DRUG ADDICTION AND ITS TRAUMA ON ADOLESCENTS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE FEDERAL CAPITALTERRITORY, ABUJA.

Abstract

This study investigated drug addiction and its trauma on adolescents in Senior Secondary Schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The study had three objectives, three research questions, and two null hypotheses, which guided it. The research design was a survey design. The population of the study was 3,547, out of which 346 students were selected randomly from nine schools within the study area. The instrument used to collect the data was a self-structured questionnaire entitled: “Drug Addiction and Trauma Questionnaire” (DATQ). The research questions were analysed, using simple percentages and mean scores, while all the hypotheses were tested using a t-test. All the hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that drug addiction leads to complicated health challenges, such as depression, worries, loss of sense of belonging, anxiety, psychological disorder, and subsequently self-harm. It was also revealed that, drug addiction leads to trauma among adolescents. Results from the tested hypotheses revealed that drug addiction has no respect for gender and location. Students in rural areas were more involved and victims of drug addiction. It was recommended that stakeholders like counsellors, parents, social organisations, and religious bodies should use every available opportunity to assist students who are experiencing trauma as a result of drug addiction, both in urban and rural areas of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria