Substance Abuse
Substance abuse is the harmful use of psychoactive substances. The substances commonly abused include alcohol, illegal drugs, cocaine, caffeine, heroin, nicotine, and other volatile substances. The substances are said to be abused when they are used for wrong reasons or in harmful quantities leading to addiction. Addiction is the point when one cannot resist the urge to use the drug and becomes dependent on the drug for survival. Drug and substance abuse is harmful, and it does not only affect the individual user but the family, community, and healthcare system due to the cost of managing illness related to substance abuse. There has been an increase in substance use among youths of age between 18 and 26. Report by WHO reveals that among 35.6 million youths in the United States, a third of that population has at one time engaged in substance abuse and a large number of the youths are already addicted where they cannot survive without drugs. Substance abuse among youths in the United States has been at the center of analysis where lack of proper control and intervention measures contribute largely to substance abuse, and the ultimate result is an addiction and increased dependence on those substances.
Causes of Substance abuse
Lack of proper control
A deficit in behavioral inhibitory control is among the leading cause of substance abuse among the youths. The use of cocaine, tobacco, alcohol, and methamphetamine is high in the United States since youths lack control. Also, the weak intervention measures for drug and substance abuse have led to heightened consumption of illicit drugs. Lack of inhibitory measures lead to high drug dependence, and the ultimate result is drug and substance addiction (Smith et. 33). For controlled drugs like cannabis and opioids, reduced consumption is noted among the youths of the United States. There is also controlled internet addiction, and a positive change is reported among youths addicted to the internet. Thus, in the treatment of substance use, enhancing inhibitory control can facilitate a reduction in drug use among youths.
Peer pressure also cause increased use of substance abuse. Peer pressure plays a significant role in crime and conformity. According to Studer et al. (705), peer pressure, as well as peer conformity, do not only lead to the development and continuation of alcohol use and misuse, but it encourages misconduct that lea to deviant behavior. The group of friends that one associate with determines the type of character one adopts. Therefore, choosing the right friends can be the solution to drug and substance abuse among young adults.
Lack of a strong support structure also leads to indulgence in deviant behavior and drug use is among them. Family support guides the behavior that an adolescent should follow while still young. It is the behavior that is adopted to adulthood, and the child can avoid a bad company that can lead to bad behavior. Children from cohesive families are unlikely to engage illegal conducts because they are closely monitored by the parents and have strong bonds with the family members. According to Patterson et al., (33), lack of parent training of children while young can lead to development if antisocial behaviors and the ultimate result is indulgence in drug and substance abuse.
Genetic predisposition to abuse and addiction also leads to drug use for many young adults. There is a close association between the behavior of the parent and that of the children when they are in the same environment. According to previous studies, genes are responsible for about half of all the risk of drug abuse, and although they may not contribute directly to addiction, they can increase the likelihood of drug-dependence among individuals (Monroe 508). The activities given to children after school can protect them from drug use of predisposing them to drug use. Although genetic predisposition is not a guaranteed cause, it contributes mostly and can be controlled by training children while still young on the effects of drugs.
Effects of Drug Abuse
When drug use is not controlled, the result is addiction where one becomes drug-dependent. Drug addiction is harmful to human health due to damages expected for liver, heart, and the brain. Alcohol and drugs deteriorate the normal functioning of the brain making it hard to reason without. Diseases associated with abuse of drugs not only increase the cost of treatment of the disease but also the cost of managing the patient of drug abuse (Patel et al., 1677). Managing the diseases leads to increased cost of healthcare which is burdening the healthcare system. Drug use should be controlled so that increased cost of individual or healthcare system costs can be minimized.
Increased dependence on substance abuse can lead to the development of mental illness. Drugs and alcohol interfere with the brain and can lead to drug-related disorders which can only be controlled by proper interventions. The social network of an individual is affected when they indulge in drug and alcohol abuse. Depression caused by substance abuse makes addicts separate themselves from the society which can be harmful to the social networks of the particular person. Besides, increased drug dependence can result in unemployment since the addict is unproductive in the work environment. Most drug users end up losing employment due to a high rate of absenteeism and reduced productivity in the workplace.
Available Interventions
Education and early interventions have been recommended for youths involved in substance abuse. A research by Monroe (505) revealed that early intervention and assistance offered to drug addicts could help young adults recover from drug addictive disorders. Most of the young adults involved in substance use require a supporting atmosphere which can act as therapy for improving their state. Early interventions have been successful in the treatment and control of abuse among many youths and young adults in the United States.
Treatment is another effective way to control and prevent drug use among young adults and youths. Treatment entails rehabilitation where the addicted can be educated in a group and treated depending on individual cases (Johnson 256). Rehabilitation centers offer the best programs for drug users since the training and education in those facilities are dependent on the condition of each patient. Outreach and educative programs are also believed to be adequate strategies for controlling and preventing substance abuse among youths and young adults.
Conclusion
Substance abuse has increased the rate of addiction where the majority of youths depend on drugs for daily activities. The addiction has led to reduced productivity and unemployment among many youths. Also, substance abuse has increased the cost of health care due to the cost of treatment of diseases associated with substance abuse thus; proper interventions such as outreach and education as well as regular screening should be implemented to curb the addiction.
Works Cited
Johnson, Natalie A., et al. "Effect of electronic brief intervention on uptake of specialty treatment in hospital outpatients with likely alcohol dependence: Pilot randomized trial and qualitative interviews." Drug and alcohol dependence183 (2018): 253-260.
Monroe, Todd, and Heidi Kananga. "Don't ask don't tell: substance abuse and addiction among nurses." Journal of Clinical Nursing 20.0962-1067 (2011): 505. Print.
Patel, Vikram, et al. "Addressing the burden of mental, neurological, and substance use disorders: key messages from Disease Control Priorities." The Lancet 387.10028 (2016): 1672-1685.
Patterson, Gerald R., Barbara D. DeBaryshe, and Elizabeth Ramsey. "A developmental perspective on antisocial behavior." Developmental and Life-course Criminological Theories. Routledge, 2017. 29-35.
Smith, Janette L., Richard P. Mattick, Sharna D. Jamadar, and Jaimi M. Iredale. "Deficits in behavioral inhibition in substance abuse and addiction: A meta-analysis." Drug and Alcohol Dependence 145.0376-8716 (2014): 1(33). Print.
Studer, Joseph, et al. "Peer pressure and alcohol use in young men: A mediation analysis of drinking motives." International Journal of Drug Policy 25.4 (2014): 700-708.
