Illicit Substance Use in Indigenous Australia

This article discusses the issue of illicit substance use in Indigenous Australia, including the effects of drugs like crack cocaine, ecstasy, and heroin. It explores the Social Cognitive Theory and evidence-based interventions for addressing drug abuse. The article also examines risk and protective factors for illicit substance use.

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Name
Professor
Institution
Course
Illicit Substance Use in Indigenous Australia
Introduction
Illicit substances are substances which are highly addictive and trigger the working of the
brain system. These drugs are stimulants and cause hallucinations and also provide a high
numbing effect. For example cocaine and Heroin. The origin of illicit substances abuse disorder
is characterized by physical dependence. This is shown by tolerance to and withdrawal
symptoms of the abuse of the drug. Tolerance occurs when one is in need of more of the

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substance in order to get the same effects. Withdrawal substances symptoms are severe and may
include seizures and heart palpitations which results depending on the type of the drug used.
Abuse of illicit drugs leads to a disorder that involves a psychological dependence on the
substance. This is well witnessed when a person cannot perform any activity before taking the
drug. A person who suffers from an illicit drug recognizes the negative effects on the drug use
and the person cannot perform any activity without taking the drug. Some rehab centers have
been put in place to help those who need rehabilitation. During the process of rehabilitation,
patients’ get to know healthy and productive surviving methods that can assist them from
maintain abstinence and strive to achieve a happier and nice successful life. The following are
some of the illicit drugs commonly abused and their effects.
Crack Cocaine
It is usually cut with substances such as baking soda. People who buy crack on the street
are not aware of what they have bought (Weinberger, 2014, p. 27). Crack Cocaine is bubbled and
hardened, and then the product cracks. Crack is smoked and it is stronger than cocaine and it is
more hazardous than cocaine due to its quality and the higher possibility containing the risky
substances.
Ecstasy
It is a drug used recreationally, and its symptoms include increased pleasure and
compassion and also the spontaneous heartbeat (Room, 2017, p. 36). Most users of ecstasy chew
gums and when the chewing becomes intense and not felt at that moment, fractured teeth and
severe nibbled lips and cheeks might be exposed when the drug has worn off (Hallowell, 2015,

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p. 56). Ecstasy is a precarious drug since it is connected with increased sexual emancipation. It
causes emotional and corporal harms..
Heroin
It is a drug which considered being the most deadly and most dangerous drug due to its
injection. It allows not only allows a fast high but also increased risks associated with needle use.
Users of heroin are associated with many health effects (Lloyd & Lucas, 2015, p. 77). They
grieve many harmful health problems that are connected to poisons that mature due to the usage
of unsterilized injection techniques. Some theories have been discussed on illicit substances and
have played a role in controlling those hazardous diseases.
Social Cognitive Theory
It is a theory which stated that knowledge follows in a communal framework with
energetic and mutual interaction of an individual, environment, and behavior (Group, 2016, p.
87). The sole feature is the stress on societal influence as well as its stress on both exterior and
interior social fortification. It reflects the method where a person get and uphold their behaviors
while also taking into account the societal atmosphere in which people accomplish their conduct.
The theory marks conventions that assumptions in the atmosphere will right change the
behavior of the person of which is not always the truth (Group, 2016, p. 44). It is roughly ordered
uniquely based on the dynamic interplay between people. It focuses on the way of learning and
in so undertaking it disdains biotic and hormonal dispositions that affect people’s behavior,
despite their older practice and potentials. Also, the theory does not focus on emotion and then, it
can be difficult to operate entirely. The reasons for the utilization of the population to use illicit

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drugs are in most cases peer pressure. There are also some countries that have allowed
consumption of these drugs and hence controlling them in Australia is not easy.
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Framework of the SCT
The social cognitive theory explains the influence of individual experiences, actions to
other people, and also it focuses on environmental factors on a person’s health issues (Breslau,
2015, p. 67). This theory targets students and children mostly in use of illicit substances like
cocaine. It tries to control the abuse of drugs where it separates those people with good behavior
to those with bad morals. (Group, 2016, p. 68). SCT is made up of four behavior processes such
as self- evaluation, self-observation, self-reaction, and self-efficacy. Excessive abuse of crack
cocaine . Cocaine stimulates the central nervous system and affects how the brain functions.
Other health problems occur depending on the drug used either injected or snorted.
Self-Evaluation
It compares ones current results with a targeted goal. Self-evaluation is posted by the
morals set and the benefits of the objectives (Hughes & Stevens, 2015, p. 87). The aims must be
specific and important therefore some goals are not as much important. There are two types of
self-evaluation standards: normative and absolute (Room, 2017, p. 56). A communal contrast
such as assessing one's conduct or character alongside other persons is taken to be a normative
standard. Self-evaluation is effective because people become satisfied when they meet their
targets. When individuals meet these objectives, they then become more likely to continue to
make to work tooth and nail to meet their standards.

