COUNSELLING STRATEGIES FOR CURBING ADOLESCENT DRUG ADDICTION
ABSTRACT
This study aims to identify counselling strategies that can be used to curb adolescent drug abuse in a selected secondary school in Lagos State. Four secondary schools were randomly chosen for data collection. Each school was given 100 questionnaires, and their responses were analyzed. Four hypotheses were formulated or raised from the responses, and the chi-square analysis rejected all. Some recommendations were made. The federal and state governments should work together to establish drug education programs for adolescents.
CHAPTER ONE COUNSELLING STRATEGIES FOR CURBING ADOLESCENT DRUG ADDICTION
INTRODUCTION
- Background Of The Study
Like any other human being on earth, students need many things. Psychological and physiological needs also guide their development. They have to belong to a social group, they need to be accepted and want to be recognized or recognize the presence of others, they want to be loved and need to love others too, and they need to be self-actualizing. The home, the school system and the society are supposed to cater for all the needs. For one reason or the other, the home, the school and the society may not be able to provide all these needs at the given point in time. These lapses can result in different types of negative behaviours. Such negative behaviours are rape, dishonesty, absenteeism, bullying, stealing, disobedience, lying, nervousness, examination malpractice, cultism, disturbance, brandishing dangerous weapons, gambling, pornography, pretence, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, gossiping, gangsterism, promiscuity, sexual harassment and disobedience to mention a few. Of all the ones mentioned in this work, drug addiction is chosen as our focus. (Odigwe 2010, Bichler 1976).
The reasons for the interest in drug addiction are not far fetched. Students are getting influenced daily to try the use of one drug or the other to get out of one perceived and unrealistic problem or the other in their daily encounters, either as a result of ignorance, peer influence or absolute freedom. It is a global phenomenon, and it deserves the observation and attention of society both at home and abroad.
Adolescent drug addictions are very rampant today. According to experts,” Addiction to substances is a multifaceted brain disorder. It is characterized by an obsessional and sometimes unpredictable drug craving and seeking and use, which persists even in the face of incredibly negative effects. Drug-seeking becomes compulsive, largely due to the effects of prolonged drug use on brain functioning and behaviour for many people; drug addiction becomes chronic, with relapses possible even after long periods of abstinence (Klitzner, Fisher, Stewart and Golbert 1993).
Many drugs are abused by adolescents globally. Such drugs are given common street names. Among the world’s advanced countries, “Ecstacy” is a slang used for MDMA (3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine). It is also called a “club drug” It is a combination of drugs and chemicals. Other names for it are “E”, “XTC”, “X”, “Adam”, “hug”, “beans”, “clarity”, “Lover’s speed”, and “love drug”.
In Nigeria, for instance, drugs are called several names. Among such names are Eja, Ganja, Igbo, and Marijuana. Other abused drugs are efferdrin, codeine, and alcoholic drinks: ogogoro, dry gins, cocaine, heroin, and Nescafeand. One can give a rough estimate of adolescents involved in drug addiction in Nigeria as 50%. For example, all cult boys in Nigeria are into drug addiction regrettably because medical attention has not been able to solve the problems of adolescent drug addiction; this work will stress the need for counselling strategies to solve the problems of adolescent drug addiction in Nigeria.
- Statement of the Problem
Drug addiction has a lot of disadvantages and advantages. Many drug addicts the adolescent feel that the drugs enhance their performances in all spheres of life; studies and experiences have shown that they end up doing negative and destructive things when they get involved in drugs or when they use drugs. It leads them to commit all sorts of crimes they would have run away from if they were in their normal senses, especially when they stay away from any form of drugs.
Most drug users, including the adolescents who are addicted, are usually underachievers. They are also a nuisance. Whenever they are “high”, they commit all sorts of crimes. Therefore, it is a real problem worldwide, and this study seeks to use a counselling strategy to solve the problem of adolescent drug addiction in our society.
- Purpose of the Study
The following is the summary of the objective of the study:
- To examine causes of drug addiction among secondary school students.
ii To describe the effect of drug addiction on adolescent
iii. To identify suitable counselling strategies that can help in reducing drug addiction among secondary school students.
- To find out various ways of rehabilitating secondary school drug addicts so that they can be useful to society after proper counselling.
1.4 Research Questions
– Is there any significant relationship between counselling strategies and ways of solving the problems of adolescent drug addiction?
Is there any significant effect of counselling strategies and curbing males and females addicted to drugs?
– Is there any significant relationship between peer influence and the use of counselling strategies to curb adolescent drug addiction?
– Is there any significant relationship between the consequences of drug addiction and adolescent well being?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
H01: There is no significant relationship between counselling strategies and ways of solving the problems of adolescent drug addiction.
H02: There is no significant effect of counselling strategies and ways of curbing male and female drug-addicted students in secondary schools.
H03: There is no specific relationship between the peer influence and the use of counselling strategies to curb adolescent drug addiction.
H04: There is no significant relationship between consequences of drug addiction and adolescent well being.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study is quite significant because the result will be useful to educational practitioners, counsellors, social workers, parents, adolescents and the government at various levels. It will help the parents to inculcate and instil the right type of upbringing and discipline into their adolescents children. Parents will certainly know how to be close and be of good influence to their children. The parents will know at the early stages of the adolescent who has started using drugs and the necessary steps to address the problem. It will help the parents to prevent adolescent romance with drugs at an early stage, thereby preventing them from drug addiction.
The study will be useful to all educational practitioners to detect adolescent drug addiction early enough, to help the adolescent and prevent the bad influence on other peer group. Since charity begins at home, the parents, counsellors, and social workers can work together to help the adolescent. The marriage counsellors and social workers will benefit in that all the strategies for curbing adolescent drug addiction can be used while practising their profession and counselling the adolescent.
This study will be useful in all tiers of government because it will help the government look into issues concerning adolescents and families in society. It will help the government know how to legislate and monitor the flow and channel of drugs in society. It will help them prevent the nefarious activities of drug barons and their negative influence on society.
The focus is the adolescent; the study is intended to make them free from drug addiction so that they can be useful, well educated and become good achievers in society. The result will help parents and society help adolescents realize their goals and be fulfilled in society. The study is interested in protecting and preventing them from drug addiction.
Finally, the study is also interested in ensuring that those involved in drug addiction should be helped to overcome the devastating effects as soon as possible. Such adolescent needs rehabilitation through the assistance of counsellors.
- Limitation of the Study
The study aims to determine the impact of counselling strategies on curbing secondary school drug-addicted students.
Ideally, the study will be more meaningful if it is extended to adult drug addiction, but this could not be possible due to constraints of time and finance.
- Definition of Terms
- Adolescence – Adolescence is a stage that involves the transition from childhood to adulthood, in which considerable physical and mental changes take place.
- Counsellor – A counsellor or a therapist is an adult with special training to help people sort through their different feelings and problems.
- Drug Addiction – Addiction is characterized by someone having to use a drug repeatedly, regardless of the damage it does to their: health, career, family, relationships with friends and the community, and nation.
- Counselling Strategies – Counselling strategies are approaches used to change an individual’s behaviour.
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