Gopiram Poonam, Kishore M Thomas
Air Force Academy, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Centre for Health Psychology, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Indian J Psychol Med. 2014 Jan;36(1):58-61. doi: 10.4103/0253-7176.127252.
Substance abuse is one of the major health challenges across the globe. Adolescents are among the most affected. This study aims to examine the reasons for initiation, maintenance of harmful use of substances and abstinence among adolescents and young adults by comparing the users and non-users.
Accordingly, 40 users and 40 non-users of substances, aged 15-24 years were selected through convenient sampling method.
It was found that most of the users had initiated substance abuse during 15-18 years of age, with peer influence, curiosity and sense of growing being the major reasons for the same. 'Feel good' and socialization were the main reasons for maintenance. The non-users never gave into substances because of personal values, awareness of the impact on health and family values. Both users and non-users had specific personal reasons for their respective behaviors.
Young population would use substance for various psychosocial reasons despite knowing the harmful effects of substance. These findings have specific implications for preventive programs.
药物滥用是全球主要的健康挑战之一。青少年是受影响最严重的群体之一。本研究旨在通过比较使用者和非使用者，探讨青少年和青年开始、维持药物有害使用及戒除的原因。
因此，通过方便抽样法选取了40名年龄在15至24岁之间的药物使用者和40名非使用者。
发现大多数使用者在15至18岁期间开始药物滥用，同伴影响、好奇心和成长感是主要原因。“感觉良好”和社交是维持滥用的主要原因。非使用者因个人价值观、对健康影响的认识和家庭价值观而从未沾染药物。使用者和非使用者各自的行为都有特定的个人原因。
尽管知道药物的有害影响，但年轻人仍会出于各种心理社会原因使用药物。这些发现对预防项目有特定的启示。
