Substance abuse is one of the dangerous habits that have recently become common among young people. For varying reasons, ranging from pleasure, strength etc. youths are caught up in the net of illicit drugs and excessive intake of alcohol and tobacco. Drugs commonly abused includes stimulants (methamphetamine, Ritalin, Aderal etc.), hallucinogen drugs (LSD, PCP, mescaline, MDMA etc.), Narcotics (heroin), sedatives/hypnotics like benzodiazepines and tranquilizers) tramadol, codeine etc. Drug abuse includes taking certain hard drugs without prescription or beyond the prescribed dosage for ends other than the medical intention. When emotionally troubled, some people take drugs to ease themselves of the realities before them. Some others go for drugs to increase physical and sexual performance. Drugs are also taken to momentarily give one pleasure and ecstasy. Most of the drugs abused by young people are actually meant to be curative when medically prescribed in due dosages. People who indulge in this may not have intended to but were either pressured into it by peers or circumstances or learnt it from relatives or parents. Because of its damaging effect to mental, physical and psychological well-being of the abusers, it is necessary that we share with you some tips that will help you stay clear of substance, and its consequent abuse.
Check Your Access To Drugs or Alcohol
As a young person you should be mindful of how close you are to such substances that can be abused. Having access to drugs and other substances does not translate to using or even abusing them. Neither does difficulty of access to drugs guarantee freedom from substance abuse. However, the temptation to abuse and get addicted is higher when you have easy access to drugs especially because you are close to abusers or dealers. Please, to help you avoid getting addicted, ensure that you have little or no direct access to drugs and hard substance. Avoid parties or social gatherings where drugs or alcohol will be present. Focus on activities you enjoy that do not involve alcohol or drugs. Unfortunately, simply vowing to avoid drugs or alcohol may not be enough to circumvent developing an addiction. While you may have the best intentions of never trying drugs or alcohol, things may not go according to plan. It is therefore more assuring to check your access to them.
Take Drugs Only On Prescription
Self-medication is a very dangerous thing to do. It can lead to abuse. Before you take any drug, make sure you have a prescription by medical personnel to do that. Mind you, even Paracetamol can be abused. Whenever you take any drug without prescription or confirmation of the drugs as the diagnosed cure for the ill health, you have abused the drug. Hence, abuse of drugs leads to addiction. Do not take drugs for any other purpose other than why it was produced.
Build Positive Self-esteem
If you have a low self-esteem, you may see yourself inadequate and may resort to substance abuse t either perform better or lose control of your mental alertness. Practice self-talk, i.e. speaking encouragingly to oneself in a positive way. When you feel your self-esteem is low because of certain circumstances around you such as your body look, mental capacity, health etc. talk to a confidant or counselor or psychologist. Do not on your own turn to sedatives and hypnotics. They do not solve the problem, they only give you momentary mental inertness that dangers your health and also gets you addicted.
Mind Your Friends
Friends have very strong and lasting influence on people. That is why a saying goes, ‘tell me your friend and I will tell you who you are.’ Birds of a feather flock together not just because they are born of a feather but because by flying together they overtime, make their feathers same. If you move with people who abuse substance of any kind or others who routinely drink alcohol, smoke marijuana, abuse prescription drugs or use illegal drugs, you are more likely to pick the habit. So, in other to save you the danger in becoming one as well as the stress of resisting the pressure, stay away from abuser-friends. Choose your friends wisely. Let them be people that impact your life positively. Make new friends who don’t drink or use drugs.
Learn To Say ‘No’
Sometimes, our fear of negative reaction from our friends, mates, boss, false teachers or others we don’t even know, makes us do what we would ordinarily not consider doing. Even when it seems that everyone is doing it, say no. everybody is actually not doing it. Don’t let someone else make your decisions for you. If someone is pressuring you to do something that’s not right for you, you have the right to say no, the right not to give a reason why, and the right to just walk away. If you take the trouble of explaining, you may lose the argument and be talked into doing it. Once you say no, stick to it and walk away. It is your life. No matter how the person may feel or react to you negative response, do not give in.
Be Close To Parents/Adults
It is very important to have people you can easily share your life’s challenges and your decisions about alcohol and drugs. You need people you can rely on and seek their suggestions in critical situations to help you make better choices. Parents and other adults of reputable character are better options in moments like this. Don’t be detached from them. Connect with them and remain closely related to them so that you can easily speak to them without fear or shame. They ma have been in the same pitch you are in presently and would be in a better position to advise you. The opportunity to benefit from someone else’s life experiences can help put things in perspective and can be invaluable.
