How to prevent drug use in young people? 8 tips

Although currently it has been achieved that society in general shows an absolute rejection of drug use and is no longer considered a habit attractive and interesting, there is still a large number of people who consume addictive substances, especially among the young and Teen.

However, there are a series of guidelines or recommendations that we can carry out from our role as parents, relatives or friends, to prevent young people from starting to use drugs, as well as to stop the development of addiction if it has already started.

• Related article: "Types of drugs: know their characteristics and effects"

Adolescence and the risk of drug use

Adolescence and post-adolescence It is a highly confusing and complicated period of life. The fact that we still do not have a fully formed identity makes us highly influenceable and susceptible, since during this time the most desired objective is to be able to fit in and feel part of something

This need to fit in, coupled with the influence of our peers, the media, the television, the press and the very attitude of rebellion, together with the need to experience things new; make this period a risk factor for starting and developing an addiction to drugs.

It is necessary to specify that, when we talk about drug addiction It does not only refer to the most serious addictions or the strongest drugs and destructive, the daily consumption of drugs such as cannabis is increasing and in the medium-long term it can also have dire consequences.

• You may be interested in: "Addiction: disease or learning disorder?"

Why do some young people use drugs?

As we mentioned earlier, adolescence is a highly compromised stage of life in terms of drug use. However, there is no single factor that causes a young person or adolescent to feel attracted to any type of drug.

Social or group pressure is usually one of the main causes by which a teenager decides to start consuming some drug. The need to fit in and feel part of the group, as well as the pressure that this group can exert when consuming can be enough to start consuming.

Likewise, this stage of life is usually marked by strong feelings of misunderstanding and confusion, as well as a lack of self-esteem or of self-confidence can generate high levels of frustration that can lead to drug use as an escape route from these emotions.

At other times, drug use unfolds as an act of rebellion. A way of expressing the nonconformity that the adolescent experiences with what surrounds him. Drug use can be seen as a form of disobedience, both to parents or guardians and to the rest of society in general.

Finally, little knowledge of the real effects of any kind of drugs and the influence of some media that still show the consumption of these as something attractive and even interesting, favor the attractiveness and fascination that they cause on young people.

• Related article: "The 3 stages of adolescence"

8 guidelines to prevent drug use in adolescents

Despite all this, there are still things that family members, friends or society in general can carry out to help reduce, and even avoid, drug use by the most youths.

1. Inform

Despite the fact that there are currently numerous campaigns carried out by institutions and educational centers in which they try to inform the most young people about the risks of drug use, as family members and people with adolescents around us, we also become direct agents of prevention.

This means that we do not have to wait for adolescents to receive information about drugs from the outside, we ourselves can inform ourselves well and transmit that information, since the fact that it is someone close and trusted who transmits it can also be positive.

2. Develop your social skills

In a large number of cases, adolescents enter the world of drugs because someone from your own friendship group offers them to you. In these cases, the lack of social skills, as well as a lack of emotional education and assertive techniques cause the adolescent to accept consumption, together with the fear of being rejected.

Knowing this, education in social skills that allow young people to say "no" without any kind of fear are essential to prevent them from starting to consume.

3. Encourage the development of positive self-esteem

If we add to the fear of not fitting in that a large part of adolescents do not have sufficiently high self-esteem or do not feel confident enough with themselves, we will find in these traits a very important risk factor for drug use.

Therefore, help the development of high self-esteem that gives them self-confidence, will also be of great relevance when it comes to preventing young people from resorting to drugs as a way to feel better about themselves.

4. Develop critical sense

A well-informed adolescent with sufficient security will be much more capable of developing a critical sense of drug use. If we get the young person to judge drugs as they are, as well as for physical, psychological and social integrity, we will make it possible for them to refuse to consume any type of narcotic or addictive substance.

5. encourage dialogue

Try to talk to teenagers, show interest in their concerns, be non-judgmental, and gain their trust, will help them feel comfortable talking to us, tell us about their problems. In this way, it will be much easier for us to help them resolve them positively and not have to resort to drugs as an escape route or a way to avoid or forget them.

6. Do not try to overprotect them

Although this overprotection is no more than a reflection of the concern that parents or acquaintances feel about the habits of the youngest, these behaviors tend to be counterproductive.

Young people should perceive in their parents, relatives or guardians an attitude of acceptance, a place to which resort when they feel bad or distressed and, for this, we must convey that we are open to it but without being a burden.

7. Don't be bossy

At the beginning of the article we commented that adolescence is characterized by being a time of rebellion, in which going against what is imposed or established is almost a vital necessity.

Therefore, authoritarian education styles in which parents or guardians impose their opinion or their way of living in an intransigent way will not be effective at all when it comes to avoiding the consumption of drugs. In any case, it is always better to resort to dialogue and consensus.

8. Be consistent with our actions

We will rarely be able to prevent adolescents from consuming any type of drugs if they are also consumed at home. In the same way, for the message against drugs to be transmitted in the most effective way possible, our attitude towards them must also be stable and consistent.