Mental Health.

• Shabrez Noorani
• 03 Comments

Talking about substance abuse we cannot forget the factors leading to it. One of the greatest factor is mental stress. While reading about drug abuse, I read a quote “ its not the drugs that make a drug addict, its the need to escape the reality”. I used to think an addicts life start when he is exposed by a friend to this and than seeking and consuming the drugs become compulsive. This is half truth. A research conducted by Dr. Humaira Azim (Titled: Case studies of drug abused youth of kashmir Valley) on 18 respondents found out how it becomes a need in the area that is turmoil ridden. A study conducted by Syed Amin and A. W Khan (Titled: life in conflict) found out in kashmir the conflict has affected 55.72% of population. Further breaking it into age group it was found the prevalence of depression is highest (66.67%) in the 15 to 25 years age group, followed by 65.33 in 26 to 35 years age group. Unfortunately these are the age groups where drug addiction can occur. Mind of person is already weak, and he finds a way to escape the harsh realities that devour him of his freedom, happiness and put him into a depressing state. This is the state where a person can easily fall pray to drug abuse.

Drugs are used to treat people with depression than why is Drug addiction or drug abuse a problem?

These are a number of risk factors which have been correlated to serious substance abuse in adolescents. Apart from depression due to turmoil other factors include: The presence of a parent or other relatives with substance abuse in family is the most crucial factor. Lack of achievement, especially in school and poor self-esteem correlate with substance abuse. The aggressive and impulsive teenage is at higher risk for substance abuse. Parental separation, divorce and peer drug use increase the likelihood of drug problem in adolescence. Social environment also plays a significant role in making the individual vulnerable to drug addiction, especially the family. The family being the basic unit of human experience is the most important socialising agent that influences the development of child’s personality. Family, is the most important unit of society, when it does not function adequately, the individuals feel anxious, frustrated, dissatisfied, insecure, or even hostile towards family members. Such problems at times drag the individual into drug addiction. Lastly, most individual who belong to rich families or have easy availability of money are either deliberately targeted or brought into this by an agent who earns from this business. They encourage them to use it, promising world free of worry and limitations.
We need to educate people, spread awareness, knowledge, as we have seen when an individual turns into addict, social stigma kicks in. People, neighbours especially alienated whole family, that creates chaos Which leads to more demotivation of the addict and some people even attack them which is not the solution. This is an epidemic and people need to deal with it wisely. An addict is not the problem, his addiction is. We need to find what lead him/her to take such step than attack that reason and give as much as love to the person so for him reality becomes better and a liveable place. And he doesn’t need to escape from reality any more.

What are risk factors that lead an adolescent to take such a stern step which he knows is not accepted by society or culture?

Clinically observed association of drug abuse & depression is well known, but its temporal sequence is difficult to determine. Illicit drugs (mostly) are depressogens, the repeated use of which produce both the subjective feelings of depression & neurovegetative signs. Sleep, appetite disturbances, cognitive impairment & decreased energy characteristics of depressed syndrome.