The Glamour of Social Media and Drug Abuse
The Covid-19 lockdown period has led to tremendous growth in the use of social media. Several stunts, including drug and substance abuse, dubbed “TikTok challenges,” came in this period. Publicity Stunts containing drug and substance abuse are dangerous. Drug programs and federal prisons explain how the abuse of the drug can land you behind bars and other legalities surrounding the same.
The frenzy brought about by social media fame has taken many, especially teenagers into foolish use of illegal substances. The “Benadryl Challenge” led to the death of a teenager. The challenge influenced the audience to use Benadryl, an over-the-counter antihistamine drug, in large quantities. Social media on its own is not a negative influence. You may have other underlying symptoms that make you susceptible to being influenced by social media towards the use of drugs. Let’s take a look.
How Does Social Media Influence Drug Abuse?
1. You Are Facing Mental Health Problems
Studies undertaken by the National Institute on Drug Abuse indicate a high prevalence of substance abuse when there are underlying mental and emotional illnesses, most prevalent amongst teenagers. Teenagers are the worst hit because it is at this time that their cognitive functions are developing, as the maturity and decision-making functions of the brain flourish last.
The late development of the core life skills leads to a vital life period imbalance. Despite the low decision-making functioning, teenagers continuously face somewhat majorly confusing life problems. The poor decision-making skills combined with mental illness, puts teenagers at risk of being influenced by social media into drug and substance use. An even worse situation is that social media elevates mental health disorders.
2. You Need to Achieve Your Lifestyle Desires
Social media is a significant model for your dreams and goals. You will see people living a high-profile lifestyle made to influence your decisions. Glamorous social media influencers at your prime age are likely to get you obsessed with their entire lifestyle. Adolescents will want to live exactly like their role models, but they are not yet financially viable to make it materialize.
Therefore, the teenagers will emulate the behaviors of their influencers that they find available for them. It is ultimately worse when the social media influencer is unethically using drugs. Since drugs are somewhat available all over, you will go and pick the convenient substance you can abuse to be like your mentor.
3. The Need for Attention
Teenagehood is a point in life characterized by the increased self-doubt and a need for belonging. If your teenager fails to establish a crowd, their wish for attention increases. They will turn to social media, hoping to belong to this group.
The downside of making a crowd out of social media is that social media is very demanding. The audience you make here is not your confidant, and will only stay when you remain relevant. The teenagers go to extreme lengths to sustain relevance. It does not take them long before diving into substance abuse to answer this need.
The Help You Need
First, accept it when you are having a challenge at a given point in your life. After acceptance, seek help. If you do not trust your peers, confide in the adult whom you know personally and admire.
Second, develop mentors from your neighborhood. Mentors who you know are critical in eliminating fantasy-living. Finally, when you feel you lack attention, turn this need into reinventing yourself. Remember, craving attention from others means you have less self-worth for yourself. Learn to make yourself love yourself first.
