By Kareemat Oladipupo
Student life is often painted as exciting. New freedom, new friendships, and a chance to finally make personal choices. On the surface, it looks like a period filled with laughter, late nights, and ambition. But beneath that surface, many students are carrying more than they let on. In hostels, classrooms, and common areas, students wear faces that suggest everything is fine.
Some are joking loudly, some are quiet, some are always busy. What most people do
not see are the struggles hidden behind those faces. One of such struggles is drug abuse, a topic that is often whispered about but rarely discussed honestly. When drug abuse comes up in conversations, it is usually treated as something simple. Someone did wrong. Someone broke the rules. Someone deserves punishment.
What is often missing from this conversation is the human story behind the behaviour.
For many students, drug use does not begin with bad intentions. It does not begin with a
plan to become dependent or reckless. It often begins with a small decision made during a confusing moment.
One student, who asked not to be identified to protect their privacy, explained that their first encounter with drugs happened during their early days in school. Everything felt unfamiliar.
They were still trying to adjust, trying to find where they fit in. According to the student, they felt pressure to belong. They wanted friends. They wanted to feel accepted. They noticed that some students already had groups and seemed confident. When drugs were introduced in a social setting, it did not feel like a dangerous choice. It felt like a way to connect.
The student said refusing felt awkward. It felt like drawing attention to themselves. Saying
yes felt easier than explaining why they did not want to. Another student shared a similar experience. They explained that peer pressure is not always obvious. Nobody forced them. Nobody threatened them. Instead, it came through jokes and casual comments. People laughed it off. They made it seem harmless.
Over time, the student said, saying no started to feel like being difficult. It felt like isolating
yourself. Eventually, they gave in, not because they wanted drugs, but because they wanted to belong.This is a common pattern among students. Many are still learning how to say no. Many are still figuring out who they are. In that stage of life, fitting in often feels more important than thinking about long-term consequences.
However, peer pressure is not the only reason students turn to drugs. For some, the habit did not start in school. It started long before.
One student explained that drug use was normal in their environment growing up. They saw it regularly. Older friends used substances openly. People talked about it without fear or shame. By the time the student entered school, drugs were already familiar.
The student explained that when something becomes normal in your environment, it does
not feel dangerous. It feels like part of life. Coming to school did not suddenly change that mindset. This is something many people fail to understand. Students do not arrive at school as empty slates. They come with experiences, habits, and coping mechanisms shaped by their past. When those coping mechanisms involve drugs, change becomes difficult without support.
School itself adds pressure. Academic expectations are high. There is pressure to perform well, pressure to meet family expectations, and pressure to plan a future that feels uncertain. Several students admitted that stress played a role in their drug use. Some used drugs to
stay awake and read. Others used them to calm anxiety or escape overwhelming thoughts.
One student described nights when they felt trapped. Assignments were piling up. Personal issues were unresolved. Financial worries were constant. Drugs provided temporary relief. The student knew it was not a solution, but in those moments, it felt like the only way to cope.
While students deal with these struggles quietly, the effects eventually show up at the health centre. A health practitioner who works closely with students, and who requested anonymity, explained that many students delay seeking help.
According to the practitioner, fear is a major reason. Students are afraid of being judged.
They are afraid of being punished. They are afraid that once they speak up, their academic life will be affected.
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The practitioner explained that because of this fear, many students wait until their condition becomes serious before seeking help. By then, the problem is harder to manage. From a medical point of view, drug abuse is rarely just about drugs. It is often connected to mental and emotional struggles. Anxiety, depression, loneliness, and unresolved pain are common factors.
The practitioner explained that treating drug abuse only as a disciplinary issue ignores these deeper problems. Without addressing the root cause, punishment alone does not lead to recovery. Some students agree with this view.
One student explained that punishment without understanding only teaches students how to hide better. Instead of stopping, they become more secretive. Another student pointed out that once someone is labelled a drug abuser, that label sticks. People start to look at them differently. Trust changes. Even when the student wants to change, the stigma follows them.
This stigma creates shame. Shame leads to silence. Silence allows the problem to grow
unnoticed. Many students interviewed believe strongly that drug abusers should be listened to before they are judged. They believe everyone has a story, and that story matters.
One student explained that listening does not mean excusing bad behaviour. It means
understanding what led to it. According to them, when people feel heard, they are more likely to take responsibility and seek help.
Another issue students raised is how rarely drug abuse is discussed openly. When it is
mentioned, it is usually through warnings and rules. There are few spaces for honest
conversations without fear. This silence makes struggling students feel alone. They assume nobody else understand what they are going through. They assume help is not available.
Some students suggested that counseling, peer support, and open discussions could help reduce the problem. Knowing that someone will listen without immediate judgment could encourage students to seek help early. The health practitioner also emphasized the importance of early intervention. According to them, when students receive support early, recovery is more achievable. Waiting until punishment becomes the only response often leads to worse outcomes.
This does not mean rules should be ignored. Discipline is important. But discipline without
compassion often fails. Drug abuse among students is not a simple issue. It is shaped by peer pressure, background, stress, and silence. It is sustained by fear and misunderstanding.
At the centre of it all are young people trying to survive a demanding stage of life. They
make mistakes. They struggle. But they also deserve understanding.
Until drug abuse is treated as both a health issue and a human issue, many students will
continue to suffer quietly. Until people start asking questions and listening, the problem will remain hidden. Sometimes, the first step toward change is not punishment. It is listening to stories people have been ignoring for long.
