immoral acts including drugs. The reason behind is the community in which they are living in. (Johnston,& Bachman,2003).

If the proportion of drug abuse is compared between the students who are studying and those who are dropped out, It was found that students from high school were less likely to be subjected to drug.( Kanyoni, 2015).

Drug abuse among youth also depends upon family functioning. Children focus more on the actions than on advices. If parents are addicted to drug, then it allows children naturally to try new product and they are likely to become addicts in adulthood.(Gruber, K.J &Taylor M. F, 2006).

Students who indulge themselves in drug abuse are not able to maintain daily life activities because of the desirable effects of drugs it begins to make them feel comfortable. This makes the addiction more powerful thus devastating the life completely, a terrible effect that drugs hold is on one’s health. (Kandel2003).

Drug use is leads to many chronic diseases. For example it damages cells from the liver to the extent where it would cause cancer. Drugs induce changes in the cell on genetic level causing alternations which ultimately results in cancer. Many teenagers consume drugs and gradually reach to point where there is no turning back. This means that drugs have negatively inflicted in their lives and such individuals are physically damaged where survival is almost impossible. (Pollin’s ‘addictive disorders)

Poverty is an important factor that leads to serious consequences because individual in poor conditions is likely to suffer from stress and depression and it leads to the onset of drugs. (Kaplan 1978a:26)

People engaged in substance abuse have to deal with multiple stresses, such as unemployment, inadequate housing, lack of affordability , and social indifference. (Bandura 2005).

A drug addict has no worries of his/her family responsibilities. On daily basis if an individual subjects itself to drugs then he more likely not to maintain contact with his family. He also does not fulfill the responsibilities as he is aware of its conscious. Such people have poor relations and face many relationship problems as compared to people who are not addicts.

Illiteracy is another pivotal reason that children are subjected to drug abuse. An illiterate barely has knowledge what effects it will leave on their body and increased concentrations of drugs consumption. By just observing other people, as it makes them look cool, they subject themselves to drug abuse, thinking it would leave an influential impression on society.

The probability of the children to become drug addicts depends on the genetic makeup of the parents. If the family history shows that the elders were engaged in substances then this makes children more vulnerable to addiction. Although we cannot claim that the probability is always the same. It still depends what environment you are faced to if an individual has sufficient knowledge of physiological effects of drugs, probably they won’t involve themselves in drugs. (Griffin &Botvin, 2010).

Peer pressure plays a key role in promoting towards drug abuse. Students face competitive environment where they want to fit in and without deciding that if they are doing something right or wrong, they compel themselves in such illegal acts. For the time being they might feel comfortable with the system but it actually leads to drastic effects on their lives.(Devore and Ginsburg,2005).

Children who are not disciplined or have poor parents practices are likely to enroll themselves in many problems including drug abuse. Parents have no track of what their children are doing outside home and this leads to very dangerous consequences because they then start to hide the poor habits they have developed. (Devore &xx, 2005)

Students who fail to adjust themselves according to the school environment or they have no bonding with school increases their likelihood of becoming drug addicts. School fails to keep check and balance of such students and many along with the peers attend different cafe’s for drug consumption. (Devore and Ginsburg,2005; Velleman et al.,2005).

Individual who have low self-esteem are more likely to become addicts because when they are exposed to an environment where people are indulged in immoral activities then they are not able to differ between right or wrong judgments. (Fletcher, & Williams-Wheeler , 2004).

Children who live away from home, especially those studying in foreign countries have higher chance of engaging themselves in drugs because the peers they have involve other students as well to have the desired effects.(Health Promotion Agency 2005; Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency 2005).

Some studies show that parents who are involved in drug abuse can maintain an organized and disciplined family because drugs use does not always mean that result would be devastating for the individual as well as the family. This can also mean that parents are not consuming drugs to a dangerous level and are also not dependent on drugs. (Tunnard 2002)

Children who are subjected to drug abuse have a poor intellectual, physical and emotional level. Drugs are most likely to manipulate with our mental functioning and cause hallucinations and delusions as well. The children also tend to perform more slowly as compared to the active and healthy child as exposure to drugs slows down mental strength.( McMahon and Luthar 2002).

Parents who are addicted to drugs are more likely to mistreat their children like physical abuse and etc. This can be explained on the basis if the parents have no sense of responsibility and lacking knowledge about the substances. The normal parents however don’t tend toward such acts. (Famularo et al, 1992; Jaudes et al, 1995; Kelleher et al, 1994).

In the house where drugs are used, presence of need and other harmful equipment’s may act as physiological danger for the young ones. Parents are always looking after their children the whole time and in any case , an accident occurs then it can not only be injurious but can cause infections also. (Hogan & Higgins 2001).

Everyday the proportion of drug abuse is increasing and so people are facing life threatening consequences too. There is an immense need to overcome drug abuse by manipulating mental illness. As there is no medication that can prevent any kind of addiction, the only way one can relieve itself from this fatal habit is by willing to change his life. If a person has high self-esteem, he would be able to differentiate between right and wrong. The strong mindset is another factor that can help prevent addiction. If an individual starts analyzing himself and what he has done to himself then that realization of the mistake will make him change and this is not difficult for such person to get rid of drug abuse. During this state, if a person is honest to himself that whatever preventing measures he is going through will surely bring results then, he definitely can overcome addiction Many people consult different doctors and by using medication, they think addiction would be prevented but that us not the case. A person should acquire new habits and adjust his lifestyle. One must try to keep itself as busy as one can to keep his bad thoughts away. Similarly a person should spend time with his family that would jot only give him a sense of happiness but also cheer up his emotions.

Drugs are toxic desirable chemicals that have serious health problems on individual and social level. Common factors that contribute toward drug abuse include peer pressure, poor community standard, lack of knowledge, parental grooming and living away from home. These entire factors contribute to a society where people lack knowledge of well being, not fulfilling responsibilities, disturbed relationships, poor ethics and focusing on a life filled with luxury. On behavior level drugs can cause aggressiveness, paranoia, impaired judgment, impulsiveness and loss of self control. Overcoming of drug abuse depends upon which condition you are subjected to and it also depends how you are controlling your mind regarding that problem. Relief from addicts is not easy as it requires constant practice and concentration. A large number of addictions have proven to be fatal. There are a few therapies that can help with addiction like cognitive behavior therapy and psychotherapy. A person has to adapt himself to new habits and acquire a flexible thinking pattern with he can adjust to new conditions. In order to stay healthy, the person should not compromise on co-curricular activities that would keep him physically and mentally active and fresh. Individual must engage in its family and try not to fall behind on any other person. Educational programs and awareness campaigns serve as a great deed as they provide valuable knowledge to following generation and they would most likely not indulge themselves in this act.

References;

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