SUBSTANCE ABUSE

A drug is a chemical substance that changes the way our body works.  When a pharmaceutical preparation or naturally occurring substance is used primarily to bring about a change in some existing state, it can be called a ‘drug’. 

When drugs are taken for reasons other than medical, in an amount, strength, frequency or manner that damages the physical or mental functioning of an individual, it is called ‘drug abuse’.

Substance abuse leads to addiction to various substances with the development of tolerance towards, and dependence on them.  Tolerance refers to a condition where the user needs increasing amounts of the substances to experience the same effects.  The quantity that was sufficient earlier becomes ineffective and hence the user is forced to increase the amount of substance intake at regular intervals.  This is referred to as the state of dependence.  Regular excessive use of such substances leads to physical and psychological dependence.  Some substances produce only physical dependence, while others produce both physical and psychological dependence. 

Drug abuse is emerging as a problem:

24% of the drug users were in the age group of 12-18 years.  The subjects in the treatment centres reported that about 11 % were introduced to cannabis before the age of 15 years and about 26% between the age of 16 and 20 years.  (UNODC and Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, 2004).  Social factors such as illiteracy, economic background, unemployment, and family disharmony increases vulnerability to drug abuse. 

Reasons for intake

Personal

• Beliefs and perceptions about the benefits of substance use
• Lack of knowledge of consequences
• Depression, low self-esteem
• Inability to say ‘No’ to peer pressure to use substances.

Behavioural

• Academic achievements
• Teenagers tend to be less averse to high-risk behaviour than adults
• Teenagers may lack well-developed self-control and may behave more impulsively than adults.
• Curiousity leads to experiments.

Environmental factor  

• Attitudes and values of parents and peers.
• Parental, sibling and peer use of substances.
• Dysfunctional family, lack of communication with parents.
• Peer pressure, adolescent phase peer pressure.  Many times, in an effort to be one with the group they start using drugs.
• Media: role models from films at times glorify drug-taking.
• Easy accessibility of substances
• Social and cultural norms.
• Factors such as low socio-economic status are statistically related to the tendency to use substances.