Psychosocial factors comparative study between substance abusers and non-abusers

Description

Background Substance abuse has created storm and strife in many countries. Millions of dollars are spent internationally to prevent this menace by treating addicts, and fighting drug-related crime. Substance abuse causes multiple problems for the individual, family and society as a whole. The medical and psychological effects are very obvious. Addicts cannot function as normal members of society. They neglect or abuse their families, and eventually require expensive treatment or hospitalization. They are also most vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS. Besides this the affected youth have high tendency to attempt suicide. Substance abuse is an ordered intake of a material (drug) in which the intaker consumes the material (drug) in amounts or with particular manner which is neither prescribed nor supervised by professionals (Medical professionals). If any activity is done using the materials against the rules and regulations of the matter (As intake of steroids by sports persons for enhancement of performance in sports), it is also a version of substance abuse.Usage of various substances like drug narcotics, cannabis, stimulants, depressents etc is classified as drug /substance abuse. Substance abuse often includes problems with a persons control and behavior. In DSM V manual issued by American Psychological Association, the categories of substance abuse and substance dependence have been eliminated and replaced with an overarching new category of substance use disorders with the specific substance used defining a specific disorder. In India, in last 10 years around 25,426 people commited sucide due to substance absue.The matter is very much serious because the number of substance abusers increasing day by day at an alarming rate. Also the bitter truth is that substance abuse problem exceeds poverty and dowry problems in last 10 years (Data Team, Hindustan Times, 2014). In Kashmir, the situation is equally grave. The various issues at present in Kashmir are; rising unemployment, late marriage, broken relationship etc, but the most important are on going.