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Self-Reaction
It narrows down that responses to one's enactment can be inspiring. And if the evolution
is thought adequate, then one will possess that sensation of self -efficacy in relation to continuity
and so will be interested to the accomplishment of their objective. The self-reaction allows
someone to reevaluate their goals in connection with their achievements (Hughes & Stevens,
2015, p. 57). If a person has achieved a goal, they are likely to reevaluate and raise the set target
whereas if a individual has not reached to the set objective, they are probable to re-evaluate and
set lesser targets which they can achieve.
CLAIM 3
Evidence-Based Interventions (EBI)
The theory targets the indigenous people since they are most affected. The theory
explains peoples’ behavior and they change and thus indulge into such illicit substances. SCT
provides opportunities for social base and support through instilling outcomes, self-efficacy and
using observational learning to achieve behavior change. Methods have been used to help curb
the issue on drug abuse in the indigenous Australians. Improvisation of extensive history across
medicine, clinical and counseling affairs. Putting in place rehabilitation center in Australia to
help limit use of illicit substances will also be of great help. This intervention is useful in SCT
since it uses dialectal behavior therapy.it is also applied in the SCT model when having effective
treatment plan.

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EBI Fine Print
It outlines that EBI is classically certified with huge groups’ investigation or rather a
small group of educations. While large assemblage study is suited for the documentation of
intrusions, it is usual that within that group there are cases where the involvement was not
effective (Lloyd & Lucas, 2015, p. 37). This means large groups are more effective compared to
small groups. For an individual Australian person case, the true documentation of evidence-
based is produced only after the invention is implemented and the outcome data are given. Large
groups of Australians are important when doing documentation of intrusions. This component
links with behavioral change theory because the characteristics of a single person can be affected
by those of other people.
Limitations
There is an assumption that the student finds the environment reinforcing and that the
time does not allow (Weinberger, 2014, p. 99). In addition to assumptions, the instructional level
of the student is assumed to be fully understood so that the task which is allocated for the student
to do is not worthily punishing but instead an easier one to tackle.
The invention also assumes that the teacher attention and predecessor are reinforcing
enough to have the student indulge in an activity (Sees & Clark, 2017, p. 77). It is very important
to understand that intervention choice is only the first step using this model and that all the other
selections will be implemented with fidelity and therefore the target results will be measured and
their efficiency determined by the end result data sooner than some a prior decision.
Claim 3

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Implementation of EBI
Deprived charges of EBI approval and low stages of implementations and conservation
may result in an unproductive impact on fitness poor results when interpreting EBIs to exercise
in the public. Printed trainings that provide information on the process used to develop
implementation interventions can inform implementation intervention planning.
EBI’s which are verified and obtainable for scale-up may benefit from the use of a
structured implementation intervention process (Boyd, 2016, p. 45). It may provide in addition to
useful insights for others interested in bridging health behavioral theories. It facilitates the use of
the IM procedures to support the systematic review and addressing of specific needs for
adoption, implementation, and maintenance of EBIs into practice.
The theory has largely signaled on methods that should be done and put into practice to
control the issue of drugs on illicit substances (McManus, 2016, p. 56). These strategies enable
one to focus on those important activities other than being idle and indulging in them.
Risk and Protective Factors on Illicit Substances
Research has strained to control how drug abuse arises and grows. Risk factors increase
person’s likelihood for drug misuse. One gets addicted after using those drugs for long. This
leads to loss of families, it also leads to academic failure to students (McManus, 2016, p. 78).
Drug abuse also leads to aggressive behavior and social difficulties. Risk factors can influence
drug abuse like early aggressive behavior. It may also lead to lack of parental supervision and
also results to poverty.
Protective Factors

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To encounter these risk issues, the protective reduces the risk. These protective factors
help children develop appropriate and positive behaviors (Horwood, 2018, p. 77). One needs to
have self control and parental monitoring. These factors control substance abuse by academic
competence. Improvising some Anti-drug use policies control drug availability.
Conclusion
From the above-discussed theory, it cuts across the issues related to illicit drugs. The
theory explains the stress on societal influence as well as its stress on both exterior and interior
communal reinforcement. It reflects the way in which persons get and preserve their behaviors
while also taking into account the communal environment in which people perform their
behavior. It discusses how individuals regulate their behavior through control so as to achieve
goal-oriented behavior that can be maintained over a certain period of time. It compares ones
current results with a targeted goal. Self-evaluation is affected by the standards set and the
benefits of the goals. The invention also assumes that the teacher attention and predecessor are
reinforcing enough to have the student indulge in an activity.

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