HYDERABAD: It is scary that adolescents and young adults know how to source drugs. The sensational arrest of superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan, in a drugs case has put the spotlight back on the problem of substance abuse which is rampant among youngsters.
Young adults are either curious about trying out drugs or want to use them to escape their reality. Other reasons could be peer pressure, trying to fit in or masking their mental health problems. What makes this worse is that unfortunately, they have easy access to such harmful substances.
“According to my personal experience, addiction is different for different people. It depends on how each person deals with it. Some might just try drugs to explore and then get rid of it immediately. Some might get addicted to it soon after consuming for the first time. We cannot predict how one gets addicted,” says Dr Diana Monterio, a counselling psychologist and director of the Hyderabad Academy of Psychology in Secunderabad.
One way to prevent children from substance abuse is by educating them about it at an early stage -- something on the lines of how schools teach kids the difference between good and bad touch. “By imparting complete knowledge about this, we can prevent drug abuse up to a certain level. In our country, parents and educational institutions feel shy to talk to kids about sensitive topics such as gender sensitisation and drugs.
They believe that it is taboo and react aggressively when they find out anything related to the same. This makes kids secretive and they end up hiding things from parents,” says Dr Diana. The main concern is how to find out if your child is on drugs? Parents should keep a close watch on what their kids are up to, they should know who their friends are and their behaviour. Being too possessive or strict could cause children to hide things from parents.
“The behaviour and appearance are strong indicators of one’s habits. For instance, swollen and red eyes indicate that a person may be consuming drugs. Similarly, if someone is oversleeping or not sleeping enough, or if money goes missing from the house, it is a matter of concern,” says Dr Diana. If parents notice these changes in their children, they should try and sort it out by speaking to them. But in extreme cases of drug abuse, wherein the child is out of control and threatens to harm others or themselves, they should seek professional help either from a psychiatrist or a counsellor.
The sensational arrest of Aryan Khan in a drugs case has put the spotlight back on the problem of substance abuse which is rampant among youngsters. Psychologist Dr Diana Monterio shares how parents can protect kids from drug abuse