This is some of the story of Iain. Iain is the name given to a fictitious character who does not live in one body but is shared and experienced in the mind, body and soul of a number of young people whom I have met over a number of years. Iain is male, not because of discrimination, but because of majority. Like older, but perhaps not wiser, male users, young boys tend to experiment, use and abuse drugs more than their female friends of the same age.

Iain at 12

28 June 2002 – Ah, at last Form II is over! I couldn’t stand another day of school; those teachers just wouldn’t let me off. Now I am looking forward to a long summer of doing nothing – well, not exactly doing nothing, I will go out a lot with my friends, hang around with them, see what they are up to. What is summer for if not this? I just need to get my results so mum will let me off the hook. Not that I studied much, but most of the time I have coped and I think I’ve made it this time too.

8 July 2003 – Today I was caught smoking. In reality I have been smoking for a year now, sneaking cigarettes from my mum and dad, and had managed to hide it from them. They cannot really tell me anything, can they? After all, they were their cigarettes. Some of my friends are the same, they have been caught too. And their parents are the same too, trying to tell us how bad smoking is and at the same time they don’t stop themselves. I don’t care about what my parents say about smoking, and I won’t let them catch me again. We just need to be more careful, that’s all.

Iain at 14

18 June 2004 – Oh what a buzz! Yesterday I got drunk but my, what a trip! Every-one was so happy together, nothing mattered. We were all buying drinks for each other and had a blast laughing together and at others. Or at least that’s what I think happened because, come to think about it, I can’t really remember everything. I must have thrown up at some point, because mum said my clothes really stank. Who cares?

24 June 2004 – I couldn’t wake up today, my head was spinning like a whirlwind, even though I had an exam. I just couldn’t. I must have drunk a lot yesterday. There’s not one cent in my wallet and again I can’t really remember what happened. I got a girl though, she drank with me and we had a blast together – I think! I don’t have any more money, mum’s purse will have to do this week.

16 July 2004 – I feel so sick today. My throat really hurts and this cough is killing me. The doctor noticed that I smoke and he said I should stop at least until this cold is over but I still smoke as I can’t stay without cigarettes. They cost me a lot, I pinch from my parents and my friends, I don’t care how I get them, as long I have them.

4 September 2004 – Mum has already started nagging about school but I can’t really see a way out. I failed miserably in my exams and my marks have really shot down. Mum keeps saying that had I not gone out that much during the exams, I might have done better. She says I will still go up to Form IV but it will be difficult to catch up now. But I don’t want to study any more, it’s too boring, too difficult, too tedious – I hate school!

Iain at 16

30 January 2005 – I really like my friends, we go out almost every day but on Friday and Saturday they’re the best! During the week life has become worse, I fight with my mum all the time but then on Friday it’s all gone. I go out, I stay out and there’s no worry. I meet up with my friends, buy all the booze we want and get drunk. I won’t go to school tomorrow, I will say I have a headache; anyway I don’t see the point in going. I’m wasting time. Even when I’m at school, it’s difficult to concentrate; I either just gaze or I keep remembering what we did at the weekend. I want to go to a party now, even though I don’t have an ID. But I will get in. There’s a really good DJ coming and I can’t miss him. I won’t get caught, I know. Michael knows the bouncer at the door and he will let us in, no problem. Mum will not know, I’ll tell her I’m sleeping over at Michael’s and he is going to do the same. It’s just another little lie, no harm in it.

16 August 2005 – This was the best party ever. So big, so many DJs; but the best thing was I had an E. I knew I wanted to try it one day, all my friends were taking. I stayed out all night, I was high all the time, such good feelings, time flew, one minute we arrived, the next it was four o’clock. This is life. This is how I want to live, the rest is such a bore. Nothing is like this and there cannot be anything better. I can’t wait until the next party comes, I’m sure I’m going to have the time of my life.

1 July 2006 - Summer is the best time of the year! I can really party as much as I want to. I was 16 last week and all of my friends took me up to X Club and we stayed there until everyone was out. I had already bought my Es because from inside they cost much more. At least I didn’t pay for the drinks as this was the birthday treat from my friends; they paid for everything. That’s great as I am constantly broke these days. I wish I could find a job; I would be super then. But there are no opportunities for me. The adverts keep asking for experience and certificates and I have none. I have a hangover right now and I’m really depressed. I sleep most of the morning, as I stay out late at night but if I don’t enjoy myself now, when will I? This is my life and this is how I want to live it. I’ll manage, I know I will.

The above are excerpts from Iain’s diary as we get a glimpse of his development over some crucial years in his life. Unfortunately, substances have started taking over at least part of his life and while he is not under the effect most of the time, he still suffers the consequences all the time. He is apathetic about life because the high feeling he gets while under the influence of drugs can never be equalled by the “normal” routine. His brain is losing the ability to produce his own natural highs as it is being given some extra help from the outside. Iain has also missed great opportunities at school and this will reflect as he competes with his contemporaries for employment and further education. He has also isolated himself from healthy friends, and his chances of getting out of this lifestyle get narrower while his chances of moving on to using other substances increase.

Iain would certainly benefit from some help. He could be guided to slow down and reflect upon long-term goals. He would also gain from being introduced to activities that appeal to his adventurous spirit, that would help him get high and excited in a natural way. He could meet other friends who have a different outlook on life and be helped to feel a sense of belonging in other environments.

If Iain really wants to change his lifestyle he will also have to face the difficult task of learning to say no to the memory of using drugs. He will have to understand that drugs can never be a short-term thing; they eventually take over larger parts of his life. He will have to decide how he wants to shape his attitudes and behaviour and stick to that, even though his past life will continue to lure him towards it.

Iain would also have benefited from earlier intervention. His ways might have been set on different paths. Research shows that the earlier the intervention, the smaller are the changes that need to be made. Unfortunately, it is not only a question of behaviour, but a reverse action to change the bio-psycho-social structures that the young person would have built such as eating patterns, friends, partners, belonging to a family, places of entertainment, work, education, attitudes towards authority and law-abiding activities.

Remona Cuschieri is Team Leader Sedqa Secondary Prevention.

Agenzija Sedqa forms part of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, which also incorporates Agenzija Sapport and Agenzija Appogg.

Further details about Agenzija Sedqa and its services are available from www.sedqa.

gov.mt and www.mfss.

gov.mt

Sedqa Helpline 151; Appogg Supportline 179.