SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Refugees abuse substances as a coping mechanism of enduring hardship through displacement, followed by their subsequent journey and resettlement to host countries.

These hardships include post-traumatic stresses, language and communication difficulties, cultural barriers, discrimination, marginalization, high unemployment, and abject poverty]. Furthermore, factors such as parental substance use, poor family relationships, peer pressure, ease of availability, and neighborhood opportunities can position refugee youth at greater risk of substance abuse. 

Substance abuse is found to be associated with various health, economic, and social issues. The negative implication of substance abuse amongst refugee youth can be concerning for several reasons. First, it leads to anti-social behaviors. Second, substance abuse can significantly increase the likelihood of psychological distress. Third, research shows that substance abuse is a leading cause of unintentional injury and premature mortality. Fourth, substance abuse can lead to absenteeism at work, productivity loss, and, eventually, loss of employment. Last, substance abuse can result in long-term antisocial behavior, impaired memory, dysfunctional work, and poor school performance. The negative consequences can be severe especially considering that refugee youth have already experienced numerous traumatic events. This cumulative effect could provide significant social and economic burden for society.

The negative consequences of such abuse might be distressful if it is not prevented and managed in a timely manner. The most concerning issue could be that refugee youth might not know any prevention strategies to reduce the harm of substance abuse, as they are often unaware of the availability of any professional and counselling services in the host country. 

Prevention strategies play an important role in mitigating the negative consequences of substance abuse. Prevention strategies such as family functioning and social support, training programs and festivals, treatment options and counselling, and peer support might assist in mitigating the negative consequences of substance abuse. 

Unmitigated substance dependence can even result in health, social, and economic burdens. Synthesizing the issues related to substance abuse as they relate to a group, such as refugee youth, is also an important step in identifying their vulnerabilities to this phenomenon, the consequences they face, and the strategies they might use to mitigate risk factors.