CHAPTER -2
The Problems and Reasons
PROBLEMS
Problems in the present context are not easy to be identified because of the fact that the
solvents and gases are used in hundreds of legally available products at every shop and on very cheap rates. Such products have become in one or the other way a necessity in our day to day life. Have a look around your self and your house and you will find hundred of products lying in your house which have toxic effects and may be used as drugs or solvents if not taken care of. For example you and your family members may be using correcting fluid, paint thinner/remover, nail polish remover, hair spray, air freshener, deodorant, cleaning agent, whipped cream, Perfumes etc. The number is countless for the reason every day a new product is launched in the market with altogether a different and attractive name.
All these household products are capable of inducing any child the habits of substance abuse and may also make him victim of addiction. If so happens there is no end to it. Some of ingredients of these house hold products have been explained above but it is not possible to go into details of toxic ingredients of each product. However we may discuss the level of these toxic agents in order to know the solvent abuse among the children.
LEVEL OF ABUSE
When we talk about children and substance abuse, the level of the substance and its abuse varies from age to age and product to products. The children of the age 12-17 are mostly in the group of adolescence(किशोर अवस्था). This age aspires children for new experiments and the easy availability of solvent and drugs remains a ever ready tool in their hands for doing the new experiment without being noticed by any body else. We can not imagine as to which product can become a starting point for them A cough syrup is a medicine found almost in every house.
LOW LEVEL
This level generally pertains to small children below the age of 12 years. They actually do not know about the inhaling or sniffing abuses. It is always accidental that they are trapped unwillingly in such abuses. Every house is white washed and painted periodically. White washing material is usually made of lime, chalk powder, glue , Blue and paint containing elements of thinner etc. . In some cases this material does not find proper fixing on the walls of the house for less quanity of gums/glue used and the paint or colour fixed on walls start showing some patches where material comes out of the surface of the wall. The kids in this age start pealing it out and for experimental basis to explore its taste they start eating it too. Being a mixture of lime, whitener, glue etc. it also works as substance abuse unknowingly adopted by children. जब दीवार मैं पपड़ी जम जाती है तो बच्चे पपड़ी को खाने लगते हैं . This is first stage of inhaling substances. Children in the age group of 1-6 years even tend to eat dirt and other non-food items like mud, clay, sand, plaster, ashes, glue, toothpaste etc. It is not their habit but their curiosity to explore their environment. Some times doctors call it PICA which is a medical term for an abnormal carving or appetite for non-food substances like dirt, paint and clay. The Pica is a medical disorder not related to normal action of infants who try to explore their outside world at their own.
It may be possible that a child develops a habit of inhaling or sipping by taking Cough syrup again and again on the pretext of feeling coughing problem . If his habit of taking cough syrup remains unchecked, he certainly is going to develop addictive habits. Any cough syrup contains such ingredients which may become a reason for a child to get to addiction unknowingly. Such ingredients like morphine and DXM are well known substances which create an element of feeling highness and these are used in cough syrups. If cough syrup is consumed in low doses it may have euphoric ( उतेजित , प्रफुलित , आनंदित ) effect, a slightly big dose may increase the effect of euphoria and high does may cause a state of un-consciousness.
It is one example and hundreds remains to be explained. Many of other household products and items kept in home may some day become a big cause of a problem that may inflict substance abuses among the children.
MIDDLE LEVEL
A child going to a high school or to a college may get more exposure to such substances which are legally available at low rates but provide toxic effects. Any one may start with alcohol, Lighter flues, Paraffin, petrol, sprays Sniffing Glue, Gas, sleeping pills and so on. Petrol and Liter Flues contain hydrocarbons and toluene which contain such toxic agents which are quickly absorbed by the body and the brain. When children tend to adopting the practice of sniffing these items they quick feel elevated(a feeling of intoxication)( हलका नशा ). Sniffing or inhaling glue or sprays contain volatile solvents and gas products like paint thinner, Nail polish remover, aerosols are used in products like hair spray, nitrites in odorizers, Sniffing glue may cause a brain damage and even memory loss, Gaes may be harmfull to make one dizzy and emotional unstable, sleeping pills are well known as an addictive drug. People who use it as habit can not sleep without a sleeping pills.
HIGH LEVEL
In this age of a child goes to attain manhood, it becomes more risky that one may not fall prey to addictive substances or drugs at this stage of life. What happens is that in this age every one starts thinking about himself, society and the outer world. In this process he comes across a level where his own existence becomes more important to him. For achieving a status in the society he also many a times has to struggle for the existence. This struggles generates a phobia of looking as to what other people are doing in their respective lives. This type of phobia is able to direct any individual to such other individuals who are in habit of using certain drugs for feeling relaxed are some sort of recreation and pass time when a sense of insecurity or other uncertainity is felt by them.
A SMALL ACTUAL STORY FOR THE GUIDANCE OF PARENTS
I am specially inclined to explain the problem of a boy who was attaining the manhood, only because he was very close relative of mine, who suffered this problem and lost his youngest son at the age of 19 years. After having unsuccessful in studies he was humiliated by all family members at any given point of time One fine morning he promised every one that he shall come to the level of studies as expected from every body in the house. Unfortunately he developed stomach ache at mid night. Thanks God the family doctor was instantly available who injected him a pain killer known as Pethidine. This was known as a pain killer medicine . If repeated at number of times it becomes immune to its effects. In simple words it stops function as pain killer. Repeated doses regularly taken for prolonged period culminates the habit of addiction. That is what happened with this boy and he enhanced his doses of any kind of abusive substance he was able to lay hands The condition of health went on deteriorating. Even than he continued use of abusive drugs. When pethidine became immune , he searched for other alternatives and soon found a Tablet known as LSD(lysergic acid diethylamide) a sort of medicine which also helped him as compensation of Pethidine. For procuring such drugs money was needed moreover some of drugs were under the restricted schedule and could be bought only on the prescription of a qualified doctor, but were easily available if more than retail price is paid. For want of money this young person started steeling money from home. In absence of case cash money he started steeling valuables which were sold to junk dealers at throw away price only to be able to purchase drugs to which he became addicted to. When his actions became unbearable by family members he was asked to leave the home and do not show his face to them again.
. As such this young person of 19years of age was exiled from the house only because of his drug addictions. After being pushed out forcibly from the house this man became a street child. With no shelter sleeping under the open sky even during chilling winters, nothing to eat. Even his mother was not permitted to meet him or provide him any help.
This situation arised only because one of the adult family member was also chronic alcoholic and under the rage of intoxication he also used to create horrible situations in the house. In order to keep him calm everyone in the family used to keep quite and do nothing which may make him furious. Otherwise steps could have been taken to provide him de-addiction treatments. But because of the adult alcoholic adult member of the family no corrective steps for taken for the proper treatment of the boy and he was isolated to face all his problems himself.
In such circumstances he decided to go down in the world of ecstasy and recreational state of mind. He experimented to face the adverse effects of a further elevated substance known as Mnadrax . After a couple of years remaining exiled from the house. This young person died on the door steps of his house. The reason excessive use of following drugs (used as medicines)
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