Drug dependency is a condition characterized by an irresistible craving to persist with consuming a drug that has become habituated due to its regular consumption. Substance and drug abuse have grown to be a global issue, raising concern across the world. Substance addiction is currently a significant challenge that impacts drug users and negatively affects the entire society. People have used narcotic drugs for medicinal purposes since 400BC. In China, marijuana dates back to 273 BC, but it was not perceived as an active component in substance exertion until the 19th century. Alcoholism and drug misuse are rampant global challenges to teenagers and young adults. Hence, this paper will discuss drug addiction among the young population and postulate possible intervention approaches to ease addiction.
Drug and alcohol abuse is progressively emerging as a scheme for many young adults to cope with challenging circumstances and situations such as poor academic performance, neglect, sexual abuse, violence, and unemployment. Drug addiction impacts individuals at all developmental phases, and they are often introduced at a tender age (Eisenstein 2005). Additionally, substance abuse negatively impacts the learning of secondary school pupils, and the user’s general health is impacted. Alcohol addiction has become a prevalent and critical public health issue in both developed and developing countries. Alcohol abuse and the use of psychoactive substances like marijuana have been associated with dangerous sexual encounters. A study conducted on young adults in Scotland revealed that more than half of the subjects consumed alcoholic beverages before their first sexual encounter. The individuals under the influence of alcohol engaged in unsafe sexual practices and were not likely to use protection (Hawkins, 1992).
In Ethiopia, it is reported that the lives of young people are rampantly distressed by drug addiction and alcoholism (Sebsibie, 2018). These youths include students who are more vulnerable to media influence, peer pressure, and poor role modeling and guidance. The problem is rooted in learning institutions and the community, leading to rampant idleness and an inflated school dropout figure. The country is faced with the risk of remaining underdeveloped and losing generations if the problem remains unaddressed as resources mend to address other basic needs are diverted to combat drug addiction.
It is significant to highlight that most drugs are harmful. The deliberate use of psychoactive substances is inappropriate and dangerous to the user, the family, society, and the community. The causes of addiction and drug abuse are numerous, including family characteristics, personal predispositions, and complex environmental and social determinants. However, there is a lack of consensus on the definite root causes of substance misuse and addiction for specific people, factors linked to substance and drug abuse, and people’s motivation to turn to narcotics.
Addiction is particularly a severe issue in the adolescent stage due to the ongoing physical and emotional changes (NIH, 2017). Conferring with the National Institutes of Health, brain sections that regulate decision-making and impulse control are usually under development up to twenty-five years of age. The implication is that young adults are merely incapable of considering the long-term consequences of a decision rather than immediate benefits. Teens who misuse drugs inflict further damage to this part of the brain, rendering despair in their lives such that they don’t perceive the significance of leading a sober life.
Factors that lead to drug Abuse
There are several risk factors attributed to the onset of drug abuse among young adults. The following are some of the common factors that lead to substance abuse in adolescents.
Popularity and Peer pressure
Perceived popularity and peer pressure have been linked with the heightened risk of substance use among adolescents (Whitesell, 2013). Mainly, when young adults perceive that their approval within a peer crew increases when they use drugs, they will be more likely to engage in such activities. Young adults who identify themselves as popular have revealed an increased prevalence of drug use than less popular adolescents.
Depression
Depression is a phrase that encompasses feelings of anger, pain, gloom, or sadness. In this situation, their everyday life is interrupted by their depressive feelings (Whitesell, 2013). Hence, depression has been revealed to be a genetic attribute that may also emanate from stressors like feeling inadequate, parental divorce, substance abuse by guardians, and hopelessness in a family member. These stressors invoke sad emotions, which some teenagers have confessed to being a motivating factor for them to use drugs.
Sexual and Physical Abuse
Bodily child abuse involves any incidence that exposes a minor to non-accidental physical harm (Whitesell, 2013). The aftermath of physical and sexual harm, particularly on the behavior of young adults regarding drug use, has been assessed. Researchers consistently reported a statistically substantial connection between sexual or physical abuse and alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana use.
Neglect
Legally, child neglect involves any scenario where a minor’s caregiver fails to provide sufficient necessities like clothing, food, shelter, healthcare, and protection (Whitesell, 2013). Studies have increasingly revealed that neglect victims are at a heightened peril for substance abuse.
