Several guidelines to prevent the possibility of young people to start using drugs. Although at present it has been achieved that the society. In general, it shows an absolute rejection of the consumption of drugs and is no longer considered as an attractive and interesting habit. There is still a large number of people consuming addictive substances, especially among the young and adolescent population.
How to prevent drugs in young people
There are a series of guidelines or recommendations that we can carry out from our role as parents, family or friends, to prevent young people from starting to use drugs. As well as to stop the development of addiction if it is already has started.
Adolescence and the risk of drug use
Adolescence and post-adolescence is a highly confusing and complicated period of life. The fact that we do not yet have a fully formed identity, makes us highly influential and susceptible people since during this time the most desired goal is to fit and feel part of something.
This need to fit, together with the influence of our peers, the media, television, the press and our own attitude of rebellion, together with the need to experience new things; make this period a risk factor to start and develop a drug addiction.
It is necessary to specify that, when we talk about drug addiction, not only refers to the most serious addictions or the strongest and most destructive drugs. The daily consumption of drugs like cannabis is getting higher and in the medium, to long-term, it can reach to also have dire consequences.
Why do some young people use drugs?
As we mentioned earlier, adolescence is a stage of life extremely committed to drug use. However, there is not a single factor that causes a young person or adolescent to be attracted to any type of drug.
Social or group pressure is usually one of the main reasons why a teenager decides to start using a drug. The need to fit in and feel part of the group, as well as the pressure that this can exert at the time of consumption, may be sufficient to initiate consumption.
Similarly, this stage of life is often marked by strong feelings of incomprehension and confusion, as well as lack of self-esteem or self-confidence can generate high levels of frustration that can lead to drug use as an escape route to these emotions.
8 guidelines on how to prevent drugs
Despite all this, there are still things that family members, friends or society. In general, you can carry out to help diminish, and even avoid, the use of drugs by the youngest.
1. Inform
Despite the fact that there are currently numerous campaigns carried out by institutions and educational centers in which they try to inform young people about the risks of drug use, as family members and people with teenagers around us, we become also in direct prevention agents.
This means that we do not have to wait for adolescents to receive information about drugs from abroad, we can inform ourselves and transmit that information. The fact that someone is close and trustworthy who transmits it can also result positive.
2. Develop your social skills
In a large number of cases, adolescents begin in the world of drugs because someone from their own friendship group offers them. In these cases, the lack of social skills, as well as a poor emotional education and assertive techniques cause that, along with the fear of being rejected, the adolescent accepts the consumption.
Knowing this, education in social skills that allow young people to say “no” without any kind of fear is essential to prevent them from initiating consumption.
3. Encourage the development of positive self-esteem
If the fear of not fitting in is that a large part of adolescents do not have sufficiently high self-esteem or do not feel confident enough about themselves, we will find in these traits a very important risk factor for drug use.
Therefore, helping the development of a high self-esteem that provides them with security in themselves. It will also be of great relevance when it comes to preventing young people from resorting to drugs as a way to feel better about themselves.
4. Develop the critical sense
A well-informed teenager with sufficient security will be much more capable of developing a critical sense of drug use. If we get the young person to judge drugs as they are, as well as physical integrity, as psychological and social, we will make it possible to refuse to use any type of narcotic or addictive substance.
5. Inspirational dialogue
Trying to talk with teenagers, showing interest in their concerns, not judging and gaining their trust, will help them feel comfortable talking to us, tell us their problems. In this way, it will be much easier for us to help them to solve them positively and not have to resort to drugs as an escape route or a way to avoid or forget them.
6. Do not try to overprotect them
Although this overprotection is no more than a reflection of the concern that parents or acquaintances feel about the habits of the youngest, these behaviors tend to be counterproductive.
Young people should perceive in parents, family members or guardians an attitude of acceptance, a place to turn to when they feel bad or distressed and, for this, we must convey that we are open to it but without being overwhelmed.
7. Do not be authoritarian
At the beginning of the article, we commented that adolescence is characterized by being a time of rebellion, in which goes against what is imposed or established is almost a vital necessity.
Therefore, the styles of authoritarian education in which parents or guardians impose their opinion or their way of living uncompromisingly will not be at all effective when it comes to avoiding drug use. In any case, it is always better to resort to dialogue and consensus.
8. Be consistent with our actions
We will rarely be able to prevent adolescents from consuming any type of drugs if they are also consumed at home. In the same way, for the message against drugs to be transmitted in the most effective way possible, our attitude towards them must also be stable and coherent.
At other times, drug use develops as an act of rebellion. A way of expressing the nonconformity that the adolescent experiences with what surrounds him. Drug use can be seen as a form of disobedience, both to parents or guardians and to the rest of society in general.
Finally,
A limited knowledge of the real effects of any type of drugs and the influence of some media that still show the consumption of these as something attractive and even interesting. It favors the attractiveness and fascination they cause on young people.
