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The startling report came out during the commemorations of World Anti-Drug and Substance Abuse Day late last month.
In Bulawayo the day was marked by an awareness campaign at Ingutsheni Central Hospital where it was revealed that many youths, some of them of school-going age were being treated at the psychiatric hospital for mental disturbances due to drug and substance abuse.
The medical officer at the institution, Dr Parirenyatwa Maramba, said although no concrete statistics had been compiled, the hospital was recording an increase in the number of mentally disturbed youths being admitted.
He said the widely abused drug was mbanje followed by alcohol, and most of the youths coming for psychotherapy would be showing signs of their side effects.
“The campaign is meant to raise awareness among young people because many of them are mentally ill because of drug abuse.
“There are no statistics as such because no specific research has been done which means there might be many cases of drug abuse that are going unnoticed in schools and communities hence the need for such awareness campaigns,” said Dr Maramba.
Studies have shown that adolescence is a time of many conflicting emotions, curiosity and experimentation. Childhood has been left behind, the rules have changed, and it can be difficult for teenagers to find themselves a place in this new world.
To counteract this and not wanting to be described as naïve or green, many feel a greater need to hook up to drugs and substances as a way of glamourising and “sugar-coating” their impulsive behaviours not knowing that the risk-taking has long-term consequences on their health.
Besides having the desire to feel better or different, young people use drugs for similar reasons that adults do, such as for relaxation, experimentation, rebellion, peer pressure and to escape from psychological or physiological pain.
Recent research has revealed that the evidence of drug use within youth culture suggests that the experience of substances is often pleasurable rather than negative and damaging. So probably the main reason why young people take drugs is that they enjoy them.
This is believed to have been caused by the proliferation of unedited digital content of other cultures leading young people to adopt the demeanour and fashion of that particular culture subsequently and experimentally gaining its experiences.
The promotion of drugs through advertisements complemented by their availability is also reported to be putting considerable pressure on youths to abuse drugs.
A case in point is of alcohol and pain-relieving drugs which are regularly advertised on television. Recent research concluded that cigarette advertising encourages young people to start smoking and reinforces the habit among existing smokers.
Despite legislation being enacted to censor the advertising of such drugs and substances teenagers have no problems in obtaining them from retail outlets.
On another note, it can be argued also that pubs are refurbished with young people in mind — bringing in music, games, more sophisticated decor and so on while the general acceptance of drugs is maintained through corporate sports sponsorship, promotions and other marketing strategies.
The illicit market is more discreet, but those determined to experiment appear to have little trouble obtaining drugs.
Another school of thought also tends to believe that the environment which youths are living can “sensitise” them to drugs and substances.
Youths who live in communities which suffer from multiple deprivations, with high unemployment, low quality housing and where the surrounding infrastructure of local services is fractured and poorly resourced are prone to drug abuse as in such communities, drug supply and use often thrive as an alternative economy often controlled by powerful criminal groups.
Other abuses that might be associated with the stress and boredom of living in such communities can cause young people especially with poor job prospects to recognise the financial advantages and the status achievable through the business of small-scale supply of drugs.
However, drug use is certainly not restricted to areas of urban deprivation but also from schools and rural areas where stories of drug abuse by youths have been reported, showing that the illicit use of the drugs and substances is an aspect that cannot be confined to a single society.
Psychoanalysts argue that most young people are naturally curious and want to experiment with different experiences. For some, drugs are a good conversation point, they are interesting to talk about and they fascinate everyone.
They further argue that defence mechanism to ease the trauma and pain of unsatisfactory relationships and the physical and emotional abuse arising from unhappy home lives can also lead youths to hook up to drugs for them to come to the attention of the society.
Studies have also shown that drug abuse by the youths can cause serious emotional effects such as anxiety, depression, mood swings and suicidal thoughts and behavioural problems.
Teens who abuse drugs are more likely to engage in delinquent behaviour such as fighting and stealing than teens who do not abuse drugs. They are also, according to some research, five times more likely to have unprotected sex with a stranger than teens who do not use drugs. This subsequently leads to higher risks of sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy and sexual assault.
However, parents and guardians can reduce the possibility of their children experiencing drug problems in a number of ways, including by fostering a close and trusting relationship with them from an early age supporting and encouraging positive behaviour.
Health campaigners have also noted that good parenting is important to all children and young people to help them be healthy in all aspects of their lives and also abstain from drug abuse.
However, good parenting would not always prevent young people from trying drugs but involves preparing them in the best way possible to make their own healthy and safe decisions.
This can be achieved when parents and guardians spend time with their children before they become teenagers by getting involved in their lives, knowing their friends, teachers’ names and what interests them.
Drug abuse by youths can also be prevented by teaching them the balance of rights and responsibilities so they can understand their responsibilities in line with their rights.
Setting up of recreational facilities in their communities and encouraging their involvement can also help to reduce cases of drug abuse by young people as they would be socially occupied hence they would not be more vulnerable to drug use.
Parents can also curb drug and substance abuse by their children by encouraging them not to have more than one group of friends as this helps to bridge the network to connect with many groups that are usually using drugs.
Online Reporter