Drug Abuse has become a very common problem among teenagers and with every passing day, the statistics show a rise in the number of teenagers who fall prey and succumb to drug abuse. This not only includes alcohol, but also the use of crystal meth, heroin and marijuana.. Parents in particular and other adults of the community in general, can play a significant role in preventing the use and abuse of drugs among teenagers.
Bonding with Parents
This is the most crucial factor that needs immediate and proper addressing. Many parents shuffle between jobs, social activities, struggle with marital issues. And amidst all that, they neglect their children. These things, especially the uneven marital relations between parents disturb teenagers very much. In case of divorce, they feel divided between two people that they love the most. In many cases the environment of homes is very abusive. This also creates extreme anxiety, depression, and sense of loneliness among teenagers. Due to all these reasons, they cannot bond with their parents at an age where this connection is extremely important and can be a healthy support for them in many ways. This is why many teenagers seek solace in drugs.
By improving relations with our children in their teen years, we can significantly reduce the risk of drug abuse.
Keeping a Check
This is not only the responsibility of parents but also other people in community that have responsibility to various adolescents, for example, teachers, coaches, religious mentors, etc. keeping an eye out for drug use or indications of drug abuse can help identify the users at early stages and they can be given rehabilitation before they reach the level of addiction.
Providing Awareness and Guidance
Here educational institutions can play a very major role, as well as parents can take this job in their own hands as well. Providing accurate information, guiding them about the consequences, giving them safe and most importantly respectable options to open up and talk about their issues without judging them can also help. When teenagers can feel safe and accepted in their social circle, the chances of indulging in negative and harmful activities will automatically reduce.
Researchers have also suggested a community plan that is based on five key factors, namely, Identifying drugs and children having problems with it in the community; building on the currently active drug abuse prevention programs, further adding up and developing short term goals in order to select the most suitable research based drug abuse prevention program and execute it; projecting long term goals, and lastly, include the findings of currently active programs.
These measures can be very effective and if not entirely eradicate the problem from its root, they can at least serve to be stepping stones to bring about a change.