Drug Abuse ? Can You Really Stop It?
Drug abuse is rampant and the drug of choice is changing. The onslaught of abuse of prescription drugs is being done by teens and young adults by the thousands, if not millions.
So, can this new drug of choice be stopped? Besides taking prescription pills out of medicine cabinets of parents and grandparents, how do you stop the sales from the street venders? Is it the supplier whom we need to stop – or the buyer?
Well, there’s the law of supply and demand. Reduce the demand and the suppliers go elsewhere in search of buyers. But how do we reduce the buyers when the use of these prescription drugs is done in secret?
Does education help? Not completely. There are no gross pictures to demonstrate the effects of abusing prescription drugs – unless you show them a dead body. Because many think they are infallible to having the drugs do anything real bad to them, they don’t heed the warning of don’t take alcohol with prescription drugs, especially pain pills.
Does peer pressure help to stop it? Actually, that’s what’s getting most of the teens and young adults to participate in the “drug parties” where prescriptions are thrown into a bowl and people choose them like they would candy. There is more peer pressure to participate in taking prescription pills, than trying to talk a person out of it.
Dose a parent’s discussion with their teens help avoid this problem? Not likely. Why? Because the discussion is focused on educating them about the bad effects of abusing the drugs.
So, what’s missing? Giving the teens and young adults an alternative.
I’m talking about providing a positive, uplifting, long-term solution. It’s getting them involved in learning how to plan for their future and take responsibility for their lives and stand up for what’s right.
Think of it this way. If the person has an awesome future to look forward to, has short-term goals they can work on almost every day, and they’re totally excited about their life and where they’re going in life and see all the possible things that can happen for them, then they won’t want to mess that up by abusing drugs.
Yes, I know that most teens (and even adults) don’t know what they want to do with their future. But what about their life at this moment? What are they passionate about? What is it that gets them totally turned on and excited when they do it? It could be a sport, some activity at school, some special project they’ve been wanting to do, or some cause that they believe in and would like to get involved in.
You see, a person needs not only a reason not to abuse drugs because of the bad side effects … but they also need a reason not to abuse drugs because they don’t want to mess up this fantastic future they have, or this awesome project they’re excited to be involved in.
If you’re a parent, help your kid discover what their passion in life is. In fact, you can probably walk this same path as you work together to uncover each of your passion in life.
If you’re the one abusing drugs, take a few minutes to write down what excited you in life. If you had all the money and time and necessary skills, what would you do with your life? What is the BIG dream for you?
Can drug abuse be stopped? Yes. It all starts with one person. Perhaps you.
If you need help in discovering your passion in life, I have a section my ebook “Out of Recovery & Into Living Your Dreams” that will help you do that. If you would like more information on what immediate steps you can take, you can get my free mp3 of “8 Immediate Action Steps To Take.” www.OvercomeAnyAddiction.org Also check out my ebook, membership program, and personal coaching program. Kathy Williamson, The Addictions Coach.