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Drug abuse, a Serious Threat to Adolescents’ Lives

By Hizbullah Khan

Development in science has made the modern world a global village. New inventions and technologies are making life easy and more comfortable. However, as the recourses are increasing, the problems on the other hand tend to become double and more complicated. Among these one of the devastating problems is the drug abuse, which affects every aspect of life very badly. Drug abuse is not a new problem, but it is one of the oldest issues coming through centuries. The most threatening aspect of drug abuse is that, it is increasing at a very fast rate in the teenagers and adolescents who are thought to be the future of any nation. Drug abuse is a term having different meanings for different people. Non medical or recreational use of drugs is the first form of abuse. However, certain medical drugs like opiates, cocaine, barbiturates and anabolic steroids can also be abused if used for non medical purposes. Apart from these medical drugs, certain other drugs and substances which are abused include tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and heroin etc. According to Karch, S.B.(n.d) “Drug abuse can be defined as the excessive or addictive use of psychotropic substances for non medical purposes that alters mood, emotions, or state of unconsciousness” (p.03). Habituation and compulsive use of such psychoactive substances can lead to dependence, which has two types. Physical dependence indicates that body has adapted physiologically to chronic use of drugs and substances, and symptoms develop when that specific drug is withdrawn. The other type is psychological dependence which is an attribute of all drugs of abuse and centers on the user’s feelings as if he or she needs that drug in order to reach a maximum level of functioning or feeling of well-being. This type is more subjective than physical dependence (McMurran, M. 1994).

There are so many factors that grab the attention of adolescents towards drugs and substance abuse. Mainly three factors are noticed that have key role in this regard. Firstly, the family that includes poor parenting and lack of attention to children. Unusual permissiveness, lax supervision, excessively severe discipline, constant criticism and unclear parental rules, are all associated with higher rates of teenager’s substance abuse (David & Richard). It is also not surprising that children whose parents smoke, drink heavily or use illicit drugs are more likely to do so than children whose parent do not. Secondly, peer and friends circle has also a contribution to drugs use. Individuals whose friends smoke or use other drugs are at high risk to adapt same habits. Initiation into such activities is usually through friends because they share their experiences in such a way that compels the other friend to use the same drug. Moreover, the intellectual level and socialization of a person has an effect on substance abuse. Individuals who are poor academic achievers are more likely to become regular smokers, drinkers and other drug abusers (David & Richard). Adolescents who are strongly rebellious against adult authority, and alienated from the dominant social values of their community, are also at high risk for initiation of drugs. Like the other causes, some psychological conditions like anxiety, depression and low self esteem may also push the individual to become an addicted person. Apart from above discussed causes, most of adolescents use different drugs just to enhance their bodily sensations and to induce sensorial gratification of anesthetic and erotic nature. Besides all these reasons, media also play a role through different advertisements in which they show cigarettes and other substances more attractive.

The effects of drug and substance abuse are countless, as it affects every aspect of individual’s life. Mainly these effects can be categorized into three major portions which include physical, psychological and social. Physiological alteration and other effects depend on the nature and consistency of the drug. Some substances cross blood brain barrier due to which certain symptoms develop like euphoria, slow respiratory rate, impair mental process and drowsiness. The person can experience unexplained fatigue, changes in sleeping pattern, dramatic weight loss or gain, long lasting cough and repeated health complaints. These physiological effects of different drugs lead to serious psychological and mental health problems. Alcohol and cocaine based drugs can cause a number of psychiatric symptoms, including depression, anxiety and dissociative states. Psychosis, which is a severe mental disorder, is also common in alcohol users. (Dersy & Slotnik 2007). Most of these symptoms are time limited and disappear by the cessation of the substance used, but can be very serious and life threatening if the use is still there. Apart from above consequences, the victim may have emotional instability, stressful mood, failure to fulfill responsibilities.

Social life of a person is highly affected by drugs and other substances of abuse. Drug abuse can influence individuals, families and societies very seriously. The individuals may have loss of interest in school or job, change in interpersonal relations, change in appearance and clothing, and may experience rejection in society. He is not able to continue his duties and responsibilities any more, due to which along with other crises he faces financial problems. These problems then directly affect interfamily relationships and leads to domestic violence. Females and children are more frequently victimized in family and in most cases the perpetrators are those males, which are drug addicts. Moreover, families with substance abuse have fewer friends and are less involved in recreational, social, religious, and cultural activities (McMurran, 1994). At society and community level, rate of criminal behavior increases either because of the unemployment of abusers or lack of attention towards them. They gradually become ignored by the society due their unacceptable attitudes and violation of cultural norms and values. Due to this negligence they develop low self esteem, which if not resolved can lead to isolation and finally to suicidal ideation even. In addition, the stability of a society depends on wellbeing of manpower, so if the rate of abusers is increasing at such pace then definitely that society suffers very badly.

Pakistan, having more than sixty years of independence, is still in the list of developing countries. Many of its milestones are remained uncover and it is considered as a third world in the sense of development. Along with other problems, the statistics of substance and drug abuse are increasing day by day especially in teenagers. As in 2006, a research was done by Azad Foundation, conducted in 10 cities of Pakistan, in which they took a sample of 1151 individuals, aged 10 to 19 years. Their results showed that cigarette smoking and use of adhesive glue as an inhaler were having most prevalence that was 95% and 85% respectively. 55.3% were found to be regularly using various forms of solvent drugs, 56% Hashish users and 2% of the them reported using heroin. If this is the situation in our country, Pakistan, then why proper attention is not given to this devastating problem.

To make this country free from drug abuse, three major steps are necessary to be considered. These are at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, which seem difficult but not impossible. At primary level, prevention is the key concept in which education and awareness is given to the general public about the hazards of substance and drug abuse. Electronic media and newspapers can play a vital role in this. Firstly, media should be asked to stop the advertisements of different substances like cigarette and then public awareness programs are to be launched. Moreover, government can also initiate such education at schools and colleges level. Apart from that, parents can play a vital role in this regard, so they should be taught about proper parenting of their children. At secondary level, treatment is focused for which proper assessment of the victims is necessary, so that they should get appropriate treatment. Government can offer free of cost treatment to those who are poor and cannot afford the charges of treatment. Tertiary level can go side by side with secondary, but it is more towards rehabilitation than treatment. Therefore government should make functional rehabilitation centers that should be monitored properly at ongoing basis.

Shortly, I would like to conclude that adolescents are yet not fully developed. Their brain and bodies are still in developing stage; they don’t know what is actually good for them and what not. They experiment new things in their life. Substance and drug abuse is one of the major things that they adapt from one or other cause. This problem not only affects their present but also their future very badly. It can harm them physically, socially, emotionally and psychologically. If teenagers are made free from such habits they can do much for their own and the country's future as well.