“Drugs are a waste of time. They destroy your memory and your self-respect and everything that goes along with your self-esteem.”
– Kurt Cobain on the futility of substance abuse.
SHAECH EDITORIAL DESK
We have been experiencing an alarming increase in drug abuse among youngsters and teenagers in the recent years. The recent reports by the newspapers and media make it imperative to draw attention towards the alarming rise in drug abuse among the youth.
The schools, parents and society as a whole are in a denial to comprehend it as a medical condition which can be treated like any other chronic diseases like asthma or diabetes. There is an urgent need to work towards awareness programmes by schools, parents, and society at large to prevent it to spread and identify it at an early stage.
The drug addiction among the schoolchildren is grappling the country at a very fast pace. A survey by NGO shows that 63.1% patients coming for treatment for drug abuse were introduced at a young age below 15 years. (Source: Child Line India Foundation).
Substance use affects learning ability. Students under the influence of mind-altering chemicals are not ready to learn and risk long-term impairment of cognitive ability and memory. Using illicit substances is also linked to loss of motivation and self-discipline, absenteeism, and increased risk of antisocial and even violent behaviour.
Poor school performance, underachievement, and truancy can all be manifestations of substance use.
The degree of illicit substance abuse among students has led to a societal search for ways to address this problem.
Here’s what schools can do to be a part of the solution.
Devise a Drug Prevention Programme
Schools provide a good arena for drug prevention programs because prevention must focus on children before their beliefs and expectations about substance abuse are established. Schools also offer the most systematic way to reach young people, and they can promote a broad spectrum of drug-related educational policies.
Educators must share relevant and impactful information about drug use without enticing students to try drugs. Numerous practical, interactive, and developmentally appropriate curricula support these initiatives. Successful focus includes:
• enhancing students’ problem-solving skills;
• evaluating media influence;
• improving their self-esteem;
• reducing their stress and anxiety; and
• increasing their engagement in meaningful activities.
Prevention programmes must be designed to do more than just provide facts about drugs and the impact drugs have on mental and physical health. Teaching students healthy coping skills plays a pivotal role in preventing future experimentation with dangerous substances.
Emphasis on emotional regulation is critical. Children must know how to:
• recognise their own negative feelings;
• identify and name what they are feeling;
• express and manage those feelings; and
• learn practical communication skills, including addressing conflict and asking for what they need.
They also need to explore what healthy peer relationships look like and learn refusal skills—learning to say “no.”
Educators can help students build “exit plans.” For example, some students may not be interested in alcohol or other drugs but will feel they need to participate just to fit in. Work with them to consider options and feel empowered when faced with peer pressure.
Leverage Relationships
Students spend most of their day in school, and school personnel are influential role models. Students who believe their teachers care about them are less likely to engage in risky behaviours, including drug use.
Relationships with teachers and school counsellors are among the most important and formative ones for many students. Those who have developed close ties to trusted adults are more likely to recognise the many ways substance abuse can negatively impact their future. Ensure all students are connected with teachers they trust and respect—teachers who know them well enough to identify warning signs.
Establish firm boundaries that allow teachers to share relatable stories about smart decisions regarding alcohol and other drugs. These stories could illustrate the consequences of engaging in risky behaviour or stories about experiences with difficult decisions prioritising personal well-being over friendships.
Create an Early Intervention/Wellness Team
Every staff member should know the warning signs of substance use and the protocols for intervention. But there are faculty members that students gravitate toward—teachers students feel comfortable with. By identifying those individuals, you can create a “Wellness Team,” perhaps championed by a trusted school counsellor. The adults on the team need not be credentialed counsellors, but can be trained in strategies that add a layer of prevention and intervention for students who talk to them.
This team should be nondisciplinary. Instead, it should include adults who generate safe spaces for students to report concerns about their peers and worries about themselves.
The best strategies for substance abuse prevention and intervention are those that work for a school’s community and culture. Schools must enlist the help of parents and encourage similar discussions at home. When students hear the prevention message at school and home, they are much less likely to try drugs or alcohol. In addition, communities that can establish a positive peer prevention program will see even better results.
ROLE OF PARENTS
Do’s and don’ts in preventing drug addiction:
DON’T
1. Authoritarian parent:
Don’t punish your children when they fail to meet your expectations; this can lead to a bitter relationship and drug abuse.
2. Lack communication and awareness of your child:
A communication gap increases the risk of your child taking drugs.
3. Not talk about drugs:
Parents must educate their children about the negative consequences of drug use in order to diffuse the mystique and their children’s curiosity.
4. Be a bad role model
Studies have shown that children who see their parents consuming drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes, are likely to end up doing the same.
5. Display parental discord
6. Approve of smoking and other drugs.
DO:
1. Watch for signs:
Pay attention to changes in your child’s behaviour. Look for signs like poor grades, abrupt changes in friends, abnormal eating or sleeping habits, deteriorating relationships with family and others.
2. Talk about Drugs:
Evidence shows that a parent’s lessons and involvement reduce the risk of substance abuse habits, particularly when started at an early age.
3. Monitor the company they keep:
Keep an eye on the people your child spends time with. Set rules concerning playtime with friends, and time spent online. Maintain moderate but consistent discipline, and acknowledge good behaviour.
4. Be a friend to your child:
Teens who doubt themselves or feel disregarded by their parents are often the ones who seek drugs. Therefore, parents need to go beyond modelling good behaviour and create a positive environment for their children. Take time to get to know your child by spending time together, communicating, and creating shared experiences.
Bottom line: parents play a key role
Parents can play a vital role when it comes to the prevention of drug abuse. Parents need to provide unconditional love, strengthen their child’s self-esteem and create a positive attitude for seeking professional help.