Fighting Addiction

Nowadays, addictions are often deemed as something less harmful than they actually are, and in some cases, people think of them as a normal coping mechanism. This couldn’t be further from the truth because any type of addiction can lead to mental and physical distress. So, preventing it and helping those who suffer from it is the best way to deal with this ever-growing issue.
First of all, dealing with a problem as important as addiction starts with acknowledging it. Researching how addictions work and how they trap your mind will definitely help people who are thinking about taking drugs or even having “one last drink”. That way, they’ll have less chances of falling down the rabbit hole that is addiction. Furthermore, people must realize that anyone can get addicted to anything, even if that is chocolate or coffee, and that’s exactly why having everything in moderation is crucial to a healthy life.
Second of all, it would be extremely ignorant not to mention the psychological aspect of suffering from an addiction.So many people get lured into substance abuse, hoping it’ll cure their mental issues, but the only thing it does is amplify them and mess with their sanity. The way to solve this is by raising awareness about mental health through various campaigns presented at middle and high schools. As a result, young children and teenagers will have proper education about addictions, thus lowering the risk of them getting addicted.
All in all, addictions are an extremely serious issue that require much time and effort to get rid of. People already suffering from one should think about whether their addiction is making their daily life better or not. The best thing we can do to help them is to encourage and cheer them on until the very end, because if we don’t, they’ll have to suffer in silence, something no one would want. But the most important thing we should keep in mind is that most of the time, it’s not their fault, so why shame them for it?
Valeria Giannioti

Suggesting ways to deal with addictions

Nowadays, there appears to be a proliferation in the development of addictions, especially amongst youngsters, undermining both their physical and mental health. It is evident that drug and alcohol abuse are the most common addictions that plague today’s society, having extremely hazardous effects on citizens as well as the international community as a whole. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance to prevent and tackle this adverse phenomenon.                                                                  First and foremost, prevention suggests one of the most efficient ways to deal with the problem of addictions. Bearing in mind that peer pressure is the primary cause of adolescents turning to alcohol and a wide range of other harmful substances, a solution worthy of consideration would be the proper upbringing of individuals, so that they develop a strong self-esteem and do not depend on other’s opinions. That is to say, raising children in an environment that cultivates independency and confidence is crucial to effectively dealing with peer pressure and the fear of marginalization that society has embedded in people’s minds. Thus, people, from an early age, will most likely avoid experimenting and, consequently, indulging into harmful substances or habits                          Furthermore, preventing the development of addictions could be achieved by finding healthy ways to cope with life pressure. In other words, the vast number of responsibilities that modern society requires, causes extreme anxiety as well as exhaustion to citizens, who find refuge in hazardous, highly addictive substances or habits. Therefore, it is vital people seek for other, more productive ways to tackle the various difficulties and impediments that they have to go through in their life. For instance, taking up exercising or reading or even creating small works of art could prevent people from utilizing psychoactive drugs, alcohol or developing unhealthy habits, as in the case of self harm.                                                                                                                                                 However, apart from the prevention of developing certain addictions, dealing with already addicted people proves of great significance in order to diminish the phenomenon. That is to say, the state should provide the proper infrastructure in order to take care of addicts and, step by step, relieve them of their detrimental habits. The construction of modern rehabilitation centers and other facilities would, evidently, be of great help to adequately grappling with the problem of addictions. As an inevitable function, both addicted people as individuals and society as a whole would benefit to a considerable extent.                                                                                                                      Taking everything into consideration, the development of addictions is constantly increasing in the modern consumeristic society, leading to tremendously destructive effects for all citizens. However, the prevention of as well as dealing with the phenomenon are plausible, given the suggestions mentioned.

Tseka Elena