Drug Addiction in Male Adolescents: In Psychological Perspectives

Drug addiction is an increasing psychological problem through out the world. All addictive drugs have powerful action on the central nervous system and their harmful, adverse and detrimental effects are related to different personality characteristics. The nature of the effects of drug and dependence may be temperamental or physical both: All addictive and dependence producing drugs create emotional dependence, that is to say that the drug has to be taken as a means of coping with life’s stresses and to produce various effects desired by the person on his emotions, drives, perceptual powers, conflicts and problems. It is a highly complex, subject which encompasses the biomedical and psychopharmacological effects on body functions and behavioral response of the user. It has been assumed to be an international phenomenon, where in, the drug or a toxic agent, the person who takes if and the society with is value system interact with each other. Thus it has been a serious problem almost for all the countries in the world. The most destructive of this social problem is restriction, comprehension and course deterrent punishment for those in this nefarious trade. Its another most terrible aspect is that it is causing impairable loss of manpower by reviving the physical and mental health of millions of people, particularly of the young generation. The health problems due to drug addiction need to be assessed from psychological perspective. An overall knowledge of the health problem in relation to drug addiction is very necessary. After all, health , a bio-psycho phenomenon is a broad issue and must not be dealt exclusive by medically qualified professionals only. The young adolescents, the budding generation is very much victimized of this menace.There are many books on psychology and psychiatry dealing with this burning psychological problem DRUG ADDICTION written by well known experts of western countries. Experience suggested that the knowledge derived from work done in western countries could not be directly applied to the Indian situation since most of our higher research works are based on western studies, there is always a gap between the theoretical knowledge and the practical realities within which we have to operate. In clinical practice the knowledge and techniques needed to be modified and adapted in Indian context. To study drug addiction in Indian perspective we need literature on detail psychological study exploring the main causes of drug addiction and remedial technique in Indian experience and orientation. The present study is an example to show that how much psychological factors are related with this menace and to apply some intervention program for temperamentally susceptible subjects. It is a comprehensive account of personality characteristics of male adolescent drug addicts, fully based on a major research project sponsored by ERIC, NCERT, where the first author was the Principal Investigator and the second author was co-investigator. It is designed to be a reference book for students at the Post graduate as well as Doctoral level of psychology, psychiatry and social work.The book is divided into six chapters. The first chapter deals with the concept of drug addiction, different types of drugs and their harmful effects. The second chapter deals with the review of literature and the third one with methodology the SPINE of a scientific research. The sampling technique and psychological tools used in the study has been dealt in the chapter of methodology. The fourth chapter explored the results. Results have been shown in detail by tables, charts, figures and graph. The fifth chapter gives the full analysis interpretation and discussion. Result of the relevant statistical measures and psychological tools used are given in Appendix.