How to Stop Drug Abuse

What was just an incidental indulge now becomes a necessity - such a necessity that cannot be helped, that distances blood relationships from each other, that wrecks homes, destroys childhood, many families, societies and the country at large. The mechanism in which these drugs create addiction is by creating a physical and mental dependence on them. Abstinence from such preparations gives rise to a wide array of symptoms - both physical which includes tremors, sweating, redness of eyes, motor in co-ordination and so on and mental symptoms which includes irritability, disturbed sleep, insomnia, lack of concentration and so on and so forth.

Drug abuse can and should be stopped by enforcement of stringent laws prohibiting the same, the establishment of effective machinery to deal with the cases, courts with speedy disposal of such suits which should be treated as special suits, severe punishment for those who provide drugs. Prevention was, is and shall always be better than cure. So, one should prevent this as far as possible by paying attention to all those factors which may have contributed to the condition to begin with. Once prevention is out of hand we are left with only management which is as stated. To begin with is medical intervention as initiation therapy continued over long patient years coupled with expert psychological counseling and behavior therapy, followed by only the latter as maintenance therapy.

Understanding why so many people resort to drugs is a very complex situation. There is no right or wrong answer to the problem. Drug abuse does not only effect the poor and uneducated, like many people think, drug abuse is becoming more and more popular among stay at home moms. The epidemic of crystal meth is becoming alarmingly high. Mom's who have the best life in the world on the outside are dying on the inside. No one really knows when the epidemic started, but the number of cases is rising every year.

Substance abuse effects stretch very far. Its reach not only affects those who are doing drugs, but those close to them. Kids especially, are now experiencing the effects. The family unit as a whole is being affected. Moms are letting their addiction get out of control. Moms are usually looked upon as being the strong one, the one that has things under control, the one that makes sure everyone has everything, but now Soccer moms are using drugs as an escape. It is their way of getting through the day.

I think that the problem with the Soccer Mom's addiction is that it is easily hidden. People do not expect the soccer mom to have any problems. Not only that, but the Soccer Mom's in general do not want anyone to know that they do have a problem out of fear of what people would think. I think that if we take what Soccer mom used to be known as and make it into something a little more realistic, this problem may be reduced.

There is also a level of denial that is happening now. Some Soccer mom's do not want to believe they do have a problem, and until they acknowledge it, they will continue to self destruct. The family unit is the most important factor in drug abuse. These Soccer Moms do not feel as though they can turn to family because they do not want to disappoint them. There are so many levels that are intertwining themselves. Drug abuse is destroying the family, and in result destroying the stability that children need. Soccer Moms are part of a group that many refuse to admit have an addiction. They are not spoken about. The stereotypes that drug addiction only affect the poor and uneducated, that ignorance is going to continue to keep Soccer Moms from getting out of this self infected daze.

If people start writing about it, the more Soccer Moms will want to come out and get help. If they do not feel people will help, and understand without judging them, they will continue to self destruct. Soccer Moms all over the world are crying out for help. It only takes one voice, one person to take a stand and help.

Alcohol Abuse is a term unknown to the era that existed before alcohol was invented or rather discovered. Not that alcohol did not exist before. It did but its use for the purpose of human consumption was discovered and this to me is the turning point in the history of alcohol. All that is done in limits is good and fair. However excess of anything good or bad tends to show its flop side. And alcohol is no exception to this. It was intended to be used for human consumption for medical use, recreation and celebration. It however was indulged in to far exceeding the intended use. People drank alcohol, landed in a state where the boundaries and inhibitions were long left behind. They experienced what they perceived was 'Nirvana' mindless of the fact that this was but an illusion - a delusion that no man on this earth could shake with logic and reason. This state was primarily responsible for the loss of self restraint that prohibits a person from overstepping the boundaries of social and personal norms. Thus, alcohol that was once upon a time, a substance for human consumption begins to consume the human. What an ironical and sad outcome of a discovery that was meant for human recreation and celebration.

Alcohol abuse is thus involuntary - most of the times, misuse of alcohol for allegedly various purposes leading to a host of problems not only for the mental and physical health of the person consuming it but also for the entire family in which such a person belongs, the society in which such a person lives and indirectly for the state and country that such an individual belongs. Alcohol abuse however is not a problem that cannot be helped. It can be treated. One may choose to say once an alcoholic is always an alcoholic. However the truth is far from this. One may not cure alcohol abuse. However one may definitely deal with it enough to manage it safely. Just like with diabetes or heart disease, where a cure is an impossibility but a treatment plan can definitely help a diabetic or a cardiac patient manage with these conditions, so also it is with alcohol abuse.

Interventions for alcohol abuse management may include behavioral study of the alcoholic, psychological counseling, family psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and also sometimes physical restraint. Group psychotherapy however remains the mainstay if the maintenance phase of therapy. Groups such as Alcoholic Anonymous etc., have come a long way in the management of alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

When looked upon as a social problem instead of an individual problem, alcohol abuse may be successfully managed if not cured, by social support, family support and by governmental interventions in terms of destigmatizing the issue of alcohol abuse. When the outlook towards the problem of alcohol abuse is changed, the heart gets full of compassion and empathy instead of vicious feelings that used to previously flood the heart.