WHAT IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE?

Addictive substances are natural or synthetic substances that are not essential for life; they affect brain functions and all bodily systems, causing permanent changes in organ systems over time.

The pathological use of substances is classified into two categories.

Substance abuse refers to experiencing problems—such as failing to fulfill basic life responsibilities, exposing oneself to physical danger, and committing criminal offenses—that recur over the course of a year as a result of repeated substance use.

Substance dependence, on the other hand, is defined as the substance playing the most important role in a person’s life, the individual losing control over their substance use, and the presence of physical, psychological, and social problems resulting from that use.

We know that young people, especially during adolescence, tend to be curious and outgoing. These years are also known as the “gang years” and are the period when children are most vulnerable to danger. It is important to keep in mind that during this age range, they are going through a phase where they are influenced both by their peers and by negative role models in print and visual media, which can lead them toward substance abuse.

We should not assume that this trend can be prevented solely through measures that families can take. We all have responsibilities, both as a society and as individuals.

When the media reports on well-known figures from the worlds of art and sports, the impact on young people of highlighting celebrities with addictions in this light should not be overlooked.

In Istanbul, local authorities and relevant organizations are developing solutions and working to help individuals—particularly those aged 15 and older—who use volatile substances break free from this addiction; however, it is crucial for all institutions to collaborate to prevent access to these substances. Deterrent penalties under the law must be revised. Every possible form of support should be provided to expand sports and educational opportunities so that children can engage in extracurricular social activities.

Public service announcements should be aired frequently—especially at times when young people are likely to be watching—to highlight the dangers and health problems caused by substance abuse.

Local governments should make a point of keeping this issue on the public agenda by organizing seminars for the public and young people in their respective areas, in collaboration with civil society organizations, law enforcement agencies, and experts in the field—including doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and educators.

However, the way the topic is presented is important, as information about excessive substance use can sometimes go beyond its intended purpose and spark interest and curiosity.

Another issue is the recent increase in situations where citizens come face-to-face with individuals who, after using volatile substances, are prone to committing murder, highway robbery, and similar acts of violence. Unfortunately, it is not easy to recognize an addict from the outside in such situations. Because the addict is under the influence of the substance they’ve used, they are not behaving normally, and anyone encountering such an individual should choose to defuse the situation without harm by handing over any money or valuables that may be demanded. As a precaution, one should avoid carrying valuable items or jewelry that might attract attention from the outside.

According to statistics, the number of people who use illicit drugs is increasing every year. Many factors, including family dynamics, are contributing to this increase.

However, the main factor is curiosity. In addition, the desire to fit in among friends, the sense of belonging to a community or group, and the need for acceptance are among the reasons that drive young people to use inhalants.

Another reason for the sharp increase in substance use in recent years is social media platforms. Children and young people can easily organize through these sites and instantly learn about events happening on the other side of the world; in fact, as a result of such organization, they are sometimes able to participate in collective actions that make the news.

Everything that’s trendy, new, and popular among young people can be easily discovered and accessed from anywhere in the world—in just a matter of minutes.

In substance abuse, peer groups, family attitudes, individual personality and predispositions, biological factors, and sociocultural factors also play a role.

For example, while a low socioeconomic status poses a high risk in some countries, the easy availability of substances can be a significant risk factor in others.

Parents have certain responsibilities when it comes to helping young people break free from these kinds of habits. If a parent suspects their child is using volatile substances—and especially if they discover this is the case—they must be careful in how they interact with their child.

The first thing a family can do is, above all, to actually be a “family.” Unfortunately, one of our biggest problems in recent years is that when everyone comes home in the evening, they lock themselves away in their own rooms in front of their screens and spend the entire evening with almost no conversation.

While we know in detail what the characters in TV shows are up to and are curious about them, being parents who focus solely on our children’s grades means we can’t keep track of what they’re doing—and that leads to us drifting apart from one another. It’s not the parents’ job to be their friends.

Our responsibility is to be good parents and to set a positive example for them as a consistent and caring family. A young person struggling with substance abuse needs to receive serious treatment and therapy support, as does their family.

Unfortunately, we are still far behind the rest of the world in terms of the number of trained specialists in this field. We are a country that is trying to treat substance use disorders with a limited number of healthcare facilities. Moreover, substance use disorders involving inhalants are not a well-known area.

