A TALK DELIVERED BY REV MBOSOWO USANGA DURING THE LCN LAGOS DISTRICT YOUTH RALLY HELD FROM 29-31 JULY 2022 AT THE DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS 72 BABANI STREET AJEGUNLE LAGOS.
TEXT: 1st Timothy 4:12; Joshua 1:9; 1st Peter 5:8; Ephesians 5:18; Proverbs 20:1
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: youths engage in drug and alcohol abuse and it is having a negative impact or effect on their self-esteem and also affecting the church negatively.
SCOPE: The talk is mainly concerned with Christian youths, especially those in the LCN and Lagos District in particular.
BACKGROUND: youths can do mighty things, and work more for God on improving the activities and programs in the church if they can stop abusing drugs and alcohol, and have a good self esteem.
OBJECTIVES/SOLUTION:
- To find out why youths use drugs and alcohol, and why they abuse these substances
- Find out the impact of drug and alcohol abuse on the self-esteem of Youths
- To find out what can be done to stop drug and alcohol abuse
- How to improve or boost self esteem
INTRODUCTION:
The rate at which youths get involved in drugs and alcohol abuse is becoming alarming. Sometimes it forces one to think if there is something very important to gain when we abuse drugs and alcohol. There is no doubt that there can be one or two good things about taking drugs and alcohol, but when it is being abused, I don’t think there is anything positive to gain from it: or what do you think?
I believe that often times, some youths are totally ignorant of the effects drug and alcohol abuse have on their lives. Also, most of these youths engage in drug and alcohol abuse due to low self-esteem and few times due to high self esteem. When one is having low self-esteem, chances are that such an individual will always look for ways of overcoming it. But a lot of young people confront the issue of low self-esteem the wrong way-by indulging in drugs and substance abuse. There are lots of ways to improve our self-esteem; drug and substance abuse is not part of it.
Since God has made us not just conquerors, but more than conquerors, we have been empowered to overcome or conquer drug and alcohol abuse. If we truly understand what it means to be more than a conqueror, our self esteem should rise without thinking of any wrong way of improving on it. Someone once said: “you can’t serve the most high God and remain so low” so if we serve the most high God and know what it means to be more than a conqueror, then we will have no need for drug and alcohol abuse to improve our self esteem or make us high.
As a guide, we will go further with this topic by considering each point on our objective/solutions, after we have defined some of the terms in the topic.
DEFINITION OF TERMS: all definitions are taken from the Merriam Webster Dictionary
Impact: the force of impression of one thing on another: a significant or major effect.
Drug: it’s substance used as medication or in the preparation of medication. Substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease. Substance other than food intended to affect the structure or function of body. Some thing, and often an illegal substance that causes addiction, habituation (decrease in responsiveness upon repeated exposure to a stimulus), or a marked change in consciousness.
Alcohol: ethanol especially when considered as the intoxicating agent in fermented and distilled liquors
Self esteem: a confidence and satisfaction in oneself.
Abuse: improper or excessive use or treatment
WHY DO YOUTHS ABUSE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL: Youthful age or adolescence is always associated with exuberance, impulsive and irrational decision, and a time when an individual is open to a whole lot of things and this include drugs and alcohol.
- In attempt to fit in and peer pressure:
- To feel good:
- To feel better (self medication and Escape):
- Experimentation:
- Competition:
- Attention:
- Lack of education:
- Addiction:
- Parental influence and upbringing:
IMPACT OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ABUSE ON THE SELF ESTEEM OF YOUTHS: apart from having significant negative effects on the family, education, and academics of the youths, it also has a devastating consequences on the physical and mental health of the youth, which takes it’s toll on the self esteem of such individual. Some of the impacts on the self esteem of the youths are:
- Ridicule from others in the society
- If in any case where there is a stigma resulting from abusing drugs and alcohol, then that person will be living in shame due to the stigma
- Withdrawal from what one used to love doing
- One begins to see himself or herself as a failure
- It leads to suicidal thoughts
- It affects the way one dresses, which are often tattered or dirty.
- It greatly affects your life as a Christian, as it makes you feel as if God is no longer interested in you. It also makes the individual to run away from God.
- It can affect one academically.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO STOP DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE AMONG YOUTHS: While there is no one way or guaranteed human way to prevent someone from abusing drugs and alcohol, there are things that everyone can do to prevent substance abuse.
Here are the top five ways to prevent substance abuse:
1. Understand how substance abuse develops. Substance abuse starts by:
- Using addictive drugs (illicit or prescribed) for recreational purposes
- Seeking out intoxication every time you use
- Abusing prescription medication
2. Avoid Temptation and Peer Pressure.
3. Seek help for mental illness.
4. Examine the risk factors.
5. Keep a well-balanced life.
Tips to overcome drug addiction:
- Surround yourself with supportive people.
- Find new hobbies.
- Exercise.
- Volunteer.
- Eat well.
- Talk it out.
- Meditate.
- Seek professional help.
As Christians, we should always remember that God has the solution to every trouble. We should pray about it. Talk to our pastors or Elders, we should meditate on the Word of God and be open to learning and the prompting of the Holy Spirit through the word of God. The following Bible passages will help:
- Matthew 16:41
- 1st Corinthians 15:33
- Proverbs 25:28
- Ephesians 5:15-20
- James 1:12-15
- 1st Peter 5:8-10
- 1st John 2:16-17
- Proverbs 20:1
- 1st Corinthians 6:12
HOW TO IMPROVE OUR SELF ESTEEM: to handle this point, we will want to quickly look at low self esteem. People who have low self-esteem may struggle with the perception that they are inadequate, unworthy, unlovable and incompetent. Low self-esteem can be caused by being exposed to dysfunctional behavior as a child, such behaviors include: neglect, abandonment, abuse, anger, and negative criticism.
Signs of low self-esteem may include the following: feeling self-conscious, hyper obsessive about relationships with others, feeling of self defeat when faced with setbacks, and being chronically indecisive.
The reasons people with low self-esteem turn to substance abuse are among others to: dull the pain of loneliness, fit in with the peers, cope with feelings of inadequacy, and try to increase self worth. This happens to be the same reason that people abuse drugs and alcohol.
So why do we need to build or improve our self esteem? Building confidence and self-esteem is our first step towards achieving greater freedom – the freedom to take bigger risks, the freedom to explore the world, and the freedom to experience a happier and more meaningful life.
Other ways to improve low self-esteem
Here are some other simple techniques that may help you feel better about yourself.
Recognise what you’re good at
Build positive relationships
Be kind to yourself
Learn to be assertive
Start saying “no”
Give yourself a challenge
After we have considered these points, we should never forget the ultimate. It’s just like taking medication and still knowing that it is only God that heals. So we shall consider what God says in His word which can help boost our self esteem.
- Matthew 21:28-30
- Hebrews 10:35-36
- Luke 12:7
- 1st Peter 2:9
- 1st Corinthians 10:13
CONCLUSION: Don’t doubt yourself, because God has never doubted you. If there are people who don’t believe in you, prove them wrong and surprise them with your success. You are a child of God, so be strong, confident, and great!
Papa Mbos 