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.
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