Module 5 Part2 Gender, Work and Society PDF

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5 ADOLESCENT RISKY BEHAVIORIntroductionAccording to the World Health Organization, teenagers aged 10 to 19 are about 1. billion people, or 1 in 6 of the world population. Most are healthy but there are still some teenagers faced with substantial premature death, disease, and injury. Illnesses can hi...

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5.2 ADOLESCENT RISKY BEHAVIOR Introduction According to the World Health Organization, teenagers aged 10 to 19 are about 1.2 billion people, or 1 in 6 of the world population. Most are healthy but there are still some teenagers faced with substantial premature death, disease, and injury. Illnesses can hinder their ability to grow to full potential. The use of alcohol or tobacco, lack of physical activity, unprotected sex and/or exposure to violence could endanger not only their current health, but also their health as adults and even the health of their future children. Promoting healthy behaviors in adolescence and taking steps to better protect young people from health risks are crucial to the prevention of health problems in adulthood, and to the development and prosperity of future health and capability of countries. DISCUSSION 5.2.1 Substance Abuse As reported by the World Health Organization, substance abuse refers to the negative or risky use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol, and illegal drugs. Unregulated intake of these substances can cause drug dependence syndrome a cluster of behavioral, cognitive, and physiological phenomena that develop after repeated substance use and that typically include a strong desire to take the drug, difficulties in controlling its use, persisting in its use despite harmful consequences, a higher priority given to drug use than to other activities and obligations, increased tolerance, and sometimes a physical withdrawal state. Causes Like with many mental health disorders, a number of factors can contribute to drug addiction development, which generally are: 

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Environment. Environmental factors, including the beliefs and attitudes of your family and exposure to a peer group which promotes drug use, tend to play a role in the initial use of drugs. Genetics. Once you have started using a drug, inherited (genetic) traits may affect the development into addiction, which may delay or accelerate the progression of the disease.

Risk factors People of any age, sex or economic status can become addicted to a drug. Certain factors can affect the likelihood and speed of developing an addiction:

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Family history of addiction. Substance abuse is more common in some families and likely involves genetic predisposition. If you have a blood relative, such as a parent or sibling, with alcohol or drug addiction, you're at greater risk of developing a drug addiction.

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Mental health disorder. If you have a mental health disorder such as depression, attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or post-traumatic stress disorder, you're more likely to become addicted to drugs. Using drugs can become a way of coping with painful feelings, such as anxiety, depression and loneliness, and can make these problems even worse.

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Peer pressure. Peer pressure is a strong factor in starting to use and misuse drugs, particularly for young people.

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Lack of family involvement. Difficult family situations or lack of a bond with your parents or siblings may increase the risk of addiction, as can a lack of parental supervision.

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Early use. Using drugs at an early age can cause changes in the developing brain and increase the likelihood of progressing to drug addiction.

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Taking a highly addictive drug. Some drugs, such as stimulants, cocaine or opioid painkillers, may result in faster development of addiction than other drugs. Smoking or injecting drugs can increase the potential for addiction. Taking drugs considered less addicting — so-called "light drugs" — can start you on a pathway of drug use and addiction. Both legal and illegal drugs have chemicals that can change how our body and mind work. They can give you a pleasurable “high,” ease your stress, or help you avoid problems in your life, which makes it appealing to use. These drugs and substances includes: 1. Alcohol Alcohol affects everyone differently. But if you drink too much and too often, your chance of an injury or accident goes up. Heavy drinking also can cause liver and other health problems or lead to a more serious alcohol disorder. 2. Barbiturates, benzodiazepines and hypnotics Barbiturates, benzodiazepines and hypnotics are prescription central nervous system depressants. They're often used and misused in search for a sense of relaxation or a desire to "switch off" or forget stress-related thoughts or feelings. 3. Caffeine Caffeine is the most commonly used mood-altering drug in the world. And yes, too much caffeine can be harmful to our health. Studies have also found a link between caffeine use and several psychiatric syndromes, including caffeine-induced sleep

