Substance Abuse



Abstract

This Study provides detailed analysis of the effects and causes of substance abuse. It deals especially the substance abuse problems in adolescence. This also discusses the influences that lead to the alcoholism and drug abuse. It also provides detailed analysis of the risk factors that are common in addictive disorders. This study also highlights the essential interventions that could be used to reduce the risks associate with the substance abuse. This study also provides that a child should be taught the basic rules of life which are necessary for life. This comes from home as well as teachers also take part in developing the children by activities which help in cognitive development.

Substance AbuseIntroduction

Substance abuse is the use of harmful substances like drugs, alcohol, tobacco and various other intoxicants. Mostly this problem develops in the adolescent that usually starts with the smoking and drinking and then resulted as drug abuse. Adolescent development plays a vital role in prevention from substance abuse. The reason of developing substance abuse in childhood or adolescent is mainly due to the substance abuse in parents. A large fraction of these children is consequently subjected to different forms of domestic abuse, which ranges from physical torture to events causing mental stress and emotional distress. These seem to have long-term influences on the behavior of these children, and may inflict a severe, negative impact on their personalities. The research, therefore, expresses that it may not be appropriate for the children to be living with parents known for substance use, and urges the governmental bodies to introduce reforms and measures that ensure the safety and well-being of these children (Craig, 2000).

Efforts to prevent parental substance abuse concerned with eliminating the risk factors and enhancing the protective factors associated with drug use. The primary goal of parental substance abuse prevention is to intervene and halt the influence of risk factors while simultaneously enhancing the effects of protective factors against parental substance use and abuse. Prevention programming focuses on increasing knowledge about drugs and the dangers associated with their use, deterring or reducing use, delaying age of onset, encouraging the development of negative attitudes toward drug use, and fostering individuals' self-esteem and self-awareness. This latter focus serves the important task of addressing possible psychological correlates of drug abuse. Another significant component of parental substance abuse prevention aimed at peer-based programming, such as the development of refusal skills to combat peer pressure (Lawson, 1986). On an individual level, major stressful life events, such as marriage, divorce, change in work status, and death of a loved one, may trigger addictive behaviors. Traumatic events in general often instigate addictive behaviors, as traumatized people seek to medicate their pain—pain they may not even be aware of because they've repressed it. One thing that makes addictive behaviors so powerfully attractive is that they reliably alleviate personal pain, at least for a short time. However, over the long-term, addictive behaviors actually cause more pain than they relieve.

Discussion

Adolescent development

Adolescent development can be described as growth, physically and ...