How to Prevent Drug Abuse

Research shows the young adolescents who are exposed before 14 years of ages are more likely to develop dependence or addiction to the substance used. Another primary protective prevention method is by good and strict parenting. Parents should be able to monitor their child’s activities or influences to prevent experimentation of substances and also strong close family bonds (Ford, 2016). Support from the family members is very critical in the preventive precautions of a child. Because again one of the major factors that lead to substance about starts at home. Parents must be present throughout the childhood years to guide and orient the child.

In order to successfully decrease the cases of drug addiction, society needs to remember that we cannot change the physiological effects of drugs, but we can prevent individuals from turning into them. In other words, the primary focus should be on the individual and not the drug.

Substance abuse is an issue that continues to grow in America at an alarming rate. Families are an important factor for the onset of substance abuse as well as the sustainment of the addiction (Gruber & Taylor, 2006). The National Institute of Drug Abuse defines substance abuse as “A chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences” (“Understanding Drug Use and Addiction,” 2016). In order to prevent relapse, success is found in the formation of familial and social relationships (Baharudin et al., 2014). Substance abuse is a major stressor in the family system and it not only impacts the family’s relationships with those outside of the family but

The exposure to substance abuse can occur in the early stages of childhood, according to research at least 10% of newborns are exposed to the abuse (Gruber & Taylor, 2006). Research shows that there is correlation between substance abuse and both child neglect and maltreatment (Mendoza, 2013). Not only does substance abuse dull the parent’s ability to adequately care for their child, but it can lead to problems such as violence, neglect, and physical abuse in the family home (Crosson-Tower, 2013). According to Crosson-Tower (2013) 12% of the children live with a parent or guardian who abuses drugs or alcohol. The issue of dependency on drugs and alcohol has continued to increase in adults, adolescents, and even children (Crosson-Tower, 2013).

By educating people, particularly young people, about the harmful nature of drug abuse, we can only hope they get the message and simply choose not to become participants. The Best Guard Against Drug Abuse As you can see, how to stop drug abuse is a daunting question. The reality is we can't stop it. What we can do is provide high levels of treatment for the people who get caught in the cycle of addiction.

The substance abuse of a parent has a lasting and apparent effect on all young children. There are a number of substances that can become a problem in people’s lives, including but not limited to; marijuana, alcohol, stimulants, depressants, narcotics, hallucinogens and inhalants. Drugs critically affect the individual taking them, but also affect the members of the household, especially children. Not only does the person’s addiction emotionally, mentally, and physically affect the individual lives of other members of the family, but it tears apart relationships between the families. Arguments, disagreements, violence, and stress can derive from the abuse of drugs because of the tension it puts on one’s other members of the family.

Beware what your kids are doing at all times because no one wants their kids to get hurt or die from drugs. Please just be aware of what people around you are

For our community and for children's well being it is important for all of us to be aware of how we can help prevent drug abuse. Many organizations encourage encourage early intervention but for many parents and their children the conversation is a sensitive topic. The article “Family Checkup: Positive Parenting Prevents Drug Abuse” helps parents (health care providers, and our community even) with 5 questions that help parents develop or fine tune their skills of : calm and clear communication, ability to encourage positive behavior, negotiate emotional conflicts and work towards solutions, able to “calmly” set limits when teens are defiant, disrespectful, and if or when drug abuse occurs, and - lastly - monitor teens to limit unsupervised

Prescription drugs are making parents more overwhelmed than ever before about their teenaged child! Why must they worry so much about their teenaged child? “When you can stop you don’t want to, and when you want to stop, you can’t…” (Davies). This quote signifies that adolescents and adults have the option to quit or not try the drug when being introduced, but when they get started on the drug and they are thinking abouting quitting, they cannot because of the addiction they have on the drug. Each day they try to stay away from the drug, but they are have really bad withdrawals. Middle and high schools should inform parents about the strategies for preventing, recognizing, and addressing prescription drug abuse.

The first, universal prevention focuses on preventing all students in a school from drug use. These types of programs are aimed to provide general information about prevention of drug abuse to youth and families. A major advantage to this type of prevention is that they are generally less expensive which is a reason they are the most prevalent type among schools. However the advantage to these types of programs is that many at risk families do not participate (Kumpfer n.d.). This may be because those families are involved with drugs and do not want to bring attention to the situation. The second type, selective prevention programs, are designed to target at- risk groups. These groups generally made up of impoverished children of alcoholics or drug abusers (Kumpfer n.d.). These programs can be much more efficient in helping since the individuals they are targeting are facing the challenges the program teaches about. When youth in the group see first hand how drug and alcohol abuse can affect someone’s life, they may only need a small push in the right direction away from a life of addiction. This small push is tailored for at-risk young adults, thus increasing its’ effectiveness. While appealing to and engaging at-risk students can prove to be a challenging disadvantage, it is well worth the time and effort to

Every year millions of teenagers experiment with prescription drugs and many they think prescription drugs are safer than illicit drugs found on the streets. “According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, teens who abuse prescription drugs are twice as likely to use alcohol, five times more likely to use marijuana, and twelve to twenty times more likely to use illegal street drugs such as heroin, Ecstasy and cocaine than teens who do not abuse prescription drugs” ("Drug free world," n.d., p. A1). These figures demonstrate the need and urgency we must teach our young people to avoid drug use which will minimize their chances of developing other substance abuse problems. The Taskforce will

In the years of the 60s and 70s, drugs became one of the country’s biggest issues, people were drying, becoming addicts, and were not receiving help or education until Nixon took action. He began educating our country on drugs, created anti-drug administration programs and tried to support rehabilitation by testing ways on how to get people there and maintain them sober and healthy. Not only that but he also thoughts about how drugs would be if action was not taken. Even today, the United States is still at war with drugs but not as bad, thanks to the help of President Nixon. With the initiation of the Drug War, explored by President Nixon, changes were made to the United States such as educating society, creating new anti-drug programs and

Drug addiction is a serious issue in not only America today, but globally. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, substance addiction is a “chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite the harmful consequences” (“What is drug addiction?”). Drug abuse affects not only the user, but those around the user as well. The actions of a drug user place a significant amount of worry on the people that are closest to them such as friends and family. Children with parents who are addicted to drugs or alcohol can be severely affected by the actions of their parents which can cause them much harm in terms of biological and

Drug and alcohol addiction is a very serious and widespread problem in America, and across the globe. Drug addiction is a constant craving, seeking, and using of a substance, despite the negative consequences it may have on the addict or those around them. When drug use becomes more frequent, it is considered drug abuse. Once an individual’s drug abuse is can no longer be controlled, and they are using the drug to get through everyday life, it beomes an addiction. A person on drugs has an altered way of thinking, behaving, and perceiving. There are treatment facilities all over the world dedicated to help those suffering with drug addictions. All

Drug abuse is a major public health issue that impacts society both directly and indirectly; every person, every community is somehow affected by drug abuse and addiction and this economic burden is not exclusive to those who use substance, it inevitably impacts those who don 't. Drugs impact our society in various ways including but not limited to lost earnings, health care expenditures, costs associated with crime, accidents, and deaths. The use of licit or illicit drugs long term, causes millions of deaths and costs billions for medical care and substance abuse rehabilitation and the effects of drug abuse extend beyond users, spilling over into the society at large, imposing increasing