O desafio das drogas e a contribuição da psicologia

Introduction to Psychology

PSY 103

How Psychology May Help the Drug Menace in Society Today.

9th & 10th Week

November 10th, 2017

Estacio Lopes Portela

17S03DMCP003

How Psychology May Help the Drug Menace in Society Today.

Estacio L. Portela

Psychology is a science that involves the study of human mind and behavior and relating to the individual makeup (Nordqvist, 2015). The first task in this work is to understand the meaning of psychology and then apply it to the theme of this work. The word psychology is from two Greek words ‘psych' and ‘logia,' the former meaning "breathe, spirit, soul" and the latter meaning the study of something. Hence the two Greek words combined imply the study of breath, spirit, or soul of the human being. It’s because we are unable to visualize the mental processes for instance thoughts, perceptions, and dreams (Nordqvist,2015) that psychology, as a science, plays an essential role in the interpretation, understanding and study of human behavior. Psychology is further divided into many other sub-disciplines including; evolutionary psychology, health psychology, clinical psychology, occupational psychology, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, and social psychology among others. So, we have in all these different field of interests many potential ways to deal and help different human problems.

A drug refers to any chemical substance or medicine that when consumed interferes with someone's mind, therefore, having a psychological effect (National Institute on Drug Addiction, 2012). Drug administrations are for purposes of treatment, prevention, cure, or diagnosis of a disease. All these reasons lead to the enhancement of the mental well-being. Menace relates to the likelihood of an individual to cause harm thereby causing a threat. Drug menace, therefore, means the threat that could arise due to drug usage. Such harm or danger results from drug abuse while the improper use a drug is not prescribed by physician or medical personnel. Whenever drugs are abused the aftermath is menace which affects the individuals in question in various ways. Psychology, therefore, may shine the light of the issue of drug menace in the society to address the drug menace in the society today (National Institute on Drug Addiction, 2012). Drug menace is a problem in most African countries including Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa among other African countries (Okyere, 2015).  

Because psychology deals with the science of mind, it is, therefore, the most important tool in controlling the drug menace in the society (Dodes, 2014). The mind is the central dogma in the control of personal drug use, therefore, can help in erasing the drug menace in the society today. According to National Institute on Drug Addiction (2012), different drugs have different psychological effects; the psychological effects again differ from one individual to the other. For instance, cocaine users may express erratic and violent behavior, and marijuana impairs information transmission to the brain including vision and hearing coordination. Hallucinogens can as well produce sensory and visual hallucinations in that the users hear or see things that don't exist (Berger, 2005). Thankfully, there are a variety of measures that can help in solving the drug menace. The measures involve residential treatment programs aimed at addressing the challenges of substance abuse and addiction not leaving out. These methods relate to the psychological consideration of an individual to deal with the central cause of the menace which is the mind.

One of how psychology helps in driving away the drug effect in the society is through motivational interviews (Popescu et al., 2014). This is where the patients are psychologically interviewed. The psychological assessment works best for patients placed in therapy or prevention treatment of drug menace relapse in the society. Moreover, motivational interviews help in detoxification in a safe and monitored environment. Concerning drug menace, this simply implies the doing away with drug-related issues. Cleaning the body system of addicts regarding proper medication and good feeding such that their bodies resume normal functioning, for instance, the white blood cells regain their defensive role in the body. Detoxification can only be positive in safe environs free from further influence. The environment needs monitoring such that the affected individuals are under watch at all time (American Psychological Association, 2017; Psychology Today, 2006).

Psychological advances through behavior therapy help in fighting drug menace in the society. This involves learning through different ways how to deal with the problem of addiction by facilitating interpersonal relationships in the society leading to seeking advice from friends and relatives, and the internet. Psychological issues to deal with drug menace also cut across managing depression, anxiety, and other drug-related symptoms. Learning to take care of mental health problems that usually increase with increased consumption of alcoholic substance can help in solving the issue. To overcome drug menace, especially in African countries, psychology plays an important role in behavior therapy.

Psychological services provided by psychologists help in aligning the society. Through the study of human mind, one can be able to devise ways of curbing situations such as drug abuse in the society. The services comprise; medication management, mental health assessment, individual counseling, crisis stabilization, training, consultation, outreach programs, and support groups among others. Being that the psychologists study the mind, all these listed services will help in one way or another to manage the drug issues. The services have been conducted initially on other patients and brought about positive changes, meaning they will equally work on new patients. Again, with new patients with new mental problems, psychologists get to learn new tactics which may be even more effective compared to the previous ones (American Psychological Association, 2017).

Additionally, medication through counseling is a way to which psychology helps in fighting drug menace in Africa. Drugs addicts go under various medical services which aim at reducing the effects of the drug in the society. Psychology comes in under the counseling part where the patients pass through counseling programs after medications. The kind of advice given by psychologists to some extent alters drug addicts' behavior from drug addiction lifestyle to anti-drug lifestyle. This helps in solving drug menace in the society mostly in African countries and the world at large.

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