Refrain from addictions, experts advise youths
EXPERTS on drug addiction matters has urged youths to refrain from negative addictions to become responsible and accountable adults.
They stated this in Ibadan on Monday at the 2021 Summit of the Shining Stars Initiative International (SSII), a non-governmental organization with the theme “Addictions: The Ways out”.
Dr Tayo Ajayi, a lecturer at the Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of the Pharmacy University of Ibadan, said that “government needs to tackle emerging substance abuse.
“For the government, I will recommend that we look more into emerging substances of abuse.
“There are so many of that now and we have the control agency working towards ensuring a society free of addiction.
“Yet there is several other emerging substance abuse that the youth are into that nobody knows about.
“Government should be on top of the game for awareness and make the control stricter in getting these substances available so that we don’t run the risk of losing our future”.
Also, Mr Ayo Oke, the Chief Executive Officer of Digitalwox Creative Lab Ltd., who spoke on “Way out on Cyber/Internet Addictions”, enjoined youths to spend their time wisely and be self-disciplined.
He said: “The effects of cyber addiction damages relationships, kill finances and creates exposure to risks and disinterest in vital life issues.’’
Mr Tunde Bakare, the Managing Director of Troy Health, however, urged the youth to be dream addicts to become successful in life.
Bakare said that positive addictions include hard work, discipline, being principled and the ability to persevere as well as taking risks to achieve one’s dream.
“No risk, no reward. Those who have achieved real success have often risked the most to get there,’” he said.
The convener of the summit, Mrs Omokehinde Deji-Akinpelu, advised parents and guardians on the causes of sex addiction.
She said: “Addictions are not only caused by peer influence/pressure and tendency to explore by these teenagers.
“Any child that is feeling neglected, expressing emotional abandonment or has been sexually abused is prone to be struggling with sex addiction.
“Research has shown that most teenagers and youths from dysfunctional homes are usually the first set of victims.
“They end up having a distorted perspective on relationships and intimacy.’’
She encouraged parents and guardians to pay a closer attention to their wards.
She said this would enable them to see the red flag or signals early enough to help their wards to steer clear of any addictions.
Deji-Akinpelu urged the youth who are victims of any form of addictions to realise and admit that they had a problem and should seek professional help without feeling ashamed or embarrassed.
She further stated that getting a mentor or someone trustworthy to be accountable to, is another way out of any addition.
Ugonna Ukairo, a graduate student of the University of Ibadan and Damilola Ajisola, a registered nurse working at Bakcock Teaching Hospital, who are also graduate mentors having passed through SSII, said that they had benefited from the initiative to become who they are in life.