Addiction Interventions
Several intervention approaches can be adopted to alleviate or ease the young population from addiction. Therapy can be used to overcome substance dependency. School-based prevention approaches like project TND, project LST, and project SUCCESS can be used in schools to scale down or eliminate the risk of teenagers abusing drugs, consequently leading to future dependency and delinquency (PSC, 2018).
Therapy
Therapists who major in addiction recovery are of significant aid to addicts as they guide them in setting empowering and achievable short-term goals in their journey to overcoming drug dependency (GoodTherapy, n.d). Once the patient’s sobriety is attained, adaptive skills can be formulated as the user regains emotional and physical health. Through a joint effort, the patient and the therapist can set long-term goals like releasing guilt, accepting responsibility, and reconstructing damaged relationships. Motivational interviewing therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy have particularly demonstrated effectiveness in overcoming drug and alcohol addiction.
Project SUCCESS
Schools Using Coordinated Community Efforts to Strengthen Students, also known as project SUCCESS, is mainly designed for high-risk adolescents (PSC, 2018). This preventative approach works by establishing partnerships between an alternative school and a prevention agency. A professional counselor on adolescent drug abuse prevention is recruited in the alternative learning institution. This person offers the school early intervention and drug abuse prevention services.
Project TND
Towards No Drug Abuse (TND) is a reciprocal and targeted approach fashioned to aid young adults in resisting the urge to use drugs (PSC, 2018). This school-based program comprises twelve lessons that run for forty to fifty minutes, including role-playing exercises, social skills training, games, discussion groups on decision-making components, videos, and student worksheets spread through four weeks. This approach addresses stress management, self-control, coping skills, techniques for tobacco cessation, effective communication, and active listening skills—all these skills aid in counteracting risk features associated with substance abuse among older teens.
Project LST
Life Skills Training (LST) is an intervention program intended to be implemented in classrooms. This approach targets alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco and provides the potential to interrupt the advancement from using such drugs to other elements of drugs (PSC, 2018). The approach is fashioned to address the psychosocial aspects linked to the onset of substance involvement. This project impacts substance-related knowledge, norms and attitudes, drug-related control, and social management skills. Enhancing resistance skills and scaling up prevention knowledge related to substance abuse offers young adults the necessary skills and information required to nurture anti-drug norms and attitudes.
Additionally, they become adequately equipped to resist media and peer pressure to indulge in substance abuse. Enhancing social and personal competence impacts a set of psychological aspects related to low risks of drug abuse by decreasing intrapersonal motivators of drug abuse. Additionally, it also decreases the vulnerability of adolescents to social influences that advocate for the use of drugs.
In conclusion, drug addiction is progressively emerging as a scheme for many young adults to cope with challenging circumstances and situations such as poor academic performance, neglect, sexual abuse, violence, and unemployment. Some of the prevalent causes of substance dependency can be peer pressure, neglect, physical or sexual assault, and depression. However, therapy can be used to overcome substance dependency. School-based prevention approaches like project TND, project LST, and project SUCCESS can be used in schools to scale down or eradicate the risk of teenagers engaging in premature drug use, leading to future dependency and delinquency.
References
GoodTherapy, G. T. (n.d.). Warning Signs of Drug or Alcohol Abuse. Therapy for Drug Abuse, Substance Abuse, and Alcohol Addiction. https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/drug-and-substance-abuse.
Whitesell, M., Bachand, A., Peel, J., & Brown, M. (2013). Familial, social, and individual factors contributing to risk for adolescent substance use. Journal of addiction, 2013.
Eisenstein, E., Aquino, M. T., Caldeira, Z., Freire, Z., & Baptista, M. (2005). Youth and drugs in Brazil: social imbalance and health risks. Substance use among young people in urban environments, 121-132.
Hawkins, J. D., Catalano, R. F., & Miller, J. Y. (1992). Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: implications for substance abuse prevention. Psychological bulletin, 112(1), 64.
Sebsibie, G. (2018). Assessment of drug addiction and its associated factor among youths in Nazareth town, Eastern Shoa, Ethiopia. J Addict Res Ther, 9(356), 2.
NIH. (2017, June 29). Risky Business. National Institutes of Health. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2011/09/risky-business.
PSC. (2018, January 31). School-Based Drug Abuse Prevention: Promising and Sucessful Programs. https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/sclbsd-drgbs/index-en.aspx#ch03a.
