Social and Psychological Aspects of Drug Abuse Essays

Social and Psychological Aspects of Drug Abuse Essays Social and Psychological Aspects of Drug Abuse Essay Social and Psychological Aspects of Drug Abuse Essay Our society lived in a time where economic development, scientific and technological advancement dominates the different social sectors resulting to a paradigm shift of family concepts, health related issues, social menace, and deterioration of the basic unit of society- the family. The opening of borders for free trade and scientific and technological advancements’ exploitation of family foundations’ erosion are the factors that affect the rise of drug abuse. The Drug Abuse’s two fold aspects: sociological and psychological. Family’s stabilitybasic unit of society, environment and expectations are values important to children- as they shape attitudes, values and their behaviors in their relationship to their peers and to society as stressors. If families fail to shape these values; children will be influenced by his peers or society that led to alcohol or drug abuse. In 1977, The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) revealed that several studies showed abnormal EEG’s results as well as psychological tests among drug users suggesting a poor memory and concentration, underdeveloped motor skills and disorientation. Also, in Press Done (1967 in NIDA’s Research Monograph 15, 1977) a third of their subjects who are drug users had the propensity to commit a crime because of serious judgment deficit they posses at the time and at the same time the misperception on what is real. Finally, the government should use its resources in helping those citizens who are already hooked to drug use by providing funds for rehabilitation and re-introduction of these people in the mainstream of society. Our society lived in a time where economic development, scientific advancement and technological superiority dominates its different sectors resulting to paradigm shift of family concepts, health related issues, social menace, and deterioration of its basic unit- the family. New development and new technologies bombards family in greater degree that its basic foundations are already eroded before it can respond. The opening of borders for free trade and scientific and technological advancements’ exploitation as well as the family foundations’ erosion is affecting the rise of drug abuse in our midst. The growing numbers of drug users if left unchecked may bring many governmental problems relating to health and sociological stability, a hindrance for having a vibrant and strong economy. Government cannot just simply ignore its effects while it erodes its socio-economic fundamentals as well as its decay if its people which is all important for having a stable state is ignored. Marsha Lillie-Blanton (1998) in a report for US Congress defined drug abuse as â€Å"the level of pattern of drug consumption and the severity and persistence of resulting functional problems.† It is when a person commits legal or an even interpersonal infraction in society, that a person is tested for drug use. Lillie-Blanton’s (1998) report states that scientific community are in agreement regarding the chemical as well as physical changes in brain as a result of drug abuse and at the same time identifying the scope of addiction’s physiological make-up including substantial behavioral and psychological aspects. Drug Abuse’s Sociological and Psychological Aspect Drug Abuse has two fold aspects: sociological and psychological. These two aspects interplay with each other affecting society in a wide range as well as changing lives across sociological spectrum. Sociology is the study of society and human social behavior while psychology is the study of mental process and behavior. By knowing these two aspects, we will be able to respond appropriately to its ill effects and at the same time institute corrective measures within and outside government and improve family relations as well as its foundations. Sociology. A fast sociological change that affects society we had is a great challenge to the influence and a stable family. As a source of strength, support and nurturance, the family owed its continued generational stability for community and culture. In a paper written by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) entitled â€Å"The Social Impact of Drug Abuse† for the World Summit for Social Development, which was held at Copenhagen, Denmark in March 1995, gave four conceptual views of family and the understanding of these views will give us a society with a solid foundation in assessing the ill effects of drug abuse to society as a whole. The four family views are: 1) by protecting and sustaining its strong or weak members through stress or diseases while at the same time protecting its young and weak members; 2) tension, problems, and diseases found in the family strongly affect members influence of the   weaker members; 3) family as an institution that interact with social and community groups that includes peer groups, schools, fellow workers and bosses and religious groups; and 4) family as an â€Å"important point of intervention a natural organizational unit for transferring and building social and community values.† The socio-economic and technological fields’ rapid change resulted to the weakening of family values and foundations as an institution. Family stability, environment and expectations are values that important to children- for they shape attitudes, and behaviors in their relationship to their peers and the society as society stressors. If families fail to shape these values; children will be influenced by their peers or the society in that more often than not led to alcohol or drug abuse. In 1973, Kandel’s works states that peers influence the â€Å"use of marijuana than in any other activity or attitude.† This is the truth, for adult or youth’s peers greatly influence them compared to parents’ attitude; and this peer pressures influenced in greater degree drug abuse when parents abandoned their supervisory roles. As pointed out by UNDCP’s position paper, it is when parents â€Å"exercising traditional family roles [that they] may be able to limit the influence of peer groups on [their] childrens attitudes towards drug use and therefore have a crucial influence on childrens behaviour.† Traumatic divorce, autocratic type of discipline, communication gap, depressed family members, and parent use of drugs all led to an individual who will find solutions in the fold of illegal drugs or alcohol. Psychological. In 1977, The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) revealed that several studies showed abnormal EEG’s results as well as psychological test, among drug users which suggests an impaired memory and concentration, poor motor skills and disorientation to those people who are under the grip of drug abuse. In UNDCP’s report, states that both alcohol and drug users exhibited psychiatric symptoms like depression. As to depth and extent of such depression, the said position paper failed to reveal; thus, just by thinking of it one will chill with the possibilities. It was also revealed that â€Å"dysfunctional drug or alcohol use† is an offshoot to an already present emotional illness; and more often than not clinical assessment will reveal   a dual diagnosis users, or the presence of more than two clinical conditions in an individual. Multiple problems in the family are also very common. Though addictive personality’s has no scientific bearing, its recognition is easy for â€Å"troubled persons-often exhibiting multiple symptoms-are easily recognized by expert and layman alike. Drug Abuse and Crime.   National Institute of Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) Research Monograph proffered evidence that shows the relationship between drug abuse and its victims with that of the commission of the crime for they show antisocial behaviors. In Cohen (1975 in NIDA’s Research Monograph 15, 1977) pointed out that these drug users had the diminished â€Å"behavioral capabilities long before motor activity is diminished. Also, in Press Done (1967 in NIDA’s Research Monograph 15, 1977) that a third of their subjects who are drug users had the propensity to commit a crime because of serious judgment deficit they posses at the time and at the same time a defect of perception on what is real. These above research findings are back up by Simon De Bruxelles’s report entitled â€Å"Out on the streets, drugs span the divide in a city of rich and poor† appearing on www.timesonline.co.uk. According to his report the Clifton’s suburbs had â€Å"8,000 ‘problematic’ addicts in Bristol and an estimated 25,000 other recreational and social users. Drugs affect every level of society in the city, from those whose cars are broken into to feed a habit to the people who find themselves living next to a crack house.† Conclusions The sociological and psychological aspect of drug abuse opened our eyes to the reality that this problem has deeper roots. These roots more often than not are not far but actually very near to us. Society through government should endeavor to build a strong and dynamic family foundation for it to be diminish if not totally eradicates the ill-effects of drug abuse. To fail in this challenge, the basic unit of society- the familywill have a poor foundation resulting to the rising criminal activities affecting peace and development of a country. Finally, the government should use its resources in helping those citizens who are already hooked to drug use by providing funds for rehabilitation and re-introduction of these people in the mainstream of society.