Effects Of Substance Abuse On Youth

Nowadays life moves as fast as a bullet train. No one has time to sit peacefully and relax their mind, body and soul from this busy schedule. Earlier people knew how to maintain balance between their work and leisure time but nowadays youth gets overburdened from extra work load and as a result major population is becoming victim of substance abuse. The rapid growth in stress level is also increasing the level of substance abuse.

Substance abuse is basically a pattern of harmful use of any substance for mood transformation purposes. Common substances to which mainly people get addicted are alcohol, tobacco, heroin etc. it can also said to be a practice in which people take various drugs that are illegal. It also includes the intake of injurious items which can be threatening to life. There are various difference between substance abuse and addiction such as :

1. Substance abuse is symbolized by recurring legal problems interpersonal problems, failure in obtaining desired goals and fulfill major role obligations at work, home or school. Whereas addiction is identified by tolerance, withdrawal, inability to control substance abuse, repetitive use of harmful substances in spite of being aware of its negative consequences and other factors.

2. The disorder is characterized by a pattern of continued pathological use of medication, non- medically indicated drug or toxin that results in failure to meet work, family or school obligations, interpersonal conflicts or legal problems.

An important characteristic of substance use disorder is an underlying change in brain circuits that may persist beyond detoxification. Substance abuse is milder form of harmful drug or alcohol use, which at times may or may not develop into addiction. Addiction is a chronic relapsing disease characterized by physical and psychological need for drugs.

The invasion of drugs, subsequent abuse and even addiction into school has increased in recent years. Drugs are making their ways even into the primary grades. Addiction may occur at any age but seems to be most common during adolescence and young adulthood.

Adolescence can be a time of both disorientation and discovery. It depends on the individual how he or she wants to develop and represent their identity. This transitional period brings up numerous changes within an individual leading to the issues of independence and self identity.

Adolescents want to challenge the authority and prove themselves as the best. They have the desire to express their own identities by making their own choices suitable to them. For many adolescents the use of alcohol and other drugs is a significant part of their high school experience. Many students start the consumption of alcohol from class 11 and 12 under peer pressure and family burden due to high expectations. People abuse substances such as drugs, alcohol, tobacco for various reasons and thus this practice of substance abuse has a harmful effect on brain and nervous system which affects the health and day to day activity of the abuser.

Substance abuse is over indulgence in and dependence on drugs or other chemicals, leading to effects that are determined to the individual’s physical and mental health or the welfare of others. Substance abuse as a disorder is characterized by a pattern of continued pathological use of medications and non medically indicated drugs or toxin that results in failure to meet work, family or school obligations, interpersonal conflicts and other legal problems.