Getting over the delusion that our kids are immune from
drugs at a Christian college and even our own church!
The
delusional thinking by parents, pastors, and educators needs to stop, immediately.
What is this delusional thinking I’m referring to? The drug and alcohol epidemic that is running
ramped throughout the United States is somehow not affecting our young people
and their friends. The attached link above shows us that even conservative,
highly respected Christian colleges can and most often do have and drug and
alcohol problem.
The
difference between non-Christian Colleges and generally Christian colleges are
the rules. However, in many kids’ minds, rules are meant to be BROKEN and
alcohol and drugs are no exception.
The drug
epidemic has evolved over the years and the goal of using drugs remains the
same: to get high, buzzed, and feel good. However, the results in many cases
are just the opposite as the students at the Wesleyan College have found
out. The synthetic drug also known as
MDMA is in high demand especially among College students. The drug is generally
referred to as: “Ecstasy or, more recently, as Molly. It is a synthetic psychoactive
drug that has similarities to both the stimulant amphetamine and the
hallucinogen mescaline. It produces feelings of increased energy, euphoria,
emotional warmth and empathy toward others, and distortions in sensory and time
perception.”[1]
As
an Alcohol and Drug Counselor for over 23 years, I have worked with a number of
MDMA users, and have found that the drug, despite the perception in the
community, movies, and other settings has the same negative impact on
individuals. When discussing drugs use I
ask all my clients/patients the four same questions:
1. Has the drug had a negative impact on your finances? Include the money you spend for the product,
the medical expenses for recovery, legal fees, etc.
2. Has the drug caused you legal issues? Have you been
arrested, or narrowly escaped out the back door when the cop’s arrived?
3. Has the drug caused you problems with your family and
friends? This could include not showing
up for family or planned functions with friends because of using or recovering
from a recent use. Family and friends
continue to express concern about the use of alcohol or drugs.
4. Are you experiencing problems either physically or
mentally? There is a lot of research that alcohol and drugs have a
negative impact on the body. Depending on the drug, it could affect the heart,
lungs, blood pressure, liver, kidneys, and every organ in the body in some way.
There is also evidence that the alcohol and
drugs have a major effect on the brain, the mood, depression, anxiety,
cognitive function, perception, and the neurological development of individual.
Parents, pastors, educators, and student support groups,
let’s not be like the ostrich, the big
bird that sticks his head in the sand and believes that problems don’t exist.
The reality is that the problem is “TOO REAL” and young people are getting
hurt, sick, and dying!
While the student is
told and chooses to believe the Ecstasy/Molly’s will help improve their party
experience, others are told it will help them focus and study. Some are seeking a great buzz and others are
seeking a sexual stimulant. Whatever the reason for using this drug the outcome
is always destructive.
The following is a
partial list of some of the major effects:
Sharp increase in
body temperature
Good probability of
liver, kidney, and heart failure
Dehydration
Hallucinations
Increase motor
activity
Alertness
Increase heart rate
Muscle tension
Tremors
Muscle cramps
Nausea
Faintness
Chills
Sweating
Blurred vision
This drug is
synthetic and frequently manufactured in abandoned warehouses, barns, and even
bathtubs in your neighborhood. You don’t
who made it, their degree of cleanliness, what ingredients were used, or what
safety precautions they took. The only
thing you know is it is DEADLY!
My challenge to
parents, pastors, educators, and friends is to please stop ignoring the problem
of addiction. Take the challenge to:
Learn what drugs the
kids you know are using.
Ask questions
Become informed
Get them help
Hold people
accountable for their use
Hold the school
accountable for providing education and treatment for addictions.
[1]
National Institute on Drug Abuse. MDMA (Ecstasy or Molly) Retrieved from
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/mdma-ecstasy-or-molly on
February 24, 2015