
24/03/2024
Substance abuse may lead to social, physical, emotional, and job-related problems.
Adolescence is a crucial time for biological, psychological, and social development. It is also a time when substance addiction and its adverse effects are more likely to occur. In a survey in India, 12.5% of the students used or abused any one of the substances, 15.1 % were among the urban students and 10.7 % were among their rural counterparts.
Psychoactive substance use can lead to dependence syndrome-a cluster of behavioural, cognitive, and physiological phenomena that develop after repeated substance use and that typically include a strong desire to take the drug, difficulties in controlling its use, persisting in its use despite harmful consequences.
In spite of being aware of the harmful effects of substance use, adolescents take up this habit. This requires comprehensive prevention and control programs. Effective measures are required to encourage shaping the attitude of adolescents toward self-confidence and adequacy, as also to prevent risk behavior.
A timely intervention by a counseling psychologist can guide the affected persons to come out of the addiction and lead a normal life.
Contact: Muralidhar Patkar, Counseling Psychologist, Health Point Polyclinic, Kothrud, Pune 411038. Contact No. 9545136800