A Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr. Michael Amedu, has called for a broad-based approach towards mitigating substance use disorders among young people in the country.
Amedu made the call while speaking on “Substance Use Disorders among Young People,” at a training organized by a Non Governmental Organization, NGO, Strides and Frontiers Nigeria Ltd, in Makurdi, the Benue state capital.
The session was themed, “Substance Use Disorder Among Young Persons: Mitigating The Tide.”
Dr. Amedu who works with the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, said the problem of drug use is so big that it requires all hands on deck to nip it in the bud.
According to the psychiatrist, while some studies have it that between 20 to 45 percent of young people in Benue are using drugs, other studies put the figure at 55 percent.
He expressed worry that from age 10 to 29 years, some children are already exposed to use of drugs and other substances which he said, accounts for negative biological, psychological and social effects such as hypertension, heart failure, liver disease, depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, stigma, lose of dignity and self worth, unemployment, poor financial management to mention a few.
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Amedu said in mitigating the tide, “it needs the participation of spirited individuals, families, parents, governments, the society, NGOs religious and traditional organizations.
“It has to be tackled at the level of families. Parents need to be more involved in the lives of their children to detect it early because at an early stage, it is easy to treat.”
He said schools need to watch out, religious bodies need to instill spirituality in the congregation while the government must work with professionals to create policies that will reduce the tide to the barest minimum.
Earlier, welcoming participants on behalf of Strides and Frontiers, Mr. Abel Augustine noted that while it is true that substances are used for leisure, treatment of ailments among other positive benefits, it is also true that misuse of same has fueled numerous vices such as crime, violence, cultism, human trafficking, gangsterism, financial losses as well as suicide.
He also noted that substance misuse often leads to exposure to risky sexual behaviours or abnormal sexual orientation such as same sex, accidents; vehicular, domestic or occupational like accidental discharge, declining grades, absenteeism from school, withdrawal from games among others.
Mr. Augustine, therefore, explained that the sensitization training was a deliberate and proactive step by the organization to save the youth and halt the darkness that threatens their future.
