The Ghana Beyond Aid agenda may not be realized as a huge number of the youth are experimenting with alcohol and psychoactive substances. Even more worrying is that users of these substances have become addicted. The addiction therefore inhibits their general productivity and wellbeing. Acting Upper West Regional Coordinator for Mental Health, Slyvester Basagnia, has said.
According to him, mental health conditions emanating from the abuse of alcohol and other psychoactive substances continue to rise in the Upper West Region.
Data he shared with A1Radio’s Upper West Regional Correspondent indicates that between 2018 and 2020, the Regional Mental Health Unit diagnosed, treated and discharged more than 700 people suffering various mental disorders due to the abuse of these substances.
Also, as at August this year, close to 400 persons with same disorders have been treated in the region.
Mr. Basagnia said the situation could be grimmer because most of the cases in the various communities across the region go unreported.
He revealed most persons who suffer these conditions are aged between 15 and 45 years.
He went on to blame the continuous use of psychoactive substances to the increasing curiosity among the youth and ignorance on the effect of such substances on the body.
On the issue of alcohol abuse, Mr. Basagnia mentioned that the plurality of drinking bars and the ever-growing number of varieties of alcoholic beverages continue to entice the youth into drinking.
“If you look at psychoactive substance abuse, it is very high in the region. You see a lot of people in camps or joints where they sit to abuse these substances. It is actually a worrying issue. Mentions could be made of the drug tramadol and other substances like marijuana. There are also bars springing up every now and then in every part of the region; so there is availability of alcohol. Because it is available, people would want to explore and before they realize it, they are addicted.” He said.
Mr. Basagnia observed that “Once people begin to consume these substances, overtime, they get addicted. We have responsible ways of consuming these substances. Addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disease and so it will definitely affect productivity. There is a compulsion in the search and consumption of these substances. Once you use productive hours to search for these substances to consume, you are unable to meet timelines. We are talking about Ghana Beyond Aid but once the youth is going into the consumption of these substances and there is dependence, there is a problem.”
The Acting Regional Mental health Coordinator encouraged parents and families to create good support systems to prevent the children from experimenting with alcohol and psychoactive substances. Mr. Basagnia advised the public to refer all persons suffering from mental health disorders to the health facilities for proper treatment.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
