Substance abuse is a growing menace that has enveloped our younger generation today!

Young adults tend to have a fearless attitude during their transitional years between teenage and adulthood. These formative years are part of a phase wherein they are highly susceptible to drug addiction. Children coping with extreme mental trauma due to circumstances that are beyond their control, such as parents’ divorce, shifting of residence or schools with varied educational patterns, often display signs of increased frustration levels.

Initially, adolescents exposed to this scenario begin to occasionally indulge in minor vices such as smoking and drinking as a sense of rebellion and blame it on the difficulties or depression associated with their inconsistent lifestyles.

Gradually, peer pressure and the need to escape from reality tempts these young adults to attend parties wherein harmful drugs are easily accessible, thereby turning them into full-blown addicts in a short period.

Medical research has proven that the human brain is in a continuous state of cognitive development until we reach our mid-twenties. Therefore, maintaining a healthy mental balance during that period must be considered as a priority by every individual. Regular use of drugs can hurt on the human brain and cause major health setbacks in the long run. In most cases, the general lack of awareness in young adults about adequate drug prevention programs increases their possibility of feeling trapped in a vortex of substance abuse.

Presently, there is an urgent need for us to focus on creating effective drug prevention programs such as ‘Keepin It Real’ to help the younger generation overcome their addiction to harmful drugs.

How Can Drug Prevention Programs At ‘Keepin It Real’ Help Counter Substance Abuse In Young Adults?

Young adults of our generation play an integral part in building a firm foundation for our society. If you let substance abuse affect our youngsters, then the dream of a bright future for the entire nation comes to an absolute stand-still.

‘Keepin It Real’ is an innovative drug prevention program that is investing a lot of efforts in guiding young addicts recover from the pitfalls of substance abuse.

This landmark initiative believes in educating the addicts about the multiple risks that can affect their health due to early drug use. A few of these hazards associated with early drug use have been listed herewith:

  • Memory loss.
  • Lack of concentration.
  • Poor social skills.
  • Violent behavior.
  • Deterioration in physical health.
  • Erratic emotional outbursts.

All these above-mentioned disabilities are known to affect the academic performance of drug users. Many of these juvenile addicts join street gangs to support their drug habit and eventually face run-ins with the local law enforcement agencies due to violent crimes committed under the influence of drugs. These incidents can ruin the career prospects of the youngsters and leave them emotionally scarred for life.

At ‘Keepin It Real’, a lot of effort is invested by the program managers to understand the background of the young addicts. This is done to ascertain the root cause of the problems that have adversely impacted their mental health. Thereon, the adolescents go through intensive therapy sessions that are conducted through group meetings or on an individual basis at schools, churches, community halls or at their homes.

These programs are conducted in a phased manner by experienced mentors and are usually planned for specific age-groups or schools after evaluating the extent of substance abuse in that particular area or community.

In depth, studies are conducted regularly by scientists across the nation to determine the extent of brain damage occurring due to substance abuse. These observations enable the program coordinators at ‘Keepin It Real’ to provide valuable insights to young addicts on the ill-effects of long-term drug use.

Drug prevention programs need to be encouraged by one and all as research conducted by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) in 2014 revealed statistics that alarmed the nation.

An estimated 1.7 million individuals between the ages of 18 to 25 were reported to be impacted by mental health disorders due to substance abuse in that year alone. Further research in 2016 indicated that this figure had risen considerably and these numbers are expected to grow manifold by 2020 if effective preventive measures are not initiated at the earliest.

What Are The Essential Factors That Improve The Efficacy Of A Drug Prevention Program?

The government has identified the following measures in drug prevention research that need to be implemented to improve the efficacy of these programs:

Young adults need to be encouraged to openly discuss their fears and insecurities.

  • Family bonds between adolescents and their parents need to be stronger.
  • Drug prevention agendas need to be publicized with utmost clarity through interactive community forums.
  • Spreading the anti-drugs stance through multiple modes of communication as well as social media platforms.
  • Emphasis on confidence-building measures in the younger generation through counseling at educational institutions.

Drug prevention programs such as ‘Keepin It Real’ are helping young adults to effectively counter substance abuse and re-discover the joys of living a healthy, drug-free life!