Can i protect my family?

Drug Abuse Prevention

Drug and Substance abuse is the illicit and compulsive use of drugs and other substances to achieve an alteration in mood and consciousness.

There are different reasons why people try out drugs:

1. Struggling with Depression, the need to alter their mood

2. Peer Pressure, the need to fit in

3. Curiosity, boredom, the need to experimentation

4. Unemployment, Relationship Issues, the need to fill a void in their lives

5. Accidental use

There is a saying that parents are usually the last to know about the drug abuse of their children.
A lot of factors can contribute to this but certainly, this is a cause for alarm.

The Drug Problem

According to the UNODC Drug Use Survey 2018, an estimated 4.7 per cent of the population, i.e. 4.6 million people had used opioids (such as tramadol, codeine, or morphine) for non-medical purposes in the past year.

Two-thirds of people who used drugs reported having serious problems, as a result of their drug use, such as missing work, doing a poor job at work or neglecting their family or children.

Most instructive to note is that drug use was most common among those between the ages of 25 and 39 years. This age group makes up the largest percentage of the vibrant family members and it creates a need to establish measures that will help mitigate this large statistic.

As parents, carers or guardians, the responsibility of fostering a healthy environment that dissuades the use of drugs lies with you.

Need to run a drug Test? Contact Us

The Role Of Parents:

1. Make your home a safe space:
   A lot of adolescents use drugs as a means of escape from family issues.

   Family Factors such as Economic Standing (Finances), witnessing frequents fights at home, substance using parents, abuse and neglect can all be triggers for children.

   Keeping the home as a safe front can help reduce the chances of drug abuse among the children.




2. Establish a good communication culture:
   Drug use is sometimes an escape and a cry for help.

   Adolescents and youths have been known to turn to drugs when they cannot express themselves to the people that matter in their life. They become friends with other drug users and find the listening ears they crave for with them.

   It is important for parents to spend time with their children, establish relationships and create avenue for positive conversations – reduce condemnation and or being judgemental, parents should keep an open mind.
   
   
   

   Read: How do I talk with youth about drugs?




3. Drug and substance use education:
   Young people are known to always want to experiment things especially the one they consider alien.
   For this reason, it is important for parents to provide health education as it relates to drug abuse.

   Understanding the dangers of abuse discourages the use and reduces the chances of experimentation. This teaching should start in the preteen period, 8 to 12 years old.

   Parents should talk frequently about the risks and dangers of drug use.




4. Establish rules and consequences:
   Having stated rules and corresponding consequences are very essential tools for parents seeking to prevent drug and substance abuse.

   While this is important to do, the most important is to follow through with the punishments attached to breaking these rules. If a child breaks a rule, always follow through with the connected consequence.

   Children learn effectively with clear boundaries and established consequences that they know will always occur.




5. Model good behaviour:
   Children with parents who use drugs are more likely to abuse drugs. There is a continuous need for parents to be a splitting image of what they want their kids to be.




6. Establishing a routine drug testing:
   This is a culture that will help deter children from drug use as they know they would get caught.

   These tests can be done routinely or randomly depending on the dynamics of the family. This test can be done without a visit to the hospital or laboratory using the Hospital and Home UDT kits.
   
   (Click here to Order or learn more about H & H Urine Drug Testing Kits).

Parents play a significant role is deterring their kids from using drugs.

Spend time with your kids, engage them in conversation and activities, talk to them about drugs and substance use, let them understand the effects and most important, if you suspect drug use, don’t delay – run a test.

Early identification and intervention prevent the risk of substance dependency and other mental & psychological conditions associated with addiction.

Need guidance on talking to your kids about Drug Abuse? Contact Primly Services Wellness Program to speak to a counsellor today?