Analyzing Media's Impact on Drug Culture: A Psychological Essay

This essay delves into the pervasive influence of media on drug culture, examining how social media platforms, TV shows, and movies contribute to the normalization and promotion of drug use, particularly among young people. It explores how media portrayals can create peer pressure, shape perceptions of drug use as a lifestyle choice, and even influence the types of drugs that are abused. Drawing upon psychological literature, the essay analyzes the impact of media exposure on individual behavior, addiction rates, and the overall psychological well-being of individuals within the context of drug culture. The essay also discusses the potential of media, particularly social media, to be used as a tool for drug abuse prevention and awareness campaigns, highlighting the importance of responsible media representation and targeted interventions to mitigate the negative effects of drug culture.

Introduction to the assessment

TABLE OF CONTENT
Drug culture 3
Media examples of drug cultures 3
Link between specific media examples and psychological literature to understand role of media in drug culture: 5
Psychological literature to understand drug culture: 6
REFERENCES 9

Drug culture
 The activities and way of life among people who habitually use one or
more kinds of drugs which abuses lifestyle factors such as cocaine and
Heroin, LSD and substances that alters states of consciousness.
 This is called drug culture widely expanding among youngsters, where it is
exponentially growing because of explicit and relevant media. The drug
culture has been functionally growing, among youngsters, where drug
dealers portrays heroes such as in TV shows and movies.
 Attending all night parties and drugs are part of experience, where
pharmaceutical drugs advertised on ration, television and magazines further
promotes specific abuse of drug within culture..

Media examples of drug cultures
 Social media examples such as Instagram, Facebook and snapchat provides environment people are
exposed towards drug culture, engaging risky behaviours of involving drugs and alcohol addiction. This further
enables to shed light on fact that celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Drake post pictures on media that starts
influencing young people and adolescents engaging to bring towards extended behaviour which leads to addiction
of drugs.
 Illicit and presentation of drugs as well as binge drinking makes teens socially get addicted towards culture, and
creates huge addiction . It can be also analysed that drug culture addiction, leads to criminal behaviours and
incarnation, transmission towards HIV and drug usage which is based on high risk sexual behaviours and
unemployment.

CONT….
 Drug culture is widely growing, where it further significantly
is known to be one of the most significant parameter which has
affected youngsters and adults psychologically.
 The usage of social media is known with extended exposure
towards drug addiction, based on specific rapport for technical
improved functional scope.

CONT….
 It can be also analyzed that usage of social media has created
havoc among people who are drug addicted, and also created
larger drug addiction abuse.
 Social media has functionally found to be one of the specific
platform, which has created larger addiction increase among
drug culture.

CONT…
 The sociological beliefs shapes approach and behavior pattern regarding substance usage
and abuse, where culture plays central role in forming expectations of individuals about
potential problems and drug usage.
 Posts from peers and other teenager enhances usage of drugs, where it is has become one
of the prominent aspect within drug culture.

CONT….
 UK culture, social life, pressure from friends are some of the specific factors which leads to increase
drug addiction consistently and has built drug culture widely.
 Drug abuse impacts psychological wellbeing among people, youngster’s lifestyle care which are essential to be
identified as some of the major parameters. It can be also analysed that drug addiction and consistent increase
among social peer pressure further has led to drug addiction increase.

Link between specific media examples
 Drug culture refers to the scenario in which people in society becomes highly habitual of
consuming drugs.
 In this manner, society moves towards adopting the trend that has been followed by the people.
 Consuming drug has become the pattern of society towards which individual are shaping their life.
 Often, the sources such as media who impact individual on a high note often impacting drug
culture. As per the views of Formosa, (2019) sociocultural belief leads to shape the approaches of
behaviour in individual in context of using substance and abuse.

CONT…
 For example: Large number of artist over television has been represented as consuming drug this
applied the impact over the audience who are viewing this.
 Thus, in this manner the peer pressure has been created over audience in context of adopting drug
culture.
 Media plays vital role in solving the issues in relation of drug abuse however, the media is
contributing in creating peer pressure over the individual in terms of adopting drug culture.
 Often, the studies has shown that, teens who are fond of watching R rated movies consumes
Marijuana.

Psychological literature to understand drug
culture and role of media
 According to Young, (2018), drug culture is major issue that impact youth of the country, due to
proper media coverage drug abuse are under control.
 It is very clear that use of substance impact psychological behaviour of individual and impact their
every day activity, substance like cannabis and alcohol not only affect behaviour of person but
allow them to attempt suicide as well.
 Media play crucial role in controlling drug abuse, with the help of social media campaign
government and other agency have taken control over drug abuse by highlighting bad impact that
occur due to drugs on human body.

CONT…
 According to Al Khaja and et.al (2018), social media is one of the best media platform to control
drug culture, this platform can be used to provide useful information to youth and allow them to
stay aware about the abuse and negative impact occur with the use of substance.
 It is very clear that drug culture can be controlled with the help of social media but due to
misinformation, drug culture can take a arise in youth.
 There are many cases where social media platform have misguided youth and push them to
consumer drugs, media have power to play with human mind as they can influence youth to
consumer drugs.