disorder and caffeine-induced anxiety disorder. Patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, primary insomnia, and gastroesophageal reflux are usually advised to reduce or eliminate regular caffeine use. 4. Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products You may not think of these as drugs. But tobacco has a chemical called nicotine that gives you a little rush of pleasure and energy. The effect can wear off fast and leave you wanting more. You can abuse and get addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes, just like other drugs. 5. Club drugs or Party Drugs Club drugs are commonly used at clubs, concerts and parties. Examples include ecstasy or molly (MDMA), gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), flunitrazepam and ketamine. These drugs are not all in the same category, but they share some similar effects and dangers, including long-term harmful effects. Because GHB and flunitrazepam can cause sedation, muscle relaxation, confusion and memory loss, the potential for sexual misconduct or sexual assault is associated with the use of these drugs. 6. Cocaine This drug speeds up your whole body. When you use cocaine, you may talk, move, or think very fast. You may feel happy and full of energy. But your mood may then shift to anger. You may feel like someone is out to get you. It can cause you to do things that don’t make sense. 7. Heroin Heroin gives you a rush of good feelings at first. But when it wears off, everything slows down. You’ll move and think more slowly, and you may have chills, nausea, and nervousness. You may feel a strong need to take more heroin to feel better. 8. Inhalants Some commonly inhaled substances include glue, paint thinners, correction fluid, felt tip marker fluid, gasoline, cleaning fluids and household aerosol products. Due to the toxic nature of these substances, users may develop brain damage or sudden death. 9. Marijuana Marijuana can make you feel silly and laugh for no reason. Or you may feel sleepy and forget things that just happened. Driving while high on pot is just as dangerous as drunk driving. And heavy marijuana use can leave some people “burned out” and not think or care about much. 10. Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine, or crystal meth, is a stimulant drug similar in many ways to amphetamines, the second most popular class of illicit drugs after marijuana in the world. Meth was synthesized back in the 1880s and was widely used in the Second World War by soldiers on both sides, who were provided with the drug by their governments as an aid to alertness. This led to the first wave of meth use when the public gained access to this government-issued drug. 11. Opioid painkillers Opioids are narcotic, painkilling drugs produced from opium or made synthetically. This class of drugs includes, among others, heroin, morphine, codeine, methadone and oxycodone. Some people who've been using opioids over a long period of time may need physician-prescribed temporary or long-term drug substitution during treatment. Signs of Substance Use Problem When you first start taking a substance, you may think you can control how much you use. But over time, you may need more of the drug to get the same feeling or effect. For some people, that can lead beyond abuse to addiction. Signals that you may have a problem with substance abuse include if you:        

Lack interest in things you used to love; Change your friends a lot; Stop taking care of yourself; Spend more time alone than you used to; Eat more or less than normal; Sleep at odd hours; Have problems at work or with family; and Switch quickly from feeling good and bad

Complications Drug use can have significant and damaging short-term and long-term effects. Taking some drugs can be particularly risky, especially if you take high doses or combine them with other drugs or alcohol. Here are some examples. 

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Methamphetamine, opiates and cocaine are highly addictive and cause multiple short-term and long-term health consequences, including psychotic behavior, seizures or death due to overdose. GHB and flunitrazepam may cause sedation, confusion and memory loss. These so-called "date rape drugs" are known to impair the ability to resist unwanted contact and recollection of the event. At high doses, they can cause seizures, coma and death. The danger increases when these drugs are taken with alcohol. Due to the toxic nature of inhalants, users may develop brain damage of different levels of severity.

