As the boy staring at the mirror, with his lifeless eyes, deep in agony and pain. Those thin arms and body, waiting to surrender in this game of life. “What have I done?,” he said. Holding a syringe in his left hand and holding a rope on his right hand. Examining and weighing things need to be done. “What should I choose?”
If we could only listen. Listen without judging. Filling with care and love. This psychological and physical struggle he feels. If we could only stop him. We should be aware.
Anxiety, depression, wild mood swing, and hallucination are just some of the psychological effects of drug abuse. Kidney failure, heart diseases, and lung malfunction are its physical effects. As young citizens of the community, we should be aware of what its effects are. For we are the key to stop it.
If we go on today and chase the powder fairy, she’ll grab us by the neck and drag us into the abyss.
A long time of agony and short term happiness. Yes, drugs can help us to cope with our problems, experience ecstasy, to be happy for a while. But little did we know, drugs can also lead us to despair and tragedy.
Yet, what is the real understanding in the drug’s evil effects? We all know the basics; psychological and physical effects. But on one point, it can change a person’s social standing in a snap. In the beginning, he is studying and going to school. Now, he is alone, bewildered and confused. Shattered to pieces because everyone’s ignoring him… leaving him behind. For they are judging his whereabouts. No one heard his side. No one listened to him.
Once you started, you can never go back. Those dreams became nightmares. Nightmares we can’t escape because when you enter, there’s no way out.
But we can prevent someone from entering. Entering that nightmare that scares us.
We young citizens in the community can do something. As we go on and join together, we can do something. Something that can change our future, that something that can change our lives. Yes, we can and we are the role models in our own places and community, but what are the things we’re capable of that we can use to spread our advocacy against drugs? Social media.
The wide blast of social media in the world can play a big role. Facebook for sharing our advocacies, Twitter to trend what’s happening, Instagram for posting, and we can make channels, post videos and go live to YouTube! People especially teenagers and young adults are the main users of social media. We can connect to them easily and we can spread awareness and promote our advocacies faster.
In these simple things, as young citizens of the community, we can do big.
Those two ears for listening to the one who need it. Those eyes that can see what’s really happening. Those tongue we can use to spread the word. Those minds that can change everything.
That boy staring lifelessly at the mirror, holding a syringe in his left hand and rope in his right hand. Examining and weighing things to be done. “I need to choose,” but someone grabbed those things and put them away. Saying, “If you need someone to listen, I’m here.”
(The following essay is the winning piece of 4rth year student Ariza Doreen Tayag of the Angeles City National High School in the recently concluded Rotary Club of Angeles Essay Writing Contest with the theme “How I Understand the Evil Effects of Drug Abuse and as a Young Citizen How Could I Help in its Prevention.” – Editor)