News of some terrorist attack or the other has become almost a daily fixation. The situation is such these days that it's almost too scary to even think of the direction things are taking. Day in and day out, innocent people are being killed for no fault of theirs. The anger at some is being vented on others. It's all very sad. The need of the hour is to get rid of this problem before it gets too late.

Trying to eliminate terrorism through "war on terror" is not enough. The need is more to get to the roots of the problem - that is, why terrorism - and then work from there. Why do some people resort to such drastic measures to take revenge for something? Or is it really revenge at all? In other words, what needs to be done is to find out why people become terrorists? Why do they behave the way they do? If this can be understood, and the causes removed - or at least tried to be removed - then terrorism could be eliminated to a large extent. It's not as easily done as said, but at least it can be tried.

To get to the roots, it is very important to understand the psychological and sociological dynamics of the problem. No one becomes so violent overnight. It's a gradual process of thought, and usually it's the young who are overtaken by it. An unfortunate aspect of today's society is that parents have no time for their children, leave alone notice a change in their behavior. The fathers are too busy earning money, or just not bothered about what their children are doing. Mothers too are busy either with the housework or their own jobs, or again not bothered at all. Rarely does one find a parent sitting with his or her child and spending some quality time with him. If they spent some time with their children and shared their thoughts, a lot could be gauged about what's going on in their minds.

It's rightly said that "it's a jungle out there". Not many are happy with the way things go on around them, more so the young. When they leave the protected environment of schools or colleges and enter the practical world, they have certain ideals and aspirations. These are almost always shattered when they find the world a completely different place from the one they had thought it to be. The effect of this is quite often disenchantment and disappointment. Some can handle this quite well, depending on their own thought process and also on the way the people around them, especially the parents, handle them. There are others who are not so emotionally strong and sink into depressions or a sense of helplessness. They become aloof and very quiet, lost in their own thoughts. This is a very vulnerable state and it is very important that the person is encouraged and brought out of this mindset before it is too late.

Sometimes the behavior is the opposite of aloofness and quietness. Youngsters become violent, aggressive, or constantly in anger. They feel a sense of rage at the way things are, or are shaping up for them. They feel upset at the lack of alternatives. This again is a kind of response to frustration. Whether it's getting aggressive or becoming quiet and lost in their own thoughts, it is very important for parents to recognize this and give full support to their children so they don't get this feeling of alienation. The feeling of being unwanted or not understood is a very destructive force. If the immediate family, or the other caring ones around them, do not try and help them, there will be others who will take advantage of this and turn them towards the wrong path.

In some cases it's not just a reaction to circumstances that brings about a change for the worse in people. Instead it's due to, or motivated by, genuine political or religious convictions. This form of change is the hardest and most difficult to deal with, but still it can be dealt with effectively if noticed in people at the right time. Again, here too, parents and other friends and family members, who are close to the person, come in. No one's convictions become so strong overnight that they resort to drastic steps so suddenly. It always takes time to build up. It's gradual. So when people start noticing a person's political or religious beliefs becoming very strong, they should handle them very carefully and bring them out of such thoughts. They should be explained to that though a person has the right to have his or her own views, the views should not be so strong that they become the ultimate goal or the purpose of life. It's this kind of attitude that leads to extremism.

In short, no one becomes a terrorist overnight, it's a gradual process. And if the person is understood and handled carefully from the very beginning, he or she can be prevented from becoming an extremist. Only after one becomes one, does he or she become a fanatic and ready to take any step out of rage or revenge. If this is prevented, then naturally terrorism can be contained to a large extent. Just trying to wage "wars" is not going to solve problems. Eliminating the causes is what's more important. Since changing the way politics works, or changing the reason that is given for committing the act of terrorism is not an easy task, the only feasible alternative is to understand the psyche of the disenchanted youth, and then work from there.