Drugs: a form of brainwashing

Abstract

The increase in drug addiction among young people is a worrying social phenomenon with profound psychological and social implications. In recent years, drug use has increased significantly among young people, with particular peaks in high schools. Despite numerous prevention and recovery interventions, the phenomenon remains under control only with limited results. Soft drugs such as marijuana and hashish have become tools of social opposition, with effects that can increase young people's vulnerability to more dangerous drugs. Psychological and sociological analysis of the phenomenon suggests that the spread of drugs is not simply a product of individual frustration, but the result of a cultural and social context that exploits the vulnerability of young people. Adlerian individual psychology offers a useful interpretative framework for understanding how family characteristics, social competition, and the lack of positive role models can promote receptivity to drugs. The influence of peer groups and social pressure play a crucial role in the consolidation of deviant behavior. Furthermore, the spread of more serious drugs is associated with organized operations that exploit the weakness and insecurity of young people, leveraging models of brotherhood and social vindication. Unfortunately, initiatives for the prevention and recovery of youth drug addiction have not produced the desired results, mainly due to ineffective communication with maladjusted young people and overly slow social and legal policies. Severe punishment for major drug dealers and tolerance towards users do not adequately address the problem. Psychological therapies are only partially successful, often hampered by a lack of sincerity on the part of patients and social pressure. Effective recovery therefore requires an integrated approach combining prevention, justice, and ongoing psychological support