Why A Child Uses Drugs
Understandably, some parents of drug users think that peers or drug dealers might have pressured their children into taking drugs. Yes, that is part of the objective truth but there are more reasons in the subjective side either. Often, we hear children saying that they choose to use drugs because they want: to relieve boredom, forget their troubles, have fun, show their independence, and look cool.
Parents know their children best and are therefore in the best position to suggest healthy alternatives to doing drugs. Sports, clubs, music lessons, community service projects, and after school activities not only keep children and teens active and interested, but also gives them a positive sense of independence and, brings them closer to parents.
To give you a more clear perspective of why children use drugs, so that you can have a better understanding of the situation, here are the five most important reasons children give to why they use drugs:
REASON 1: TO FEEL GROWNUP
Children like to imitate adults. How many times we found children imitating the way we speak? Trying on our clothes or makeup? Having a pretend tea party or cocktail party? Dressing up to “go to work”?
To a child, being a grownup is a very desirable thing. Being “grownup” means freedom. Being “grownup” means making your own decisions. Being “grownup” means being able to eat and drink anything you want.
Young people like to “try on” our behaviors along with our grownup clothes. Lots of things fit into the grownup category: getting married, having babies, drinking alcohol, driving a car cross-country, working, and so forth.
If we ask young
people what messages we send about substance abuse, what might they say?
We might be surprised to find out just how grownup they feel when we ask
them to get us a beer from the refrigerator or an ashtray from the cupboard.
A child can understand and accept that there are differences between what adults may do legally and what is appropriate and legal for children. We want to continue to reinforce this understanding by not abusing legal substances or using illegal drugs. Most kids are already pushed hard to act like grownups. They see the advertisers appealing to this need on TV, radio, and billboards, etc. We must try not to use these appeals in our own homes, clubs, and gathering places.
ACTION STEPS
1. Try to be a good role model by not using illegal drugs or abusing of alcohol or tobacco. If you are using illicit drugs frequently or even occasionally, you are sending strong negative messages to your child, and they are more likely to use them too.
2. If you smoke or drink, don’t let your children be involved in you habits! Don’t ever ask them helping you to mix a drink, getting you a beer or a cigarette! However even if you use these substances, you can do lot to make sure that your children don’t. Try to drink moderately and refrain from always drinking for celebrations and holidays. Learn other ways to celebrate. The children you care for will learn a lot by imitating these coping strategies.
3. Point out examples and talk about those bad images, behaviors and what they mean. Children see many images on television, in the media, and elsewhere that give them misleading ideas of what it means to be a grownup. You can take opportunities to talk about this whenever you can. You might see someone smoking on the street or a scene on TV where someone’s taking drugs, or a billboard promoting beer. If the subject doesn’t come up naturally, you can prompt a discussion about it. Here are some guidelines:
Don’t lecture. Talk WITH the child. Ask
questions. Give feedback and positive support. Don’t label people
as bad or good-only their behavior. Drug
use for instance, is bad, but a drug abuser is not a bad person.
Make the distinction.
Here are some questions to start the discussion:
Is that advertisement
trying to sell you something? If
so, what?
Is that product healthy
for you?
How
is the sponsor of that product trying to get you to purchase it?
by making you feel unlovable (e.g., you won’t be liked very much if you don’t buy this product);
By making you feel left out (e.g., everybody else is buying this product so you should too, or you’ll be left out of the “cool” crowd);
By making you feel inadequate or unsuccessful (e.g., if you don’t buy this product, you won’t be able to do this or that as well as everyone else); and
By making you feel less masculine or less feminine (e.g., if you don’t drink this product, you’re a wimp, or if you don’t use this product, you won’t be beautiful).
How
did you feel about being manipulated by that message?
These questions can lead to another discussions about circumstances where young people might be trying to pressure each other to do something they don’t want to do.
REASON 2: To Fit In and Belong
Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason 4 Reason 5
Acknowledgement: This page was adapted by Alonso Lopez from the original Keeping Youth Drug-Free. U.S. Department of Health And Human Services. DHHS