Substance abuse often affects people during the years when they should be completing school or finding employment, and the entrapment of youth in drug and alcohol abuse, as opposed to engagement in legitimate employment and educational opportunities, poses distinct barriers to the development of individuals and communities.
Substance abuse among youth has severe effects on our communities and families, and has many potential physical and mental health effects for the users, such as increased risk of injury and death due to either violence or accidents; increased probability of engaging in sexual behaviour with high risk of teen pregnancy and transmittable diseases; and increased risk for suicidal behaviour and psychosocial disorders. Abuse of different substances is furthermore also often the reason for declining grades, high absenteeism and school dropouts as well as involvement in crime and gang-related activities.
Substance abuse can be common among people suffering from mental health conditions. People experiencing anxiety, depression, or other mental illnesses often turn to drugs or alcohol to find temporary comfort. These substances are also sometimes used as a coping mechanism for those enduring a great deal of stress or hardship, such as experiencing troubles at home or at school, or losing a loved one.
Using drugs or alcohol to deal with difficult feelings or symptoms of mental illness is sometimes called ‘self-medication.’ But it can make existing mental health problems worse. Studies have for example shown that people who consume high amounts of alcohol are vulnerable to higher levels of mental ill health.
According to reports published in the Journal of the American Medical Association: Roughly 50 percent of individuals with severe mental disorders are affected by substance abuse, 37 percent of alcohol abusers and 53 percent of drug abusers also have at least one serious mental illness, Of all people diagnosed as mentally ill, 29 percent abuse either alcohol or drugs.
It is vitally important to educate the youth about the dangers of drugs and alcohol abuse, and that they are provided with the emotional support they need so that they do not develop the need to turn to substance use for comfort. It is also essential that parents, teachers and the youth themselves are educated about the signs and symptoms of substance abuse, so that they can identify it early on and get the affected person help as soon as possible.
“All sectors of society needs to prioritise the support, education and protection of our youth against substance abuse, and to work together to safeguard their physical and mental health,” says Buffalo Grove Detox.
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For more information about Buffalo Grove Detox, contact the company here:
Buffalo Grove Detox
224-274-2438
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
