Drug Use
Protective and risk factors behaviours of young people related to drug use. My health issue is drug use. Young teenagers goes through the phase of adolescence when they have to start making decisions relating to themselves and their health too. Sometimes this procedure of making decisions can be hard for them as there are protective and risk behaviours associated with it which they might or might not be aware of it and ignore it as most of the people do. Protective behaviours are those health behaviours that are likely to improve a person’s level of health. Risk behaviours are those health behaviours that are found to contribute to the development of health problems or poorer levels of health. For example - health behaviours such as being protective behaviours, because they are likely to improve good health (such as eating adequate amounts of fruit and vegetables), or risk behaviours because they have been found to contribute to the development of health problems or poorer levels of health (for example, smoking). The health and social behaviours that are adopted or reinforced during this time often continue into adulthood, so it is in the best benefit of the individual to know the protective and risk behaviour associated with that health issue. Young people may experiment with substances such as tobacco, alcohol and other illicit drugs. The use of all these drugs poses a risk to the health of young people, with their misuse likely to cause numerous short and long-term health problems themselves or/and the general community. One of the main issues that young people deal with are drug use. Drugs are a substance which affects the way the mind and the body works. It can be natural or manufactured. It can be legal or illegal. Prescription drugs are stronger legal drugs given by a doctor for medication. Examples of legal drugs: Alcohol, caffeine, tobacco. Examples of Illegal drugs: Cocaine and heroin. A drug must be able to pass from your body into