Drug addiction is a major problem and causes havoc in the lives of individuals.
NIDDERAU, GERMANY: The editorial “Higher and Higher” (June 29) makes for an interesting read and it is great that The Express Tribune is highlighting this important subject. Drug addiction is a major problem and causes havoc in the lives of individuals and can affect whole families. You are right to highlight the dangers of drugs, but I think we should also discuss the reasons why young people get hooked to them. Many people suffering from anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression or other mental illnesses use drugs to ease their suffering. Mental illness is such a burden for some people that they will try just about anything to relieve the pain. Drugs can temporarily make that person feel “normal” again. Mental illness is scary for the individual experiencing it, so they are afraid to go to a doctor or family member for help and instead turn to drugs to try and solve the problem on their own.
We should concentrate on improving child-parent relationships, where parents listen to children if they tell them their anxieties. It matters to a child if his/her parents understand his/her worries. Studies show that whenever the family takes interest in the children, they grow up to be normal human beings. Life can be cruel and most of the cruelty starts at home, when children have to keep quiet out of fear for being reprimanded.
Sharif Lone
Published in The Express Tribune, July 2nd, 2013.
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