Heroine abuse and addiction is common among youth worldwide. Almost all the countries have been hit by this drug abuse.
Heroine was first introduced in 1894 as a pain killing drug but later it was banned due to its dangerous effects. It passes through the blood brain barrier more easily than any other drug. The use of heroin results in overwhelming physical, mental, and emotional consequences.
Heroin is a synthetic drug produced from morphine, a potent analgesic that comes from the opium poppy. Heroin exerts its effects by binding with receptor cells in the brain that respond to opiates. When someone injects snorts or smokes heroin, the drug converts to morphine in the brain, where it slows down neurological activity and induces a state of sedation.
For many users, a heroin high produces a rush of euphoria and a sense of profound relaxation.
During the adolescent period of transition, individuals are generally more inclined towards risk behaviour; one of them is substance use. Why some individuals use substances and others not, is a multifaceted issue not fully understood. However, different explanations have been proposed, often dealing with individual characteristics and risk factors in the social environment, and the complex interaction between them.
Occurrence of risk periods for substance use is usually during major transition in a person’s life. First, when children enter school and their response and adaption to this new situation can affect later developmental progress.
Later, when they advance from elementary school they often experience new academic and social situations, for example they meet a wider group of peers. It is at this stage in early adolescence that children are most likely to encounter substances for the first time.
Then again, when entering high school, adolescents will face additional social and individual challenges. At the same time they may be exposed to greater availability of legal and illegal substances.
The risk of abusing substance depends on individual’s current situation in combination with their previous developmental trajectories.
There are many contributing factors which may lead young people to heroine addition. This is why few people say yes to addiction and other says no. Many researches indicate that most risky age for indulgence in drug is adolescent.
Substance abuse was negligible among 10-13 year old but a bit marked among 14-15 year old and maximum in 16-19 years of age. Generally, substance abuse behaviours begin during adolescence which consequences pose serious health problems. (Tripodi et al, 2010). Hence, it is important that we mark the young population as drug abuse is allied with several psychosocial factors.
Studies indicate that there are psychological and social factors accountable for drug use in which peer influence plays a key role. Many young addicts continue using drugs despite knowing its harmful effects on their mental and physical health.
Several psychosocial factors linked with heroine drug abuse include: personality and presence of psychiatric disorder, family, peer, and other environmental factors that enhance the risk and vulnerability of addictive disorder. Among many other, psychosocial risk factors, particularly peer pressure, media portrayal of substance-use by celebrities, lucrative advertisements, attractive packaging and expectations of joy are commonly associated with harmful use of substances.
Adolescence is a time when an obsession for identity is found in behaviour. It is also a period when young person is on the rise of psychosocial capability including coping strategies. Research indicates that family and parents provide a rich combination of stimuli to their children that affect both social and psychological development. Although schools, friends and the media are involved in this process, instilling in their children beliefs and values suitable for behaviour towards society remains a fundamental function of the family.
The key function of a child’s family is to raise the young person in as healthy manner as much as possible.
Latest researches indicate that the way family interaction goes about this process contribute to a range of later developmental outcomes. At the negative end of the spectrum, these include low self-esteem and conduct disorders which eventually lead to drug abuse.
Psychosocial risk factors of heroin addiction in Pakistan establish that abusers tend to perceive low positive parental relations, high psychological stress, low self-esteem, high sensation seeking behaviour and high need for affiliation as compared to the non-users.
Drug abuse is not a new phenomenon in Pakistan because the natural environment of northern areas of Pakistan and the territory of Afghanistan is very suitable for drug cultivation and production. It was estimated that Afghanistan produces 60 to 70 percent of the world’s supply of drugs (World Drug Report, 2012). Afghanistan has 11 provinces linked with the border line of Pakistan and only four from them are declared poppy free. It was estimated that they had cultivated less than 100 hectares of poppy in 2012 (UNODC, 2013).
The ratios of drug abuse by young addicts are growing gradually in Pakistan that has resulted into serious health, psychological and social issues. Monster of drug abuse can eat the capabilities of young brain and create mentally unwell population. An examination of social and demographic factors revealed that 71.5 per cent of the drug abusers were less than 35 years of age with the highest proportion in the 20-30 years age group (Drug Abuse Assessment study of Pakistan, 2013).
Therefore, it is highly recommended that motivational programmes and healthy extracurricular activities should be introduced in educational institutions so that trend of drug addiction could be avoided. Media should also come forward to play its role in launching antidrug campaigns.
The writer is a clinical psychologist and can be reached at ibtasam_thakur@hotmail.com.