The Doctor's Blog
Tuesday 2 June 2015
Sunday 27 April 2014
Increasing Drug Abuse Among Youth
Symptoms And Solutions
We have
been experiencing an alarming increase of drug abuse among the youngsters in
recent years. Every now and then we read in the newspapers that teens are being
held for consuming drugs and most of them are usually aged between 17-20. But
the main question arises that why the Indian society is experiencing such a
dilemma where more of the teenagers and youths are involved in unethical and
unproductive activities like substance or drug abuse.
The youths are topping the
charts for the wrong reasons this time around. Recently many college-going boys
and girls were hauled up by the police involved in the case of drug consumption
in a rave party. The alarming rate of drug abuse has always been a problem and
especially the increase of drug abuse among youngsters has had detrimental
effects on the society.
What leads to drug
addiction?
Pressure
of studies on students might be one of the few cases which results in substance
abuse among the youngsters. The educational system nowadays
is very competitive and lacks flexibility with lakhs of students appearing for
few thousand seats. Again there is always a parental burden which adds to the
pressure of making it big academically.
Personal and family
problems also leads to drug abuse among youngsters who fail to cope up with the
ever-growing family and personal problems. Workplace pressure and issues with
the colleagues results in workplace deviance which later results in detrimental
effects on the individual.
The
adolescence situation is often the cause of such unproductive activities. The
friend’s circle in which a young individual stays also influences his/her
activities. A boy/girl who has a company of friends who are into drugs and
alcohol tends to repeat the same; an attempt to be an active member of the peer
group which often results in addiction of the same leading to many unproductive
activities in future of the youngsters.
It might begin with
experimenting. A friend or your loved one’s must have tried it once out of
curiosity because of friends or just to cope up with a problem. In the early
stages, one might really find it helpful to erase some problems or make one’s
life better, which leads to more and more consumption of drugs. But as
addiction reaches a step further, it becomes more of a need rather than just a
problem solver. Even for simple petty issues which can be solved will result in
drug abuse because one is so used to it that without consumption of the same,
one just cannot think of anything.
These are some the few
common causes which has resulted in the increase of drug abuse among the
youngsters immensely.
Common symptoms that
parents/family members should look out for:
Although there are different types of drugs, but the effects and
the symptoms are more or less the same, irrespective of the kind of drug consumed.
Some of the common signs which indicates that an individual is engaged with the
process of drug abuse.
·
Neglecting responsibilities at workplace, school, colleges or at
home like skipping your tuition classes, low performance academically and staying
away or alone for most of the time.
·
It results in indifferences in relationships of an individual such
as fights with your family members or your partner, losing a good old friend
etc.
·
Change in behavioral attitude such as not being the same person
when being with friends or family or partner.
·
Losing temper easily and getting into nasty things for petty
issues.
·
Frequently getting into fights, accidents and illegal activities.
·
Lack of motivation, feeling lethargic.
·
Anxiety and Irritation.
·
Sudden Loss of appetite and weight. Loss of sleep patterns.
How can one stop the
addiction to lead a normal peaceful life?
Half the problem is resolved when one shows the desire to give up
addiction. One must speak up about his/her problem to someone who would
understand and try to get him/her out of the problem. One may try to put
restrictions on oneself to stop the drug abuse, rely on self help programs, but
without support, it would be really difficult to put an end to it. Support
might come from:
·
Family Members
·
Friends
·
Doctors or counselors
·
People who had the same problem but recovered.
Support from family members is a must as they are the closest
source to the individual. Family should support their child to understand what
he/she is going through and what compelled them to take such a risky step.
Parents should try to motivate their children and understand what they really
want in life. Every child is different from the other and parents should really
try to understand their children’s expectation to avoid any cases related to
alcohol or drug abuse.
Thursday 24 April 2014
Addiction and Youth
SUMMARY:
# Children with family history of addiction or
mental health problems are more likely to develop an addiction.
# Adolescent brains are not fully developed, and
therefore are at higher risk for developing an addiction.
#
Early intervention is key.
Getting help for your
child right away is the most important thing you can do to reduce their risk of
developing an addiction. The vast majority of people who suffer
from an addiction encounter problems when they are teenagers. Ninety-five
percent of people with an addiction start using drugs or alcohol before they
are 20 years old.
RISK
FACTORS
#
Children who have significant mood or behavior problems, such as ADHD,
depression or anxiety are at a higher risk for developing drug and alcohol
problems.
