Tag: Mental health

Drug Abuse by the Youths: Rehabilitation Centres Needed Bismarck Kpobi to Government

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The Psychiatric Nurse and Concern Citzen if Ghana, Bismarck Kpobi upon research discovered that Drug abuse has become a global phenomenon affecting almost every country though the extent and characteristics vary depending on the country in question.

Drug Abuse by the Youths

In an interview with Dikoder.com, he explained that, marijuana and alcohol have been identified as the major drugs of abuse among the youth in Ghana. These drugs are becoming more and more a public health concern and they represent one of the leading causes of preventable deaths , illnesses and injury.

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According to the young Psychiatric Nurse, he said, the age of abuse of marijuana and alcohol is relatively low , 10-15 years and experimentation has been found to be the main reason for the start of the abuse. These two drugs in addition to cigarettes, Cocaine, and many pharmaceutical drugs of high heroine origin, either in one or combine( mixed) usage are really destroying lives and the country’s human resources and economy.

Drug Abuse by the Youth

“The course of the alarming rate of the abuse especially among the youth can be traced to the high unemployment among the youth, the frustration of highly qualified students not having access for further education, and the general economic situations in the country” …

“Ignorance, on the part of the victims, interpersonal relationship with families and peer pressure, Media , availability of the drugs, cost of the drugs, urbanisation, slum communities and some culture factors are the causes” he said.

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Pening down notes Bismarck further raised another concern of a disease called aphrodisiac. He said, aphrodisiac works by stimulating nerve centres in the spine , thereby improving the capacity for erection without increasing Sexual excitement. These drugs, some call it herbal Viagra . Unfortunately, there are side effects to taking these herbs which include; anxiety, weakness, overstimulation, paralysis, and hallucinations depending on the type.

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“Too much use of these Viagra puts much pressure on the internal organs of the male partner which in long round leads to many Illnesses . Normal Sexual intercourse doesn’t take much time , the emphasis should rather be on the satisfaction to be given the female partner . Overworking ourselves with drugs to impressing women cannot be exclusive of many youthful death among the youth especially the males he stated.

However, Government spending on substance abuse treatment is seen as an extra financial burden on an already strained budget.

Furthermore, drug addictions can threaten Civic safety, given that people under the influence of drugs may have a distorted view of the world around them and are prone to participating in improper behaviors such as armed robbery, domestic violence which is rampant these days on our communities. Such victims of substance abuse can become danger to the families, general public and the environment. Substance Abuse also increases the risks of spreading infectious diseases such as HIV AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis since these victims share blades ,needles and many other sharps .

Drug Abuse by the Youth

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“The aforementioned outline should be of utmost priority to the government to saving our future leaders now before the youth die and leave their parents. Government should come out with rehabilitation centres to attending to such victims by reorientating them back to the community for productive works. Appreciable percentage of the MoH budget Should be pushed into Mental Health Psychiatry to taking care of such fast looming time bomb when not control now. All stakeholders who matter in ensuring moral values and proper upbringing of children should add their voices for government to taking needed steps in addressing substance Abuse in the country among the youth” he said.

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Ref: WHO Study Substance Abuse,2003, The Pan African Medical Journal, 30th Dec ,2019.

Bismark Kwabla Kpobi
Concerned Citizen/ Mental Health/Psychiatric Nurse.
0209001524 WhatsApp
0540824809 calls.