When people are depressed, alcohol and drugs often become their resorts. What is certain about using drugs or drinking alcohol when you’re going through a lot is that you will find all the problems you have been trying to escape from waiting for you the minute you become sober.

The good way to deal with problems or stressors is to exercise. It can either be through jogging in the morning, stretching or weight lifting among others.

The reason why many young people turn to drugs and alcohol when things get tough is because of unemployment. Some have lost hope since they have been looking for jobs but couldn’t find one.

But for this SA lady pictured below, what made her to start using drugs is her baby daddy. He is the person who introduced her to drugs and now she’s fighting addiction.

When we are in love we tend to please our partners by doing things that later on leave us in serious problems. This young lady can’t spend days without taking drugs but she really wants to quit. It is is sad because she has shed kilos, her skin is no longer lighter but darker and she does not know where to get the help that she needs.

Young people who persistently abuse substances often experience an array of problems, including academic difficulties, health-related problems (including mental health), poor peer relationships, and involvement with the juvenile justice system. Additionally, there are consequences for family members, the community, and the entire society.

Factors that contribute to the emergence of substance abuse in the pediatric population are multifactorial. Behavioural, emotional, and environmental factors that place children at risk for the development of substance abuse may be remediated through prevention and intervention programs that use research-based, comprehensive, culturally relevant, social resistance skills training and normative education in an active school-based learning format.