#
A family history of addiction increases the risk that a child will
develop an addiction as well. Children who have a parent with alcoholism
are four times more likely to be an alcoholic.
#
If an older child begins drinking a lot, younger siblings are more
likely to do so as well.
#
Children who have suffered emotional, physical, or psychological abuse
are at a higher risk for developing an addiction.
WARNING
SIGNS
The most obvious
indications of drug or alcohol abuse are signs of intoxication, smelling
alcohol or drugs on their breath or clothing, or finding alcohol, drugs, or
drug paraphernalia. Changes in your child’s previous behavior can be
another important sign:
§ School performance
such as decline in grades, decreased motivation, lack of interest in school and
other playing activities, or skipping classes.
§ Personal habits such
as sleeping much more , change in activity level, increase or decrease in
appetite, or hygiene.
§ Behavior and/or mood
changes such as increased irritability, aggression, disregard for rules, mood
swings, depression, decreased motivation, expressing suicidal thoughts or
behaviors.
§ Decreased involvement
in positive social activities such as team sports or school activities, and/or
loss of interest in a favorite hobby.
§ Association with a
new peer group, gang involvement, or legal problems.
SUBSTANCE
USE AND THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN
# The adolescent
brain is different from that of an adult which leads them to behaviors that put
them at much higher risk. Early intervention upon drug and alcohol use is
crucial to ensure healthy adolescent brain development.
# The part of the brain that is located above the eyes, the
brain’s “stop system” is responsible for controlling impulsive behaviors.
It weighs the consequences of actions so that a person can make rational
decisions.
# This part of the brain is one of the last
parts to fully develop, and doesn’t reach maturity until the age of 25.
Therefore, adolescents lack the wiring in their brains to reconsider behaviors
that are too risky.
# Drugs and alcohol further impair a person’s
ability to make decisions. Combining these chemicals with an adolescent
brain that is not able to weigh consequences can be harmful.
# Late adolescence, before the brain is fully
matured, is the peak time for developing a dependence to these chemicals.
# Heavy drug and
alcohol use during times of critical brain development may cause permanent
changes in the way the brain works and responds to rewards and consequences.
# Therefore, it is critical to address a developing
substance use problem as early as possible.
WHAT
CAN you DO?
# It is not your
fault that your child may have a problem, but you can get them help so their
problems do not result in something more serious.
Here are a few things
you can do to reduce the risk:
§ Be an involved
parent—Research shows that parental support, monitoring and involvement in a
child’s life is an important protective factor against adolescent drug and
alcohol use. Involvement in a child’s school reduces behavioral and
academic problems and also helps parents know their children’s friends and
their friends’ parents. This helps parents connect and network with other
parents in monitoring their own children’s activities as well as those of their
peer group.
§ Open and honest
communication—Open, honest, and respectful family discussions about behavioral
expectations and consequences can reduce the risk of adolescent drug and
alcohol use. These conversations should include attitudes and family
rules about drugs and alcohol.
§ Get the help you
need—The majority of us have had a family member or a close friend
who suffers from addiction. You may be suffering yourself.
When this happens it is important to get professional help.
§ Early access to
help—Early evaluation and treatment can help reduce the risk of your
child developing more serious problems.
If there is a teen or
child in your life that you are concerned about, please call us today at 91-9914420756
or 9814420756 to get them the help they need.
Wednesday 23 April 2014
Drug epidemic leaves Punjab in Danger.
From Ferozepur to Maqboolpura, a
locality in Amritsar where most families have lost their men to drugs, the
malaise of substance abuse is shredding Punjab’s social fabric and no one seems
to know where a solution lies.
For rajbir kaur, who lost her husband
to drug addiction about 10 years ago, life is very hard for her. After his
death, she struggled to bring up her only son by washing people’s clothes and
utensils, little knowing that another tragedy waited round the corner. Her son Gurdip
Singh, who was in his twenties, died following drug abuse related complications
last year. “I have nowhere to go now. My son was my only hope and he too has
met the same fate as his father,” wails Kaur, who is illiterate.
After bearing the brunt of terrorism
for over a decade, Punjab is today battling the more dangerous enemy i.e. Drug Addiction.
Falling on the drug route that
begins in the poppy fields of Afghanistan—which produces 90 per cent of the
world’s opiate—easy access to narcotics compounds the problem.