Other life-changing complications Dependence on drugs can create a number of dangerous and damaging complications, including:        

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Getting a communicable disease. People who are addicted to a drug are more likely to get an infectious disease, such as HIV, either through unsafe sex or by sharing needles. Other health problems. Drug addiction can lead to a range of both short-term and longterm mental and physical health problems. These depend on what drug is taken. Accidents. People who are addicted to drugs are more likely to drive or do other dangerous activities while under the influence. Suicide. People who are addicted to drugs die by suicide more often than people who aren't addicted. Family problems. Behavioral changes may cause marital or family conflict and custody issues. Work issues. Drug use can cause declining performance at work, absenteeism and eventual loss of employment. Problems at school. Drug use can negatively affect academic performance and motivation to excel in school. Legal issues. Legal problems are common for drug users and can stem from buying or possessing illegal drugs, stealing to support the drug addiction, driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or disputes over child custody. Financial problems. Spending money to support drug use takes away money from other needs, could lead to debt, and can lead to illegal or unethical behaviors.

Prevention The best way to prevent substance abuse is not to take the illegal drugs at all or take substances that is legal and prescribed. If your doctor prescribes a drug with the potential for addiction, use care when taking the drug and follow the instructions provided by your doctor. Health experts prescribe these medications at safe doses and amounts and monitor their use so that you're not given too great a dose or for too long a time. If you feel you need to take more than the prescribed dose of a medication, talk to your doctor.

Preventing drug misuse in children and teenagers Take these steps to help prevent drug misuse in your children and teenagers:  Communicate. Talk to your children about the risks of drug use and misuse.  Listen. Be a good listener when your children talk about peer pressure, and be supportive of their efforts to resist it.  Set a good example. Don't misuse alcohol or addictive drugs. Children of parents who misuse drugs are at greater risk of drug addiction.

 Strengthen the bond. Work on your relationship with your children. A strong, stable bond between you and your child will reduce your child's risk of using or misusing drugs.  Preventing a relapse Once you've been addicted to a drug, you're at high risk of falling back into a pattern of addiction. If you do start using the drug, it's likely you'll lose control over its use again — even if you've had treatment and you haven't used the drug for some time.  Stick with your treatment plan. Monitor your cravings. It may seem like you've recovered and you don't need to keep taking steps to stay drug-free. But your chances of staying drug-free will be much higher if you continue seeing your therapist or counselor, going to support group meetings and taking prescribed medication.  Avoid high-risk situations. Don't go back to the neighborhood where you used to get your drugs. And stay away from your old drug crowd.  Get help immediately if you use the drug again. If you start using the drug again, talk to your doctor, your mental health professional or someone else who can help you right away. 5.2.2 Unprotected Sexual Behaviors STD, which stands for sexually transmitted disease, or sometimes referred to as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections that spread from person to person through risky sexual activities, such as:   

Engaging in to unprotected sex; Having sex with many partners, especially anonymous partners; Having sex while using drugs or alcohol. Using drugs and alcohol can affect a person's judgement, which can lead to risky behaviors.

STDs don’t always cause symptoms or may only cause mild symptoms, so it is possible to have an infection and not know it. That is why it is important to get tested if you are sexually active. If you are diagnosed with an STD, know that all can be treated with medicine and some can be cured entirely. STDs are preventable. If you have sex, know how to protect yourself and your sexual partner from STDs. The diseases, conditions, and infections below are listed in alphabetical orde r. Common Sexually Transmitted Diseases 1. Bacterial Vaginosis Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is linked to an imbalance of “good” and “harmful” bacteria that are normally found in a woman’s vagina. Having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners, as well as douching, can upset the balance of bacteria in the vagina. This places a woman at increased risk of being infected. BV rarely affects women who have never had sex. Also, one cannot get BV from toilet seats, bedding, or swimming pools.

