Substance abuse is a very common phenomena found in the youth of today. It can be because of anything- neglect, peer pressure, temporary solace, or company. The youth feels that the usage of a particular substance may help them get over their problems, and help them either figure out a way to solve a problem or will at least help them forget the problem for a bit. What the youth doesn’t realize is that this phase could actually impair their senses for the rest of their lives. The substances the youth exposes itself to are addictive and are capable of destroying a person mentally and physically.
Here are a few reasons why substance abuse is the absolute worst thing that one can do to him/herself :
1. No control – One loses control over self after the intake of alcohol, drugs etc. One often feels light or calm after using the substances because that is what the drugs do, they numb a person’s senses. The problem with this is that a person loses total control which can lead to either accidents or any other mishap and if the drug has been taken in a large quantity then it can have an adverse effect on the heath which can turn fatal too.
2. Deterioration of health – Continuous use of substances lead to serious deterioration of health and the nervous system also goes for a toss. The drugs keep the person under influence and the body gets used to functioning like that without using all of its organs properly. It leads to loss of memory, stamina and it eats up a person from inside without showing too many signs on the outside, but eventually a person becomes weak and unable to move around according to will.
3. Change in behaviour – The person starts avoiding people and communication. They eventually go into depression and increase the intake of drugs which makes them even worse. The person starts showing signs of depression and they start becoming anti-social and cranky. In addition to everything else, this affects the performance of the person at work or studies, the person starts performing badly and even the friend circle gets left behind. They start preferring isolation and keep to themselves even in public places.
How to save the youth from substance abuse
Knowing how bad the effects of substance abuse can be, one should try whatever is in their hands to save a person who seems to be getting dependent on substances–
1. Talking to the person will help a lot. Most of the times it is a result of neglect that people think nobody understands them and they subject themselves to drug abuse. Talking will act like a vent in these cases and help them overcome depression and loneliness.
2. If you think it is their company who is forcing them to get into drug abuse, show them that it is wrong. Tell them how their company is turning out to be completely destructive for them.
3. Tell them that everything done within certain limits is not harmful, but after a certain point it becomes poisonous. It can lead to bad mental health and will eventually make them weak and can lead to death too.
4. Sending a person to a de-addiction centres may be of some help too, but ensure the ways of de-addiction centre are not too harsh. People at this point need care and cannot deal with harsh situations.
5. Tell them you love them. Love can help a person come out of any depth or depression. Love can change people and can make them see what there is to life.
Substance abuse is not something that a person willingly embraces, it is vice versa, substance abuse embraces a person and refuses to let go. Saving a person you love can be difficult, but you need to not give up. It will be more difficult for you than it is for them but you need to make a conscious choice that you cannot let that one particular person, who is very important to you, destroy him/herself.
Preservation of the young substance of country is a requirement of the time. It is considered that a large number of the youngsters in urban areas are prone to the substance abuse. They face peer pressure, stress, hormonal disbalance, and many more similar neglects which lead to a poor functioning. To remove this, we must focus on the development of the young minds. Talking to them about their problems, sharing their feelings and mentoring them psychologically is the key!