In fact, this addiction stems from the fact that these volatile substances—new varieties of which emerge every day—are not well known. It starts with experimental use, and as with almost all addictions, the first step is usually taking up smoking.

Parents are complaining that their children’s behavior has changed; the children’s overall condition—both physical and psychological—is visibly changing.

In particular

– inattention,

– fatigue,

– fatigue,

– changes in temperament and behavior,

– a decline in academic performance and school absenteeism,

– extreme irritability,

– aggression,

– a lack of concern for personal hygiene and self-care,

– friends who change suddenly,

– the differences among the groups he belongs to,

– excessive spending,

– slips of the tongue,

– speech disorders,

– absent-mindedness,

– Behavioral changes, such as withdrawal, are observed.

When a family learns that their child is using drugs, they initially experience shock and disappointment. They usually feel intense anger. That is why it is important for the family to undergo therapy as well. To help their child, parents must first and foremost maintain their resilience and morale. This treatment is difficult, but not impossible.

Finally, based on some of the reasons that lead to substance abuse and some of the cases I’ve encountered, I’d like to discuss treatment methods.

Substance use disorder is generally not a problem that can be treated by a single specialty. It requires the effective collaboration of multiple disciplines working together.

For this reason, addiction treatment must be conducted in settings where medical doctors, psychiatrists, and psychologists work together.

There are centers such as AMATEM that were established for this purpose. Treatment is provided through medication and psychotherapy. Treatment may need to be spread out over long periods. In some cases, inpatient treatment is required.

It is essential that the team and specialists conducting the treatment be trained and qualified in the field of addiction. Therefore, a more comprehensive approach is generally required than a treatment that could be conducted by a single specialist.

Today, addiction is the greatest threat facing children and young people. The figures revealed by research show some striking results. These results highlight just how seriously this issue must be taken and underscore the importance of acting swiftly and in a solution-oriented manner to implement urgent measures.

Conducted by the Health and Education Association and serving as Turkey’s first comparative study on drug use, under the coordination of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kültegin Ögel, the study, which involved 3,168 10th-grade students attending 104 classes in 43 schools across 15 districts of Istanbul, found that:

Tobacco use fell by 72.7 percent in 2004 compared to 2001, alcohol use fell by 17.6 percent, while cannabis use increased by 75 percent compared to 2001,

The use of volatile substances increased by 40.5 percent, the use of sedative pills sold with a green prescription by 15.8 percent, the use of narcotic pills by 184.6 percent, and the use of synthetic pills by 287. 5, and a 100 percent increase in heroin use,

Drug use is more common among boys than among girls, but an increase has been observed among girls in recent years,

It was noted that while volatile substances were the most readily available illicit substance in 2001, marijuana was the most readily available in 2004, and that the substance with the highest availability was ecstasy, a synthetic pill.

Mustafa Necati Özfatura, President of the Turkish Yeşilay Society, pointed out that a study conducted by the Ministry of Health in seven major cities revealed that first-time substance users turn to this habit due to factors such as peer pressure and curiosity, and added “The most critical issue facing the global public is the drug crisis. In our country, 30 million people are addicted to cigarettes, 7 million are alcoholics, and 5–6 million are addicted to prescription drugs. In this context, Turkey is practically a ‘Country of Addicts,’” he said. Özfatura noted that, according to figures from the Tobacco, Tobacco Products, and Alcoholic Beverages Market Regulation Board, he revealed that in 2004, 108 billion 870 million 390 thousand 620 cigarettes—or approximately 5.5 billion packs—were consumed in Turkey, and that over 11 quadrillion lira was spent on them.

What Are Addictive Substances?

Heroin, cocaine, marijuana, LSD, inhalants (bali, paint thinner), alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, barbiturate-based pain relievers, sedatives, barbiturate-based sleeping pills, opiate-based medications, codeine-based cough medicines, crack, hallucinogens, etc.

The stages of substance use in adolescents are as follows:

Experimental use: This typically involves starting to use the substance occasionally for pleasure, often out of curiosity. Young people tend to think that using the substance isn’t all that bad or dangerous. However, they often progress to the second stage.

Social Use: People try to continue the changes they experience when using the substance in social settings with friends. It can become a social activity shared with like-minded individuals.

Regular Use: Misuse has now become widespread. While one group uses it for pleasure, another uses it to relieve unhappiness and tension.

Addictive Use: The young person now feels compelled to use drugs in order to feel “normal”; they no longer experience the pleasure they did at first and may increase their dose.

