COMMENTS/AGREE

COMMENT ON THE 2 DISCUSSIONS BELOW GIVING QUALITY FEEDBACK:

The factors that contribute to the abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs are many, and the decision to use drugs lies ultimately with the individual. List, explain and discuss with your classmates 3 factors that contribute to the abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse

1 DISCUSSION:

Nowadays it’s more obvious that young people are struggling to fit in with their peers. The same story different day but social media and these wayward celebrities that glamorize drugs, sex, and violence seem to be all the more popular. I feel that people are more into alcohol, drugs, and tobacco use because of the status feel it gives them. It’s the nostalgia feeling associated with these things. There are also the stressors of everyday life that can be a bit depressing for many and so an escape is needed. Hence, since COVID-19 folks have been drinking more. People have lost their jobs, and are struggling with depression and with no face-to-face services and or distractions there is really nothing else to do but socially day drink. Smoking of hookah has also been on the rise (guilty myself) It’s for release and relaxation.

I think keeping busy and structure can help in decreasing the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Since we are still in pandemic mode somewhat people are limited in activities like going to the gym and other stress-relieving activities so I can’t think they will altogether stop but maybe finding other ways to keep busy may help. Online yoga classes, jog around the neighborhood. Online cooking classes are some ideas. Times are really tough right now can we really blame folks.

2 DISCUSSION:

Factors that increase the probability of drug use are called risk factors; those that lower the probability of drug use are called protective factors. People with a high number of risk factors are said to be vulnerable to drug abuse or dependence, while those who have few risk factors and more protective factors are said to be resistant to drug abuse. Risk and protective factors can be either genetic or environmental. Numerous studies have concluded that inherited traits can increase one’s risk of developing alcohol dependence. It is logical to assume that susceptibility to other drugs might also be inherited. Environmental risk factors, such as one’s home and family life, school and peer groups, and society and culture, have also been identified. The vast majority of the data supporting the notion that the risk of drug dependence can be inherited comes from studies on alcoholism. There are many environmental factors, both psychological and social, that influence the use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Included are personal factors such as the influences of home and family life, school and peer groups, and other components of the social and cultural environment. Personal factors include personality traits, such as impulsiveness, depressive mood, susceptibility to stress, or possibly personality disturbances. Research demonstrates that not all family-associated risk is genetic in origin. Family structure, family dynamics, quality of parenting, and family problems can all contribute to drug experimentation by children and adolescents. Family turmoil has been associated with the initiation of alcohol and other drug use. Parents’ failure to provide an environment conducive to the development of these skills can result in the loss of self-esteem and an increase in delinquency, nonconformity, and sociopathic behavior, all personal risk factors for alcohol and drug abuse. Finally, family attitudes toward alcohol and drug use influence adolescents’ beliefs and expectations about drugs’ effects. Some studies have shown that perceived support of drinking by peers is the single most important factor in an adolescent’s choice to drink. Peers can also influence expectations for a drug. The environmental risk for drug-taking can stem from one’s immediate neighborhood or from society at large. Living in an inner-city in which citizens are exposed to crime, the city’s physical decay and threats to personal safety could set into motion a variety of changes in values and behaviors, including some related to alcohol or drug use.

Four basic elements play a role in drug abuse prevention and control. These are education, treatment, public policy, and enforcement. The purpose of drug abuse education is to limit the demand for drugs by providing information about drugs and the dangers of drug abuse, changing attitudes and beliefs about drugs, providing the skills necessary to abstain from drugs, and ultimately changing drug abuse behavior. Education, principally a primary prevention activity, can be school-based or community-based. For these programs and other school-based programs to be successful, community members such as parents, teachers, local business people, and others must support the program.

11 DISCUSSION: