Pointing out that there is very little difference in substance use rates among young people globally, in the European Union, and in Turkey, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “We are on par with Europe in terms of substance use rates.” Tarhan also emphasized that social isolation and loneliness among young people are among the factors triggering substance use.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, evaluated the issue of substance addiction.
There is a serious increase in substance addiction!
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, pointing to serious information regarding the increase in substance addiction, stated, “A report conducted among secondary school students in European countries, known as ESPAD, documents this increase. Turkey is also a part of this study. ESPAD, which stands for European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs, determines the rates of lifetime use (up to the time of the survey) of cigarettes, alcohol, or other substances at least once among secondary school students in EU member countries. The study was conducted on over 100,000 students.”
Alcohol use is high among high school-level youth…
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, drawing attention to the striking results, continued as follows:
“41% of high school-level youth have used cigarettes at least once in their lives, 79% have used alcohol, and 17% have used substances. These rates are quite high. In 1989, when I was at GATA, I conducted a thesis study on reserve officer students, and the substance use rate among them was 1%. The substance use rate, which was 1% among university graduates 20-30, even 40 years ago, has now risen to 17%. This indicates a 17-fold increase. Globally, there is very little difference in substance use rates among young people in the European Union and Turkey. We have caught up with Europe, and we are on par with Europe in terms of substance use rates.”
Substance, alcohol, and cigarette use rates have increased among youth despite family efforts
Prof. Dr. Tarhan noted that the reason for this increase is that while young people could previously be protected by their families, the family structure has weakened today and the family is no longer a safe space, allowing young people to easily access prohibited substances. He said, “The open door causing this situation is social media and smartphones. Young people can very easily access substances through these channels. They also easily access them through their surroundings. That is why, despite parents and family, the rate of substance, alcohol, and cigarette use has increased among youth.”
Substance use is a security problem
“Substance use in Turkey has now become a serious security problem. Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “If we lose our own youth while Turkey tries to fill its deficiencies with immigrants like the European Union in 20-30 years, we will have lost our future.” He stated that those who think about Turkey should change their priorities.
If one parent uses alcohol and cigarettes, the risk increases 5-fold
Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “Especially within families, cases of neglect and abuse have increased. This rate is higher in males, and if one parent uses alcohol and cigarettes, the likelihood of these habits developing in the child is five times greater. There is no positive trend in this area in Turkey. Therefore, efforts are being made to combat substance and alcohol use.”
Classic methods are not effective
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that current classic methods involve negative propaganda emphasizing the harms of alcohol, cigarettes, and substances, and such approaches are generally not effective. He added, “Globally, positive propaganda methods and positive influencing power are recommended. In other words, instead of trying to prevent through fear alone, protection strategies should be developed by improving people's quality of life and guiding them towards positive and correct behaviors. Especially at the primary prevention level, healthy individuals should be informed about what they can do to avoid substance use. These efforts should be carried out by offering positive reinforcement methods to individuals without explicitly mentioning substances. Strategies that improve happiness and social life can reduce the need for substances. Research shows that people generally turn to substance use due to a search for excitement and a need to reduce stress. When family ties are weak and unhappiness is experienced, young people may turn to substance use to fill this void. This situation can lead to the emergence of subculture groups formed by substance users.”
After treatment, rehabilitation centers offer a more effective solution
Prof. Dr. Tarhan pointed out that the treatment of substance users is often a difficult and costly process in a hospital setting, and said, “Therefore, the smartest strategy is to take proactive steps to prevent people from becoming substance dependent.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan emphasized that after treatment, rehabilitation centers, especially for children, offer a more effective solution. He added, “In Turkey, rehabilitation efforts carried out by voluntary non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are also important. However, due to existing legal barriers, it has become difficult for such NGOs to operate. Public legal entities, foundations, and universities should provide more support in this regard.”
Bureaucracy complicates the process
Prof. Dr. Tarhan explained that although Kocaeli Municipality cannot legally open an addiction-related center, it established a structure called 'Tazelenme Merkezi' (Renewal Center), which provides a place where young people and students can stay and receive various support. He said, “The municipality initiated this endeavor on its own initiative, and many young people have recovered here. Such initiatives can also be undertaken by NGOs, but bureaucracy often complicates this process and does not adequately recognize the seriousness of the issue. Therefore, time is lost on an important issue like protecting young people from bad habits. Currently, due to the distractions brought by daily tasks and media, we do not spend enough time with our children, nor do we chat with them enough. We do not pay attention to our children by watching television late into the night. Such neglect constitutes a major obstacle in protecting young people from bad habits.”
We spoiled the child and made them vulnerable to external influences
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that when speaking with children, one often behaves as if giving a lecture or a sermon, which comes from approaching them merely as an educator instead of being a companion. He said, “We spoiled the child and made them vulnerable to external influences. If a child does not have a healthy relationship between their parents, they can feel unhappy and insecure. This situation can be one of the reasons leading the child to leave home or use substances. Children with opportunities move away from home to start living independently; those with limited opportunities move away from home by going to university. Furthermore, even if some marry and have children, they express family discord by consuming alcohol. You see, there is no healthy communication in the family.”
If there are strong family bonds, youth choose family over substance use
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that if family dynamics are healthy and there is strong communication between parents, even if a child starts using substances, the family environment can steer them away from this habit. He said, “If there is a warm and sharing environment at home, even if the child tries substances, they are highly likely to choose their family over substance use due to their family ties. However, if family members are too lenient or permissive towards substance use, this can mean the misuse of love and affection. Parents, by allowing their children to drink alcohol or by condoning substance use at home, can pave the way for the development of this habit. Some parents might try to keep their children ‘under control’ by giving them alcohol. This approach can lead to the onset and progression of the child’s substance addiction.”
Healthy family bonds and good communication can protect children from risks
Prof. Dr. Tarhan emphasized that the impact of family dynamics and communication on children's substance addiction is very significant. He said, “Healthy family bonds and good communication can protect children from such risks. Warmth, positive support, appreciation, and approval within the family are important. However, a lack of family communication, weak family ties, and parental lack of education can increase problems. Children may turn to substance use in situations of lack of discipline or excessive permissiveness. Especially, inconsistent messages and uncontrolled behaviors from parents increase the risk of substance use. However, children from a healthy family environment can realize the allure of substance use and return to their families
Social isolation and loneliness among young people trigger substance use
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also emphasized that social isolation and loneliness among young people are among the factors triggering substance use, and explained that social media offers an artificial sociality that does not replace face-to-face interaction, and while this can temporarily alleviate young people's feelings of loneliness, social media relationships do not provide real emotional connections, leading users to experience a lack of genuine social interactions and deep relationships.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also stressed the importance of limited and conscious use of social media, saying, “Instead of social media replacing real face-to-face interaction, efforts to build healthy relationships and genuine social connections should be prioritized. Warm and supportive relationships within the family can help children maintain healthy development without being affected by loneliness and social isolation. Loneliness, the feeling of being lonely, is more prevalent in the new generation of youth than in other age groups. There is social isolation. Children don't sit and talk with their mother and father, spend time together, or share. Children feel lonely.” He concluded his words.