Effects of Drug Abuse on Psycho-Social Behaviour of Drug Abusers: Implications for Youth Education

Effects of Drug Abuse on Psycho-Social Behaviour of Drug Abusers: Implications for Youth Education.

ABSTRACT

This study was designated to investigate and make available data on the effects of drug abuse on the psychosocial behavior of drug abusers. The study adopted the descriptive, co-relational survey design. A sample size consisting of 185 respondents from the population of 360 inmates was randomly drawn from four social service centers in Kaduna State.

The sample includes 45 drug abusers from National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,60 from Borstal Institute, 53 from Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Kaduna, and 27 from the Prisons service Headquarters, State command. 66 items were designed and developed by the researcher for data collection, which was professionally validated by experts.

The instrument was discovered to be reliable with a significant alpha value of 0.8331. In order to effectively execute this study, three research questions were formulated. The significant level of 0.05 was adapted, to assess the effects of drug abuse on the psycho-social behavior of drug abusers and to determined the gender of drug abuse.

Tables were used for data analysis. Findings revealed that the first questions indicated that drug abuse affects the psycho-social behavior of drug abusers: it leads to problem behavior and personality disorder. Similarly, the study showed that both males and females were involved in the incidence of drug abuse.

Based on these findings, it was suggested that parents should monitor their children to maintain discipline so as to reduce the rampant cases of drug abuse. Since regular tiredness, sleeping in class, exam malpractice, absenteeism from schools, increased potentials for dropping out of school are problems associated with (youth) adolescents substance abuse, there is a need for parents, teachers, and Education bodies to take part in the war against drug abuse.

INTRODUCTION

One of the greatest discoveries of man is the therapeutic use of drugs to cure his ailment, to excite him when he is dull, to slim him when he is fat, to expand him when he is thin, and to put him to sleep when he is awake. Thus, since time immemorial, man is known to be using drugs and learning to depend on drug usage by various societies in the world to relieve pain, escape reality, alter perception, provide pleasurable sensation and find the assumed meaning to life.

The term drug abuse is used to describe any licit or illicit substance that has an effect on the structure and functioning of the brain when it is taken wrongly. It includes alcohol, tobacco, medicine, Indian hemp, cocaine, and other illegal substances. Therefore, drugs can be legal or illegal; they can be helpful or harmful, depending on the type and the usage or mode of administration.

Young people use drugs as a way of rebelling against parents or authority, to feel like adults, to fit in and belong to a group of other youths, to satisfy their curiosity, and to simply derive pleasure from the short-term effects of drugs. Abusers with underlying social or psychological problems are particularly at high risk for drug abuse. However, where they are not used correctly, they produce unacceptable consequences to the user’s mental health.

REFERENCES

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StudentsandScholarship Team.