Unemployment drives people to substance misuse

UNEMPLOYMENT 

UK - Unemployment has driven one in ten youths to narcotics or alcohol, while 25% said being jobless has caused friction between them and family members.

A study based on interviews with 2,088 16 to 25-year-olds, published by The Prince's Trust, has found that jobless young people were significantly less happy with their health, friendships and family life than those employed.

Twenty-eight per cent said that unemployment caused them to exercise less, with about one in six of those currently out of work (17%) getting no exercise at all.

While 15% of young people across the country feel their lives lack focus and direction, this figure increased to 42% for those out of work. In addition, almost one in three (32%) unemployed young people felt depressed all or most of the time."

Martina Milburn, chief executive of The Prince's Trust, said, "The implications of youth unemployment stretch beyond the dole queue. The emotional effects on young people are profound, long-term and can become irreversible. We must act now to prevent a lost generation of young people before it is too late."

Milburn called on the government and employers to help the charity raise £1m (S$2,245,639) a week to support unemployed and disadvantaged young people. She said, "We must invest in these young people, re-building their self-esteem, to ensure that today's unemployed do not become tomorrow's unemployable."

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