Parental Obligation in Drug Abuse Prevention

Children as young as 8th graders are now capable of drug abuse. The drug called Ecstasy/MDMA is now being experimented on by these curious children. But is it really just curiosity that led them to experiment with and abuse this drug? More often than not, parents can be so preoccupied with their jobs or their social lives, their personal or marital issues that they begin to neglect their children. Childhood and adolescence is actually a crucial phase of character formation and as such, serious issues can arise if adolescents are not guided accordingly. Matters like peer pressure, school performance, depression and search for identity are real life issues for adolescents.

When unable to cope as there is no parental support or supervision, adolescents can possibly turn to drug abuse. Ecstasy which can be in the form of a tablet or capsule can induce mental stimulation, a warm, fuzzy emotional feeling, enhanced sensory perceptiveness and heightened physical energy. This “hype” can provide excitement for drug abusers, or it can be a relief for their emotional burden. Ecstasy abuse has adverse effects such as nausea, teeth clenching, chills, muscle cramps, sweating and blurred vision which can be detrimental with prolonged use. Drug abuse can possibly lead to drug addiction. How would you feel as a parent if as early as 12 years old, your child is already introduced to potential drug addiction? Drug addiction is almost always destructive leading to unhappiness and a poor quality of life – and it starts with drug abuse.

If you have any suspicions or discover that your child is into drug abuse, it is expedient that you take preventive measures before the problem gets out of hand. Drug abuse is a problem that can become an endless predicament not only for your child but for your family as well. The first step to consider is to include a family based drug abuse prevention program wherein you initially improve your family bonding and relationship. Family bonding will serve as the cornerstone for parent-child relationship. Parents must also strive to learn and enhance parenting skills through education and awareness. As you become better parents, inculcate an open line of communication with your child as you freely discuss and enforce family policies on drug abuse.

It is foremostly essential that parents are properly educated and informed about abuse of drugs. Make it an effort to be involved in your child’s affairs and issues and support them as well. Aside from that, always make time for careful parental monitoring of your child’s activities. Drug abuse prevention starts in the home and it would be wise for parents to participate in a drug abuse prevention program. Enrolling in this program can make a remarkable difference between you and your child’s personal relationship, and not only on matters of drug abuse. This sets the foundation for an emotionally secure adolescent who will see no need to resort to drugs to cope with their issues.

A drug abuse prevention program can give tremendous benefits such as parents being able to set rules and discipline for the child and being able to talk with them about drug abuse. It would also enable the parents to monitor their child’s activities and friends as well as understanding their problems and conce
s and becoming involved in their learning. Being a parent entails a great responsibility in securing a stable and well-rounded character for your child that goes beyond adolescence.