Symptoms Many women with BV do not have symptoms. However, some have notices the following symptoms:     

A thin white or gray vaginal discharge; Pain, itching, or burning sensation in the vagina; A strong fish-like odor, especially after sex; Burning sensation when urinating; Itching around the outside of the vagina

Treatment BV will sometimes go away without treatment. But if you have symptoms of BV you should be checked and treated. It is important that you take all of the medicine prescribed to you, even if your symptoms go away. A health care provider can treat BV with antibiotics, but BV may return even after treatment. Treatment may also reduce the risk for some STDs. 2. Chlamydia Chlamydia is a common STD that can infect both men and women. It can cause serious, permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive system. This can make it difficult or impossible for her to get pregnant later on. Chlamydia can also cause a potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy that occurs outside the womb). Symptoms Most people who have chlamydia have no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may not appear until several weeks after you have sex with an infected partner. Even when chlamydia causes no symptoms, it can damage your reproductive system. Women with symptoms may notice  

An abnormal vaginal discharge; A burning sensation when urinating.

Symptoms in men can include   

A discharge from their penis; A burning sensation when urinating; Pain and swelling in one or both testicles (although this is less common).

Men and women can also get infected with chlamydia in their rectum. This happens either by having receptive anal sex, or by spread from another infected site (such as the vagina). While these infections often cause no symptoms, they can cause  Rectal pain;

 Discharge;  Bleeding.

You should be examined by your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms or if your partner has an STD or symptoms of an STD. STD symptoms can include an unusual sore, a smelly discharge, burning when urinating, or bleeding between periods. Treatment Chlamydia can be cured with the right treatment. It is important that you take all of the medication your doctor prescribes to cure your infection. When taken properly it will stop the infection and could decrease your chances of having complications later on. 3. Gonorrhea Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can infect both men and women. It can cause infections in the genitals, rectum, and throat. It is a very common infection, especially among young people ages 15-24 years. You can get gonorrhea by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has gonorrhea. A pregnant woman with gonorrhea can give the infection to her baby during childbirth. Symptoms Some men with gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all. However, men who do have symptoms, may have:   

A burning sensation when urinating; A white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis; Painful or swollen testicles (although this is less common).

Most women with gonorrhea do not have any symptoms. Even when a woman has symptoms, they are often mild and can be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. Women with gonorrhea are at risk of developing serious complications from the infection, even if they don’t have any symptoms. Symptoms in women can include:   

Painful or burning sensation when urinating; Increased vaginal discharge; Vaginal bleeding between periods.

Rectal infections may either cause no symptoms or cause symptoms in both men and women that may include:   

Discharge; Anal itching; Soreness;

Bleeding; 

Painful bowel movements.

You should be examined by your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms or if your partner has an STD or symptoms of an STD, such as an unusual sore, a smelly discharge, burning when urinating, or bleeding between periods. Treatment Gonorrhea can be cured with the right treatment. It is important that you take all of the medication your doctor prescribes to cure your infection. Medication for gonorrhea should not be shared with anyone. Although medication will stop the infection, it will not undo any permanent damage caused by the disease. It is becoming harder to treat some gonorrhea, as drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea are increasing. If your symptoms continue for more than a few days after receiving treatment, you should return to a health care provider to be checked again. 4. Herpes Genital herpes is an STD caused by two types of viruses. The viruses are called herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Oral herpes is usually caused by HSV-1 and can result in cold sores or fever blisters on or around the mouth. However, most people do not have any symptoms. Most people with oral herpes was infected during childhood or young adulthood from non-sexual contact with saliva. Transmission You can get genital herpes by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the disease. If you do not have herpes, you can get infected if you come into contact with the herpes virus in:  A herpes sore;  Saliva (if your partner has an oral herpes infection) or genital secretions (if your partner has a genital herpes infection);  Skin in the oral area if your partner has an oral herpes infection, or skin in the genital area if your partner has a genital herpes infection. You can get herpes from a sex partner who does not have a visible sore or who may not know he or she is infected. It is also possible to get genital herpes if you receive oral sex from a sex partner who has oral herpes. On the other hand, you will not get herpes from toilet seats, bedding, or swimming pools, or from touching objects around you such as silverware, soap, or towels.

Symptoms Herpes sores...