Challenges of Asian-American Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Treatment There are a number of cultural issues that come into play when attempting to treat an AsianAmerican suffering from addiction. For one thing there is a pervasive attitude about psychological conditions with Asian cultures that present a problem.
Simply put, among Asian families, there is a tendency to believe that any condition of the mind (such as addiction) is not a real problem. That means many men and women of Asian descent will not seek the addiction treatment help they need. Also, families are much less likely to provide support for their loved ones living with addiction if they do not take the matter seriously. Also, Asian cultures place a great emphasis on self-control. Addiction represents a loss of control, and as such many men and women will be fearful of seeking help for their condition. Drug rehab programs help address this issue by creating specific behavior regimens that, if followed, can lead to a long-lasting sobriety. Common Drug Addictions among Asian-Americans Although there are a wide variety of different addictions among Asian-Americans, the most commonly found are: • Cocaine addiction • Prescription drug addiction (including OxyContin, Vicodin, Amphetamines, etc.) • Alcohol addiction …show more content…
http://www.thegooddrugsguide.com/drug-and-alcohol-treatment/population/racial-ethnic/asianamerican-rehab.htm
Alcohol, drugs, and substance use among Asian-American college students. Two hundred and forty eight self-identified Asian-American college students participated in this study that examined the prevalence rates and sociodemographic factors of substance use among Asian Americans in college. Using a Basic Demographic Questionnaire, Family of Origin
Measure, Acculturation Lifestyle Survey, and Substance Use Checklist (all instruments were in English), prevalence rates were found to be comparable to or higher than a national sample: 94.5% lifetime prevalence and 78.6% current prevalence (past 30 days) of alcohol use; and higher current prevalence (past 30 days) of illicit drug use (9.5%) and of cigarette use (22.8%) than other Asians aged 12 and older (3.5% for illicit drugs and 17.7% for cigarettes) in a national survey.
Male students and those who were employed were more likely to be current users (past 30 days) of drugs in general (15%) and marijuana (13.2%), and users of wine coolers (76.0%) and cigarettes (61.1%) in their lifetime. Being born overseas, years in the U.S., and preference for American TV/movies are associated with substance use. Asian Americans are not immune from substance use (or abuse) while in college. Culture-specific prevention is necessary. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16681174 Ethnic Differences Seen in Youth Drug Use In the Asian-American group, the most important factors were different. Asian seventh- and eighth-graders were especially less likely to drink or smoke if parents and siblings abstained or disapproved. They were also strongly influenced by whether they had positive impressions of drinking – for example, whether they thought it would make them more popular. With Asian-Americans, D’Amico says, educators might focus on getting kids to talk to their families about drugs and
alcohol, or on clearing up misconceptions about positive effects. “Does alcohol really make you more popular? It’s important to understand what’s in your head, versus the real drug effect.” http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/01/ethnic-differences-seen-in-youth-drug-use/