Hyderabad: More than 50 per cent of the students in a classroom have, at some time or the other, used an addictive drug. This was stated by students who have been going through a rehabilitation programme to kick the habit for good.
LSD and MDMA can have a long-term effect on the health of the users of the drug, with the nervous system getting affected and disorientation, severe hallucinations and depression as the other fall-outs.
Dr P. K.N. Choudhary, senior psychiatrist, said, “It depends on the dosage taken by students. There has been a rise in addiction and we are dealing with students who state that in their class of 50 at least 30 have used it once in a while. This high number shows the penetration of the drugs in the student community and its easy availability.”
There are short- and long-term effects of drugs. Many students also use the drug for a temporary kick or high, while others use it regularly and are into severe addiction, says experts.
The cases of severe addiction are often handled at the clinical level where the patients come with severe delusions, visual hallucinations, artificial sense of euphoria, panic attacks, severe depression and psychosis. There is also impaired perception where size, shapes and objects are distorted often accompanied by severely terrifying thoughts and feelings.
Senior psychiatrist Dr Preeti Swaroop said, “On the physical side, we find that there is loss of appetite, sleeplessness and also tremors. Rehabilitation is a long process and requires intense support from the family. Many of them get into stealing, robbery and also other criminal activities and they require a lot of support from the family.”
Precautionary measures
- Parents have to keep an eye on their children without letting them know that they don't trust them.
- Keep a tab on children without sounding too intrusive or inquisitive.
- Do not give a lot of pocket money.
- If you have to give pocket money, demand expenditure details.
- If children ask money, citing school requirements, talk to the teachers.
- Talk about their career plans.
- Do not give too much liberty, have someone responsible monitor the kids.
- Choose household staff like drivers, servants carefully.
- Have good relationship with children as it allows them to resist peer pressure.
- Spend more time with children as lack of love, lack of time with family and loneliness can push kids into bad habits.
- If you must give smartphones to kids, monitor what they access.