Signs of Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is characterized by the following physical, emotional, and social symptoms.

Physical Symptoms:

  • Weight loss,
  • Nasal irritation,
  • Absent-mindedness,
  • Pain,
  • Gait disorder,
  • Eye redness,
  • Sleep disorder,
  • Digestive system problems such as constipation and diarrhea,
  • Difficulty breathing,
  • Facial flushing and pallor,
  • Pupillary constriction,
  • Speech disorder,
  • Sweating,
  • Tremor,
  • Imbalance.

Social and Emotional Symptoms:

 

  • A decline in academic performance,
  • Receiving a disciplinary penalty,
  • Dropping out of school or quitting a job,
  • Mood swings,
  • Loss of interest, loss of desire,
  • Stiffness,
  • Cognitive impairments,
  • A neglected appearance,
  • Withdrawal,
  • Changing one’s environment,
  • Excessive spending,
  • Leaving Home

 

Factors That Increase Addiction

  • Misconceptions and misinformation regarding substance use,
  • The desire to prove that one has grown up and a sense of rebellion,
  • Curiosity,
  • The search for excitement,
  • Peer pressure,
  • Psychological problems,
  • The traps set by drug dealers,
  • The fear that he won’t be able to cope with the challenges,
  • Imitating a parent or another family member,
  • Impulsive behavior, an irritable personality,
  • Inconsistent and overly strict discipline, family conflict,
  • A mother and father’s lack of interest in their child,
  • Unrealistic expectations from family and friends, and a failure to recognize current achievements,
  • A lack of self-confidence,
  • A parent’s tolerant attitude toward substance use,
  • The explicit and implicit motivational effects of the media.

Tips for Young People

Steps to take to protect yourself from substance abuse and harmful habits:

  • Spending quality time with parents and maintaining good communication,
  • Focusing on class, continuing academic work,
  • Having a religious and understanding family and social circle,
  • Participating in professional internships and courses, researching where you can receive training in this field,
  • First and foremost, a person must get to know themselves, discover their interests and talents in various areas, focus on those areas, and establish their life values,
  • If they are having trouble understanding themselves, they should participate in counseling and guidance sessions,
  • Learning a problem-solving approach,
  • Developing assertiveness skills (learning to say no),
  • Reading books by identifying areas of interest,
  • Making friends with a group that exhibits healthy behaviors,
  • Participation in activities that stimulate the mind (chess, checkers, effective use of computers),
  • Participating in sports activities organized by the university and other institutions (basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, skiing, handball, badminton, swimming, artistic gymnastics, cycling, hiking, mountaineering, bowling, table tennis, paragliding, ice skating, rafting, badminton, billiards),
  • Engaging in artistic activities (piano, violin, bağlama, guitar, organ, painting, ebru, calligraphy, stained glass, jewelry design, etc.),
  • By reading the autobiographies of successful people, learning about their life stories,
  • Since cola, caffeinated beverages, and energy drinks can also be addictive, these beverages should be consumed in moderation,
  • Be mindful of the use of potentially addictive medications and use them responsibly (muscle relaxants, pain relievers, sleep aids, sedatives),
  • Participating in and taking on roles in social welfare activities organized by various institutions and organizations,
  • Becoming a member of clubs or associations organized by universities or other institutions and organizations, and participating in their activities,
  • Participation in cultural activities (field trips, conferences, seminars, movies, theater, concerts, poetry readings),
  • Working for media organizations such as magazines, newspapers, radio stations, and television stations that broadcast locally or nationally,
  • Participating in courses on various topics (handicrafts, sewing and embroidery, cooking and baking, table setting, foreign languages, public speaking and diction, skin care, etc.),
  • Avoid environments and people where drugs and alcohol are used (since alcohol leads to a loss of control, it increases substance use).

Addiction is a progressive disease. The process of addiction begins with “experimentation.” If a person enjoys what they’ve tried, they want to do it again. Occasional use can quickly turn into addiction. However, addicts do not accept their condition and deny it. Their common defense is that they enjoy using the substance and can quit whenever they want. This is self-deception and a step toward worsening their addiction.

It’s very easy to become addicted to drugs, but it’s very hard to overcome addiction. It may take years of treatment to overcome this problem.

If you have this kind of habit, don’t wait—seek help from a psychiatrist, psychologist, or mental health counselor right away.