ADOLESCENT ISSUE:

VICES

What are vices?

Any bad habit that provides pleasure to, yet causes bad effects on the person who practices it

Examples: drug use, excessive alcohol drinking, shopping, internet use, smoking, sex

Why do we have to talk about vices?

To learn about the influences that make people practice these habits that are considered vices

To learn about the effects of these activities to the people who do them

To prevent people from developing these habits

To diminish and gradually eliminate these habits (for those who have already developed them)

Drug Use

Injected opium, heroin or

diacetylmorphine or morphine diacetate or diamorphine

Inhaled rugby, methamphetamine hydrochloride or

shabu Ingested

methylenedioxymethamphetamine or ecstasy, marijuana

*sometimes smoked (smoking is considered a form of drug use)

Drug UseStatistics

1972 ~ 20,000 / 37 million 1997 ~ 1.7 million / 69 million 1999 ~ 3.4 million / 75 million 2004~ 6.7 million / 86 million Shabu, and marijuana are the illegal

drugs preferred by Filipinos aged 10 to 44 years.

65% of crimes are committed by suspects that are drug addicts

How does drug work?

Shabu/meth Methamphetamine stimulates release of

excessive dopamine (dopamine is produced in the nerve cells of the ventral tegmental area and is concerned with pleasure regulation in the brain. Upon entering the nerve cell, meth causes the stimulates release of dopamine which then binds to specialized receptors of other nerve cells creating the typical "rush."

Effects of using drugs

drug dependence drug addiction tolerance physical dependence psychological dependence

personal and social disorganization serious and sometimes fatal diseases hypersexual behavior

*These are the effects of using dugs for personal gratification and temporary adaptation.

DRUG DEPENDENCETolerance – as a person continues to take drugs, a greater amount of drug is needed to be taken in to produce the same effectPhysical dependence – physical need for a drug accompanied by unpleasant withdrawal symptomsPsychological dependence – strong desire and craving to repeat the use of a drug because of various emotional reasons, such as a feeling of well-being and reduction of stress

Smoking

“suicide in slow motion”

SmokingStatistics

One in every three Filipino teenagers aged 13 to 15 were already smokers, despite the existence of Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003. [World Health Organization, 2007: Global Tobacco Youth Survey (GYTS)]

Those who were raised with both parents present were less likely to smoke than those who grew up with a single parent

Those who have close relationships with parents were less likely to smoke [Teen Tobacco Epidemic in Asia, 2004]

Alcohol

Acts as depressant and slows down the brain’s activities

If used in sufficient amounts, it will damage or even kill biological tissues including muscle and brain cells.

Excessive alcohol drinking

In 1994, 60% or 5.3 million Filipino youths were said to be drinking alcoholic beverages.

About 4.2 million of them are males and 1.1 million are females.

On the average, Filipino youths start drinking alcohol at the age of 16 or 17. However, there are also many cases when children as young as 12 years old are already drinking alcoholic beverages.

The minimum legal drinking age is eighteen, but underage drinking is common in our country.

About 37 per cent of the respondents in the survey have continued the habit of drinking alcohol while 33 per cent said they only drink alcoholic beverages on special occasions. Some 17 per cent said they have already decided to stop the vice of drinking.

Among girls, drinking is more acceptable than smoking. But it is considered more appropriate for men than for women to drink.

The teenagers said their family, friends, and the mass media have influenced them to experiment with drinking alcohol.

The study indicated that those who are more likely to drink are those:• who are not living with parents (for example, college students living in dormitories)• whose parents approve of drinking• who frequently attending social gatherings• who enjoy going out to parties, bars and discos• who do not take part in sports activities

Effects of Alcohol

Reduced inhibition Impaired judgment Feel more talkative and more confident Skilled performance (such as driving)

become impaired Intellectual functioning, behavioral

control, and judgment become less efficient (as more alcohol is ingested)

Coma (extreme intoxication)Each of these behavioral effects varies according to how the adolescent's body metabolizes the alcohol, the individual's body weight, the amount of alcohol ingested, and whether previous drinking has led to tolerance.

Influences

Family Family time

Adolescent development Curiosity High-stimulation experiences: Appetite for

adventure and predilection for risks Friends

Peer pressure PEERsuasion

Culture Media

Why do adolescents take drugs?(Including smoking and drinking)

pleasurable sensations adapt to an ever-changing environment reduce tension and frustration relieve boredom and fatigue escape the harsh realities of the world by

giving inner peace, joy, relaxation, kaleidoscopic sensations, surges of exhilaration, or prolonged heightened situation

curiosity social reasons

Curiosity – intrigued by sensational accounts of drugs in the media, or even popular songsSocial reasons – allows adolescents to feel more comfortable and to enjoy the company of others

Reduction

The first approach is primary prevention for non-users. Involved here are the Departments of Education, Labour and

Employment; The Commission on Higher Education; and other government and non-government agencies. The mass media – both broadcast and print, also play an important role here.

The second approach is secondary prevention for “experimenters” and casual drug users. The Department of Health is the lead agency here, with

support from the Department of Social Work and Community Development, the local government units and the Philippine National Police.

The third approach is tertiary prevention for addicts and recovering persons. The Department of Health is also the lead agency here.

Agencies

Narcotic Foundation of the Philippines Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Narcotics Group of the Philippine National Police

(PNP) National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Narcotics

Division Bureau of Customs Drug Interdiction Unit National Drug Law Enforcement and Prevention

Coordinating Centre (DEP Centre) National Anti-Drug Program of Action (NADPA) Department of Health Dangerous Drugs Board

PREVENTION AND CURE

Therapy – involves the ability to determine the mental health status of clients and provide them with the help necessary to improve their coping abilities.

FOUR BASIC CATEGORIES OF THERAPY

1. Individual therapy – the client and the therapist explore together in private the feelings, emotions, and attitudes of the client

2. Family therapy – therapy which is limited to the client and his/her parents or may include family members as well

3. Group therapy – the therapist interacts with each individual within a small group of people (normally no more than ten) and encourages them to interact with one another.

4. Couple therapy – the working through of problems between two individuals (who need not be related) with a mental-health worker.

Prevention: reducing “the incidence of new cases of mental disorder in the population by combating harmful forces which operate in the community and by strengthening the capacity of people to withstand stress” (Caplain, 1974 as cited in Adams and Gullota, 1989).

TOOLS OF PREVENTION

1. Education- By increasing our knowledge we can

change attitudes and behavior that hurt ourselves or others.

Example: Public service announcements, printed materials, etc 

2. Community Organization/Systems Intervention

- It is focused on achieving a more equitable distribution of power to improve the standard of living of a group of people within a community.

Example: Neighborhood associations, rehabilitation of housing stock

3. Competency Promotion- It promotes a feeling of being a part of,

rather than apart from, society. It encourages feelings of worth, care for others, and belief in oneself.

Example: Art and theater programs, assertiveness training

4. Natural care giving- It recognizes the ability within each of us

to help a fellow human being. It involves behaviors such as sharing of knowledge, experiences, companionship, and when necessary, confrontation.

Examples: Coaches, lawyers, friends

Thank you for listening!

SOURCES: Adams, G., and Gullota, T. (1969). Adolescent Life

Experiences. United States of America: Wadsworth, Inc.

Manaster, G. (1969). Adolescent Development. United States of America: F. E. Peacock Publishers, Inc.

Monde Nissin Corporation (2011). Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga. Retrieved from http://www.kainangpamilyamahalaga.com

Shaffer, D. (1949). Social and Personality Development. United States of America: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.

Santrock, J. W. (2008). Adolescence, 12th Ed. New York, USA: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.