Indigenous Australian Substance-Abuse, Essay Example

Indigenous Australians (acceptably termed “black” by themselves and others), like many other indigenous peoples around the world have special problems with alcohol and drugs. But because they are part of the larger problem of Western sweet, fatty food, the two problems are actually three problems, so much so that alcoholism, drug use, and diabetes among them are commonly considered “comorbid” (Crespigny, Groenkjaer, King, van Loon, 2004). Some other peoples, specifically Asians, metabolize alcohol differently than Caucasians and indigenous peoples alike, but this tends to self-limit alcoholic consumption among them (Tan, 2014).

Treating the problem of alcohol abuse among Australia’s blacks begins with the fact that while they have a lower alcohol consumption rate overall, they are more likely to drink at unsafe levels (Caltabiano et al.,2008). In short, they drink to get drunk, and such is the common perception among white Australians. Black drug abuse there, however, tends to be greater than among the whites. Treatment approaches may differ in detail while remaining basically similar, following the lines of self-monitoring (identify dangerous situations); stimulus control (avoiding those situations); and response control (changing behavior in certain situations). Contingency management means accepting outside rewards and punishments as necessary. Such approaches fit into the general categories of operant conditioning: positive reinforcement (enjoyment); and negative reinforcement (stress reduction) (Caltabiano et al.,2008). Such approaches are intuitive and easy enough to understand, and have also been tried successfully against smoking and drugs  (Crespigny, Groenkjaer, King, van Loon, 2004). However, that demonstrated success does depend on other factors. Programs to protect Australia’s blacks tend to segregate them legally from others, such as when that nation’s high court ruled in 2013 that curbs on the sale and possession of alcohol, although specifically targeting indigenous people, does not break the country’s anti-discrimination laws (AAP, 2013). Specific indigenous communities must take the initiative to control members’ drinking or face impositions from outside, which may alienate both sides alike. Such measures probably would not work against drugs, however, as they are already illegal and available on the black market, and so are less susceptible to conventional control-measures.

Such control measures might possibly be improved by: 1) linking alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, diet, and lack of exercise into one unified plan, the idea being that one cannot be healthy if even one of those is areas is neglected, so comorbidity would be five-fold; 2) economically focusing on educating young women more than young men, to better the odds of the fetuses they will carry; and 3) making Antabuse and other anti-alcohol drugs available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which as of 2012 they are not (Lee, et al., 2012). The last measure may tend to increase illegal drug use (probably marijuana the most) which are, as noted, already served by black markets. But alcohol is so much worse than those alternatives that such a change would be preferable, if not politically acceptable.

Politics ultimately will decide. It will be up to indigenous Australians to master the non-indigenous political arena.

References

AAP. (2013, June 18). Alcohol restrictions protect Aboriginal people, high court rules. The Guardian.

Crespigny, C. D., Groenkjaer, M., King, M., & van Loon, A. (2004). Alcohol Diabetes Report. Retrieved May 8, 2014, from http://www.lowitja.org.au/: http://www.lowitja.org.au/sites/default/files/docs/Alcohol_Diabetes__Report.pdf

Lee, K., Freeburn, B., Ella, S., Miller, W., Perry, J., & & Conigrave, K. (2012). Handbook for Aboriginal Alcohol and Drug Work. Sydney: University of Sydney.

Sarafino, E., Caltabiano, M., & Byrne, D. (2008). Health Psychology: Biopsychosocial Interactions. Milton: John Wiley.

Tan, D. (2012, October 11). The Asian Flush Syndrome: Red-Faced Over Governmental Inaction. Asian Scientist.