-
Essay / Important ideas about youth perceptions and attitudes toward drugs
Social organizations that include socio-economic conditions, environment and social infrastructure, political participation, and cultural norms have the power to influence, positively or negatively, risk-generating situations, risky behavior and, above all, risk itself, as emphasized by Gruskin (2001). According to Filho et al. (2015), a substance-centered knowledge of drugs, without a better understanding of its complexity and its social and economic consequences, can cause a distortion of reality. Vulnerability limits the extent to which individuals are able to make and generate free and informed decisions. Greater vulnerability is likely to lead to greater involvement in risk-producing situations and risky behaviors, both of which increase the risk of health problems (Gruskin, 2001). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Adolescence is a critical and fragile phase in which challenge and curiosity are present. Adolescents are curious, subject to influences, social rules and peer pressure (Filho, et al., 2015). People who are accustomed simply by listening to people and the media about different types of drugs, their effects, and their pleasures are more likely to make inferences based on their prior knowledge without allowing themselves to evaluate whether their source is reliable, truthful and has been validated (Filho, et al., 2015). Inaccurate information can lead the general public to support drug policies based on invalid assumptions. Therefore, it is important to know the accuracy of the public's drug knowledge (Bryan, Moran, & Farrell et al., 2000). According to the Global Commission on Drug Policy (2017) report on combating prejudice about people who use drugs, providing incomplete, and often incorrect, information diminishes any chance of trust between people. authorities and young people. They also added that people's perceptions are greatly influenced by the media and the way a person speaks also affects their perception because the language used to talk about people who use drugs has a great impact. substances should also be accompanied by other strategies such as family and community programs to ensure better response and optimize education and influence (Alhyas, et al., 2015).Related StudiesYoung people value relationships so much that they seek love, attention and guidance. , and the sense of belonging and these issues cannot be resolved solely by the simple application of the law. An informed, compassionate, and coordinated response from an individual's environment that includes the following: parents; other family members; friends; faculty and staff; community leaders; religious communities; law enforcement agencies are what it takes for an individual to know and realize that they are loved, supported and belonged. Family dynamics play an important role in youth development, and competent parenting is a powerful protective factor. Good relationships between family members were the basis of the behavior of young people who did not engage in substance abuse. On the other hand, parental conflicts constitute a significant risk factor for substance abuse among young people (Yip, Cheung,Tsang et al., 2011). Family functioning can be affected by addiction. This changes the way families interact, interact, and the roles each member plays (Choate, 2015). Adolescents who used substances had conflict and difficult relationships with their parents (Alhyas et al., 2015). The influence of peer pressure should also not be taken too lightly as one of the causes of drug abuse. In order to seek acceptance, drug users attempt to convince other people to join them, as other people also seek belonging in a way that would also allow them to be accepted. Peer group characteristics influence the positive and negative impact of peer pressure. Ignorance about the dangers of illegal drug use also leads people to believe that drug use is experimentation and that the substances are not dangerous. If drugs satisfy what the individual is looking for, then their lack of knowledge about the health consequences allows them to continue using them. Users only realize its dangers when it is too late to stop using drugs (Caday, 2017). Additionally, the impact of peer pressure on adolescent behavior is considered one of the most influential factors in drug addiction. The power of peers to enforce substance abuse behavior was greater than the protective role of family. The role peers play in increasing or decreasing adolescent substance use. Peers are also considered the access channel for obtaining drugs (Alhyas et al., 2015). Another factor in illicit drug use among young people is religiosity. The extreme weakness of the foundation of spiritual and moral values is one of the main causes. causes of substance abuse among university students (Caday, 2017). Religion and spirituality play an important role in the prevention and treatment of drug addiction. Religiosity, in the form of religious beliefs and practices, has also been found to be a powerful factor in resilience and resistance to substance use. Prayer helps people relax and eliminates negative thoughts (Alhyas et al., 2015). It also constitutes a protective factor against drug addiction. First, it becomes a form of social norm and guides people's behaviors. Second, religious values of the spiritual community and family support the discouragement of substance use, including youth participation with peers who are less likely to use drugs. Third, a relationship with God or a Supreme Being often produces a psychological or physical response that satisfies an individual's spiritual, physical, and mental needs (Yip, et al., 2011). Furthermore, the role of school in impacting illicit drug use among adolescents needs to be strengthened (Alhyas, et al., 2015). The study by Jodati et al. (2007) suggested that, to create a more positive campus culture regarding illicit drug use, efforts are needed to emphasize the importance of academic study, creating an environment for students that would make them into individuals stress-free, improve their social and physical aspects through recreational activities, implement alcohol and drug awareness programs and strengthen communication between parents and school. The presence of the School Council to Combat Drug Abuse in the school, drug abuse prevention activities and the concern of teachers and staff regarding.