Enjoy Life And Do What You Love
Learn how to enjoy life and the people in your life, without adding alcohol or drugs. Alcohol and drugs can change who you are, limit your potential and complicate your life. Don’t allow yourself to be bored and then get excuse to resort to substance in take. Get out and get active in school and community activities such as music, sports, arts or a part-time job. Giving back as a volunteer is a great way to gain perspective on life. Be active and participatory. Don’t remove yourself from people. Do not allow solitary moments that leads to depression. Feast of your life.
Respect Family Standard
Your family may have certain standard especially in terms of relationship, partying and alcohol intake. Don’t break those codes. Be faithful to them. When you act according to the standard of your family, you may likely going to be free from substance abuse. This is of course in the case where the parents are not abusers and have good moral standard set for the children. Do not be in a hurry to assume more control over your life, having the trust and respect of your parents is very important. Don’t let alcohol and drugs come between you and your parents. Talking with mom and dad about alcohol and drugs can be very helpful. Let them know when your obedience to this standard is at risk.
Get Sensitized To Alcohol And Drugs
You cannot rely on the myths and misconceptions that are out there among your friends and on the internet. Your ability to make the right decisions includes getting educated. Some people may think that taking drugs (such as steroids) will improve their appearance or their athletic performance or that abusing substances such as alcohol or MDMA (ecstasy or “Molly”) will ease their anxiety in social situations. Some wrongly think that abusing prescription ADHD stimulants such as Adderall helps them study or lose weight. But these are misconceptions that you need to unlearn. Abusing substance does more harm than good. Do not take what peers say about drugs; get better sensitization on its hazard. You will better dispose to take decisions on substance in take when you are well- knowledge on the consequences.
Plan Ahead Of Parties
Don’t go to parties without prior considerations and decisions. Don’t come in blank. As you make plans for the party or going out with friends you need to make some plans ahead of the party on how you will conduct yourself and what will help you to stick to those conducts. You need to protect yourself and be smart. Don’t become a victim of someone else’s alcohol or drug use. Make sure that there is someone you can call, day or night, no matter what, if you need them. And, do the same for your friends. Decide on where to be at the party and when to leave as well. This may help you to avoid being bullied into taking drugs/alcohol. Remember that anyone who climbs a tree should not strive to pluck all the ripe fruits. If they do, they won’t come down from the tree through the path they climbed.
Get Medical Help For Mental Illness
Mental illness and substance abuse often go hand-in-hand. Those with a mental illness may turn to drugs as a way to ease the pain. Those suffering from some form of mental illness, such as anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder should seek the help of a trained professional for treatment before it leads to substance abuse. Instead of resorting to drugs as palliative, get right medical attention for your illness. There is no point going for palliatives when the cure is feasible.
Keep A Well-balanced Life
People take up drugs when something in their life is not working, or when they’re unhappy about their lives or where their lives are going. Look at life’s big picture, and have priorities in order.
Maintain A Single Relationship
Some people abuse drugs in order to enhance their sexual performance. The need for continued concern for sexual performance is evidently attributive to having different sexual partners who demand varying sexual satisfaction. When you have multiple partners you may find it difficult to satisfy them with your natural strength hence the stage for abusing such drug as tramadol set. Maintain a single relationship/sexual partner. This person will accept you the way you are and will with time get used to your capacity and enjoy you as such. He/she would help check unusual strength and dissuade you from that if it comes from drug abuse. Whereas drug gives temporary strength it causes permanent damages to our systems.
Live Within Your Capacities
Don’t do things you can’t ordinarily do. Do not try to live up to the world’s expectation. Be you. Live within your abilities. Do not seek extra strength or enablement especially from drugs to accomplish certain tasks. Be faithful to your capacity and do not stretch your body beyond what it is designed to do within a particular space of time.
Tackle Life Challenges; Don’t Be Escapist
Face challenges that come your way square head. Some people take drugs and alcohol as escape route form realities of life. When they cannot bear with the vicissitudes of life, they abuse certain drugs to lose their sense of judgment and consciousness. This habit is however condemnable as it shows cowardice while being destructive to the body. It is also a pathway to addiction. Than looking for ways to run away from life, find solutions to your problems. Get yourself to work and bring an end to your challenges. If you run away from t, it remains there waiting for you. But when you solve it by facing it, it goes.
Excessive intake of chemical especially those contained in alcohol and drugs is dangerous to the body. Addiction is imminent in drug abuse. Desist from substance abuse of any form. Because you have not become an abuser, we encourage you to keep at it. The temptations may be there from different angles but remain resolute. As a young person or adult, never give in to the pressure to abuse drugs or become a drunk. The above suggestions will help you to be on your guard against becoming an abuser. Regard them religiously.
Bignedu