From heroin and opium to
barbiturates, cough syrup and alcohol, everything is available freely.
A survey by a government department
late last year suggested that as many as 67 percent of rural households in
Punjab had at least one drug addict in the family. Worse, there is at least two
death due to drug overdose each week.
It also revealed that most drug
addicts belong to the 16 to35 age group, indicating the high vulnerability of
young people in the border belt.
Till recently, the impact of crack
and smack had been more evident in the border areas where unemployment and poor
educational standards are the norm, but its spread to other areas now has meant
the state is sitting on a proverbial time bomb.
A 14-year-old’s casual observation
brings home the grim truth. “No one in our school told us that substance abuse
is harmful. In fact, most of our teachers consume postt (heroin derivative),
alcohol, tobacco and nicotine,” says a school-goer from the remote border
village in Amritsar, his very nonchalance revealing how deep the rot runs.
In Tarn Taran, more than half the
youth are into smack, herion and injectable abuse. Needless to say,
unemployment is high and education has long taken a backseat. Some village
elders claim they have fallen into the abuse due to extreme frustration as they
failed to find jobs after completing their matriculation.
On the other end of the economic spectrum,
a Practising Dentist in Amritsar had to go through the agony of divorce and
losing custody of his only son because he could not give up Substance Abuse.
In the border areas of Punjab, 44.3
per cent of drug addicts are less than 25 years old and most are illiterate.
According to a study by the Institute for Development and Communication (IDC),
around 65 per cent of the addicts “DO” drugs twice a day.
Dr Rana Ranbir Singh who runs a De-Addiction
Centre at Civil Hospital, Tarn Taran says he treats more than 50 patients per
day: “It is just not the Farmers or Poor or Unemployed who are taking drugs.
Even educated youths who are excellent in studies are doing it. I have got gold
medallists from universities as well as national and international players
coming to me for rehab.”
He adds, “They were doing well in
academics, so their families never suspect anything. They get a shock when they
come to know about it. Caught in the drug trap, the victims also veer towards
sex addiction and gambling and betting.”
What is proving to be a bane for
Punjab is its geographical proximity to Afghanistan. The drug seizure figures
tell their own story. Every day, 14 cases are registered on an average and 16
people are booked under the NDPS Act in the state.
“The heroin, which originates in the Golden
Crescent in trouble-torn Afghanistan, where cultivation of poppy is a national
ritual, makes its way to Punjab first through Pakistan. It then goes to Delhi
and Mumbai from where it reaches the Middle East and Europe to cater to the
demands abroad.
Apparently worried by the threat
posed by drugs to the state, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal
requested Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai to check smuggling of heroin from
his country to the state during a recent visit.
On its part, the government has
taken some steps to combat the scourge. Principal Secretary (Health) of Punjab
Vinni Mahajan says, “We are working on creating a data base of drug addicts and
have commissioned a survey by ICMR and working with PGI in this regard.”
Tuesday 22 April 2014
Sunday 16 February 2014
A VERY SPECIAL POST: DEDICATED TO MY FATHER
Today
marks the Second Death Anniversary of my beloved father. It just seems that it
was yesterday that I could hear his voice, his wisdom advices and his laughter .
I sometimes also see him in my dreams. He may be gone physically but in my
heart and mind I can still feel his presence. I am still in shock that he left
us and sometimes I cry by remembering him. Although I know that everybody has
to go but it really becomes harder if it is your own parents. You never expect
that they will leave you because you always want them to be around.
That is why I always say to whomever I meet that they should try to stay connected with their parents all the time. There may be some arguments between you and your parents but ultimately you patch up in a day or so. You can’t spend enough time with your parents since time flies when you are with them. It is such a comfort to be among them and now that I have lost my father, it is not the same anymore. A strange feeling of emptiness fills me up when this day comes which I am unable to explain in words.
So we say to our dear father, May you rest in Peace and we all will love you always and miss you dearly.
That is why I always say to whomever I meet that they should try to stay connected with their parents all the time. There may be some arguments between you and your parents but ultimately you patch up in a day or so. You can’t spend enough time with your parents since time flies when you are with them. It is such a comfort to be among them and now that I have lost my father, it is not the same anymore. A strange feeling of emptiness fills me up when this day comes which I am unable to explain in words.
So we say to our dear father, May you rest in Peace and we all will love you always and miss you dearly.
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