CAT: A ticking time bomb as youth drown in drug use
Botswana Substance Abuse Support Network (BOSASNet) is gravely concerned about increasing drug abuse in Botswana.
BOSASNet, a non-governmental organisation that provides substance abuse education, prevention and rehabilitation services further worries that substances keep changing and getting more potent, addictive and cheaper, which is a boiling pot for disaster.
Clinical Programme Manager at BOSASNet, Lorato Koosaletse explains that what most people do not know and understand is that substance use disorders are mental disorders.
“Substances are psychoactive, which means they affect the mind or brain. They change the way the brain works in very similar ways to the way some mental disorders do,” she says.
The more reason she worries stems from the fact that some users are young students from primary and secondary schools whose brains are not fully developed. The majority of their clients range from ages of 15-35.
BOSASNet currently has more than 230 clients this year for substance use disorders, the majority of which are youth under 30 years of age, with their youngest client at only nine years old.
The most commonly used substances among students are alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. However, lately and more disturbing is that Methcathinone (CAT) has become common within the younger generation.
“CAT is a substance that can increase one’s concentration, gives more energy and is cheaper than cocaine and even crack cocaine. So young people use it for studying or working longer hours,” Koosaletse says.
According to BOSASNet, from 2010 to 2017 the fourth most used substance was cocaine including crack cocaine. From 2018, CAT has taken over and its use is increasing rapidly.
Koosaletse explains that substances use disorder (SUD) is a mental disorder that affects a person’s brain and behaviour, leading to a person’s inability to control their use of substances such as legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medications.
She adds that the recurrent use of alcohol and, or drugs causes clinically significant impairment, including health problems, disability and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school and home. Koosaletse says factors that make one vulnerable to substance use include peer pressure, psychological trauma, curiosity and family challenges.
To assist their clients, the organisation uses evidence-based approaches for treating substance use disorders to provide individual, family and group counselling. Koosaletse says there is still a lack of knowledge or acknowledgement that it is a problem that affects not just the person using substances, but their family and the community. She says there is a perception that most families have, that once the person using substances stops, everything will be alright.
However, evidence indicates that family members are all affected by the substance use and will probably need support to help them heal from the disappointments, frustrations, resentments and may feel for the person with a substance use disorder, as well as to help them cope as co-dependents.