Drug Addiction among Youth
This article includes an introduction, causes, prevention, solution and treatment for drug addiction among young people.
Drug Addiction
Introduction: The term ‘drug’ has now been given a new connotation. It was used originally to means ‘medicine’.
However, now-a-days, the term ‘drug’ means not only medicine, but also the fatal narcotics that include cocaine, heroin, brown sugar, and many other specifications. All these drugs have their evil effects on the mind and body cells of the addicts. The young generations, particularly teenagers, are the worst victims of evils of Drug Addiction.
Meaning of Drug Addiction
Drug Addiction (also called substance use disorder) is a brain disease. The addict becomes dependent on the drug. The addict uses it, despite having full knowledge of its harmful effects on health. It is considered a brain disease because it changes the structure and functioning of the brain.
There is an uncontrollable desire or craving to consume the drug.
Addicted people often engage in compulsive behavior to obtain the drugs.
The addicts find if impossible to control the drug intake.
In case of drug abuse, people start taking drugs in larger doses than the recommended doses.
The addict is not able to discharge his day-to-day responsibilities in an efficient manner.
It effects both the physical and mental health of the addict. Very often, addicts witness extreme changes in body weight.
Very often, the addict stops socializing.
Sometimes, drug addiction is also referred to as drug dependency since the addict develops dependency or addiction for a particular drug.
Causes of Drug Addiction among Youth
The reasons why a young person gets addicted to these harmful drugs are many.
Curiosities, desire for pleasure, social excommunication, mental gap, lack of self-reliance are some of the reasons why these youth becomes a drug-addict.
Lack of self-confidence, that is inferiority complex, has been marked as cause of one’s becoming a drug addict.
Peer pressure, excessive stress, lack of parental involvement in child’s activities, are among the leading causes for drug addiction among youth and teen people.
The problem of drug addiction is all the more serious because the addicts are mostly young school or college going boys and girls, the future citizens of a country, on whom will depend in future its welfare and the welfare of its people. So, it is imperative to see that such young boys and girls may be no means fall victims to drug addiction.
Solution for Drug Addiction:
Rehabilitation of the young drug-addicts is a major social problem.
The need of raising the level of consciousness of self through proper education has been suggested as a proper step.
Those who thus become able to overcome their addiction can tutor other young addicts.
The need of forming a healthy environment where the needs of these youth can be met is equally important.
The trading of harmful drugs such as cocoa, opium, etc. should be properly controlled.
International projects should be taken to prohibit manufacturing of such harmful drugs.
Prevention
Drug addiction among youth can be prevented if the youth are taught of its harmful consequences. If the young people are aware of the harmful effects of drug abuse, they would avoid drug abuse at the first instance. Hence, drug abuse preventive programmes, if implemented effectively at schools and colleges, can become the most successful method to reduce and alleviate the problem of Drug addiction among youth.
Treatment of Drug Addiction:
Treatment of the drug-addicts can be done through different medical processes. When a patient is made to give up his addiction, he suffers from several physical troubles. If he is treated through the method of detoxification by a gradual process he regains his normalcy gradually. When detoxification is completed, psychiatric treatment of the patient is to be started.
Attempts are made to release the need for the drugs from the mind of the addict. Most people get better results if they include yoga, meditation and hypnotherapy as part of their treatment procedure.
The members of his family should be advised how to behave with the patient. In fact the help and co-operation of the same elements of the society is essential for the rehabilitation of the drug addicts in society. They should take the solemn vow of uniting for a drug-free world.
