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This vulnerability stems from their ongoing search for identity, a desire to prove themselves, being adventurous, and a tendency to try new things regardless of the risks.
Additionally, the part of the brain responsible for rational decision-making and self-regulation is still developing in young people, which explains why they sometimes engage in impulsive behaviour without considering the consequences.
Addiction symptoms vary from one person to another. Generally, they involve a loss of self-control and a compelling desire to increase the dose of the substance or the duration of the behaviour to achieve the desired pleasure.
They also include neglecting personal, professional, and domestic duties and responsibilities, suffering from physical and psychological disorders, having difficulty quitting this addiction, and experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as vomiting, sweating, irritability, and anger.
Drug addiction, also known as substance use disorder, is the dependence on the use of various natural herbal or manufactured substances that affect the body’s central nervous system. The impact of these substances can vary depending on their type and form. These substances mainly include:
Marijuana and weed are both derived from the cannabis plant. However, The difference is that weed refers to all parts of the plant, including leaves, seeds, stems, and flowers.
Marijuana, on the other hand, specifically refers to the flowers and buds that contain high concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical responsible for the plant's psychoactive effects and the sensation of pleasure. Therefore, while marijuana is a form of weed, not all forms of weed are marijuana.
Cannabis, in its forms of weed and marijuana, is one of the most commonly used addictive substances in the world. According to Statista, a website specialising in global statistics, the number of cannabis users is estimated to be around 219 million worldwide between 2011 and 2021. Abusers often consume cannabis by smoking, sometimes eating, or even inhaling it through a vaporiser.
The most noticeable symptoms include reddened eyes, high blood pressure, an accelerated heartbeat, increased sensory perception (sight, hearing, and taste), impaired motor balance, difficulty concentrating, and slowed reactions.
Cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamines, and methylphenidate are among the most common and widely spread forms of stimulants. They significantly increase alertness, vitality, and energy levels and provide an excessive sensation of euphoria and excitement.
Cocaine, in particular, is highly addictive and can be consumed nasally, injected intravenously, or inhaled. Methamphetamine, on the other hand, is typically swallowed orally in the form of pills, smoked, inhaled, or mixed with water or alcohol.
These drugs, also known as opioids, act as painkillers by affecting the brain areas that control emotions and minimise pain sensation. They are particularly dangerous if overdosed, leading to addiction.
These painkillers contain compounds that interact with the brain areas responsible for respiration, significantly slowing breathing and, in some cases, causing respiratory failure and death. Examples of these painkillers and sedatives include heroin, morphine, oxycodone, codeine, methadone, and fentanyl.
The most well-known hallucinogenic drugs are lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and phencyclidine (PCP). These drugs are known for their ability to alter sensory perception and significantly distort reality. Their effects and symptoms vary depending on the substance.
For example, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is associated with impulsive behaviour, rapid emotional swings, flashbacks, hallucinations and delusions, accelerated heartbeat, high blood pressure, and body tremors.
Nicotine is also a highly addictive substance that triggers dopamine release in the brain, which is responsible for pleasurable feelings. Common forms of this addiction include smoking regular cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, or water pipes (hookah).
The dangers of nicotine addiction include an increased risk of various types of cancer, such as lung, mouth, throat and larynx cancer, aggravation of respiratory diseases like asthma and bronchitis, and adverse effects on the cardiovascular system.
Alcohol addiction, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a medical condition characterised by regular excessive consumption of alcohol. The main symptoms of this addiction include disorientation, frequent fainting spells, difficulty breathing, a slowed heart rate, and a significant decrease in body temperature.
Over time, alcohol addiction can lead to irreversible changes and problems in brain areas controlling balance, memory, and speech.
Behavioural addiction, much like substance addiction, can occur with any activity that stimulates the brain's pleasure and reward system. This type of addiction can severely impact the abuser's life, health, and relationships.
One of the most recognised forms of this addiction is gambling, also known as gambling disorder. It is the only behavioural disorder officially recognised as an addictive behaviour in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Gambling addiction compels individuals to risk everything they value in pursuit of winning something of greater value, possibly resorting to theft or fraud to obtain the funds needed to gamble.
Other forms of behavioural addiction include excessive internet use, video gaming, compulsive shopping, undergoing cosmetic procedures without being satisfied with the results, constant overeating, excessive exercising, workaholism leading to fatigue and burnout, and compulsive behaviours such as stealing and hair-pulling, among others.
Educating young people about the dangers of addiction through awareness programs and campaigns is crucial. This is a collective societal responsibility encompassing families, religious institutions, educational and healthcare centres, government institutions, and non-profit organisations.
In addition, young people already affected by addiction need assistance by providing them treatment, rehabilitation, and psychological support programs. One of the foremost centres in the UAE that offer all these services is the National Rehabilitation Center, established in 2002 under the insightful directives of the late H.H.Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The centre provides prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services to both UAE citizens and expatriates.
These measures help curb the prevalence of addiction, protect the future of the youth, and foster national progress. As His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, said: “The true wealth of a nation lies in its youth...one that is equipped with education and knowledge and which provides the means for building the nation and strengthening its principles to achieve progress on all levels.”
References
[1] healthdirect.gov.au, What is addiction?
[2] my.clevelandclinic.org, Addiction
[3] verywellmind.com, An Overview of Behavioral Addiction
[4] mayoclinic.org, Drug addiction (substance use disorder)
[5] nrc.gov.ae, The National Rehabilitation Center
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