Pubdate: Sat, 04 May 2002 Source: Bangkok Post (Thailand) Copyright: The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2002 Contact: http://www.bangkokpost.co.th/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/39 Author: Anjira Assavanonda Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) UNHAPPY KIDS TURN TO SEX, DRUGS Psychiatrist Lays Blame On Parents Sex and drugs are being used by youngsters as tools to escape from distress and troubles which have battered their lives, a child psychiatrist said yesterday. Dr Amporn Benjapolpitak, a psychiatrist at the Institute of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, raised the issue at a seminar on the influence of sex and drugs on children. She explained that the two are becoming increasingly important to youngsters today because of loneliness and lack of happiness. "They need something to fulfill what has been missing from their lives, and drugs and sex provide the easiest answers," said Dr Amporn. While adults turn to drugs and sex for momentary happiness, children may view them as a great relief for their sorrows, she said. "Youngsters have sex in order to forget something they don't want to remember, and they have drugs to make them smile, a smile that will cover up the distress in their lives," said Dr Amporn. She said parents' lack of understanding and consistency in taking care of their children was mainly to blame. Deputy Education Minister Sirikorn Maneerin also agreed that teenagers' problems will be hard to solve if parents do not co-operate. She cited her own experience from her daughter's teenage years. "My daughter's problem was her beauty. She may be beautiful and bright, but she is not street-wise," said Mrs Sirikorn. "When she was 12, she felt embarrassed to let me take her hand when crossing the road. When she grew a little older, she tried to make herself distinguished by wearing revealing dresses." "I had to use all my wisdom and patience in dealing with her, teaching her that beauty does not last long. What will stay with her forever is her knowledge and skills to work and live in harmony with others in society. It took me three years to change her attitude and get her to understand how much I loved and cared about her," she said. Besides parental care, schools are second-most important in looking after the children. Mrs Sirikorn said teachers should be close to their students in order to understand their thoughts and feelings. "Up until today, the ministry's anti-drug campaign has not succeeded because many school administrators and teachers have refused to accept the truth. They understand that having their schools named 'a white school' is a proof of success, which is wrong," she said. Supachai Sathirasilapin, of the Public Welfare Department, cited statistics from an NGO which shows that there are around 400,000 unwanted pregnancies each year. Last year, the number rose to 500,000. After the enforcement of the child-friendly Criminal Procedure Amendment Act two years ago, 24,000 criminal charges were brought against children, 13,000 of which involved drug offences and 3,000 sex offences. - --- MAP posted-by: Ariel