Some medical experts have highlighted psychological implications and risk factors in drug abuse by patients.
The experts drew attention to the high prevalent risk factors following a recent survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Drug Use and Health which shows that out of 14.3million Nigerians using any form of drugs about 376,000 are said to be high risk drug users.
The report also states that no fewer than 80,000 Nigerian inject drugs and those who take cannabis are 10.6million; while 4.6million take opioids (tramadol, codeine, morphine), while 87,000 Nigerians consume heroin and no fewer than 92,000 taking cocaine.
In addition, 481,000 Nigerians take tranquilizers and sedatives; 238,000 take amphetamines among others.
“Cannabis was the most widely used substance in the past year in Nigeria according to the report, the abuse of these substances has thrown many Nigerian’s especially teenagers and young people into depression, which is affecting the society today,” said Richard Adebayo, a consultant psychiatrist and clinical psychologist at Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Yaba.
Adebayo explained that the trend in most people who have been hooked on this drugs chronically end up being depressed and some do not stop at that level of depression but commit suicide.
“It is common that people who have been hooked on drugs for a long time eventually end up attempting suicide or kill themselves out of depression,” he said.
Cannabis is the most commonly used drug and an estimated 10.8 percent of the population or 10.6 million people had used cannabis in the past year. The average age of initiation of cannabis use among the general population was 19 years.
Cannabis use was seven times higher among men (18.8 per cent among men versu 2.6 percent of women).
According to him, any route of administering cannabis, marijuana by cooking, drinking or smoking it is not beneficial to the body, stating it is inimical and dangerous to health, it links to multiple harm, not only in mental health, but cardiovascular disease.
“The parts of misconceptions people have about psychoactive substances especially among the young. Cannabis does not give inspiration, inspiration comes from God. It disorganises not only the brains but the entire system,” the psychiatrist said.
However, the report further reveals that nearly 40 percent of high-risk drug users indicated a need for treatment of drug use disorders. Most of the high risk drug users considered it was difficult to access drug treatment. The cost of treatment and stigma attached to drug use and seeking treatment were cited as the primary barriers in accessing or availing drug treatment services.
Larne Yusuf a medical practitioner based in Lagos said, the effect drug abuse could lead to hormonal changes live behind even after stopping intake can be permanent.
“Most abused drugs targets the health directly or indirectly, it could be the brain or any organ of the body that could trigger some imbalance in the hormones which could lead to various behaviour problems”
Yusuf further said that research has shown that overdose of drugs threatens the health and it affects almost all the organs in body.
Two-thirds of people who used drugs are reported to be having serious problems, as result of their drug use, such as missing school or work, doing a poor job at work and school or neglecting their family.
Nearly 1 in 8 persons that is 12 per cent of the adult population in Nigeria has suffered some kind of consequence due to another person’s drug use.
Among those who had experience any consequences, most had felt threatened or afraid of someone’s use of drugs.
“Drug use and its consequences are fast becoming one of the increasingly talked about challenges across our country today”, said Yemi Kale, Statistician General of the Federation.
“It has, and still continues to affect the lives of many individuals, families, organizations and communities across our country. Many families have been broken, lives lost and relationships destroyed as a result of drug use”, the statistician general added.
“It has also contributed to several adverse public health conditions and increased criminal activities. Accordingly, it is time to put in place, comprehensive measures designed to tackle this growing problem before it becomes an even worse national challenge”, Kale said.
ANTHONIA OBOKOH
