Background: The transition to higher education represents a
critical period of vulnerability, where academic rigour and social shifts often
precipitate maladaptive coping mechanisms, including substance use. Within the
competitive landscape of tertiary education, students face unique stressors
that may normalise self-medication and drug initiation.
Objective: To investigate the qualitative experiences,
social influences, and academic pressures that contribute to the initiation and
continuation of drug use among this population.
Methodology: A qualitative study was conducted at the
Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Shaheed Monsur Ali Medical
College, from January to July 2024. Using purposive sampling, ten students who
self-reported current drug use were recruited from the Shahbag area. Data were
analysed using thematic analysis to identify core drivers of substance
initiation and usage patterns.
Results: Thematic analysis revealed that drug use was
primarily driven by the need for coping mechanisms against chronic academic
stress and anxiety. Social circles played a pivotal role in the normalisation
of substances, with first encounters often triggered by peer pressure and
curiosity. Furthermore, many students reported using substances for perceived
cognitive enhancement, such as improved focus for long study hours, despite
acknowledging the long-term negative health and social consequences. These
findings suggest that the university environment and social networks act as
both a gateway and a sustaining factor for drug abuse.
Conclusion: Drug initiation in this population is deeply
tied to social environments and a lack of healthy coping strategies for
academic rigour. Prevention programs should move beyond basic awareness and
focus on robust mental health support, stress management workshops, and
debunking myths regarding cognitive enhancers.
Author(s) Details
Nazia Sharmin
Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Shaheed Monsur Ali
Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Faisal Mohammed Pasha
Department of Community Medicine & Public Health, Shaheed Monsur Ali
Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Md. Syedur Rahaman
Sumon
Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Bashundhara Ad-din
Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Rowshon Ara Begum
Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical
College, Sirajganj, Bangladesh.
Nuzhat Andalib
Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Faridpur Medical College,
Faridpur, Bangladesh.
Please see the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/msup/v6/7126
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