Edges Magazine Issue 35 - Why A Drug Addict?

EDGES MAGAZINE Issue 35

November 2003

Why A Drug Addict?
Joan Entwistle is part of the T.H.OM.A.S. Team

Why A Drug Addict? Why an Alcoholic? Why Become A Solvent Abuser?.
Is it an illness? Is it in the genes? Or is the reason closer to home? Some time ago one of our magazines contained an article looking as to whether we as a society were becoming a "Drug Culture". Using drugs for everyday purposes, to cure headaches backache toothache and so on. Is this the reason for our young people eventually turning to harder drugs? Or is it the fact that today’s youth do not appear to have a dream or a goal to aim for? That they have not been given encouragement as children to dream the dream and how to strive for that goal, how to attain a future by their own efforts and by consideration for other people along the way.

Many of our clients have this view of life, they have a history of broken relationships, either with their parents or their girl friends/wives. Hearing their stories makes me feel that their problems started long before they came to our rehab. Even before they started school, nobody seems to have listened to them or talked to them. They appear to have been ignored in every way, never having been important to another human being. In other words, a complete lack of parenting, of bonding, of being someone special. Where there has been a loving relationship with mother, father, grandparents or close family member, then these clients feel they are wanted and loved and they, on the whole, are the ones that succeed in kicking the drug habit.

I am not in favour of a Nanny State but I do feel we should look at how we treat and teach our children. That parents-to-be should have some awareness of not just how to change a nappy and bath the baby but that talking to the child and inter acting with them is just as important. Becoming involved with their education encouraging them to learn and to enjoy learning. All these things can be discussed at ante natal classes.

Some of our secondary schools are now offering child-care courses to girls but very rarely to boys. Why not? Surely these boys will one day be fathers and the more they know of parenting the better they will be as parents. I have spoken to specialists in child-care who feel that the lack of parenting skills often leads to many other problems.
Families become dysfu
nctional because they can’t cope with their children, the children’s behaviour deteriorates and causes problems Mother or Father leaves the home and the problems escalate, there is a break down, the children suffer and in later life re-enact the behaviour of their parents and so we have ~ vicious circle. Is it any wonder that the use of hard drugs gives a sort of release from the realities of a life that some people cannot cope with because they have not learnt that all-important lesson of loving and sharing the good times and the bad.