DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN TEENAGERS

Research has shown that drugs have become more potent over time. Also, there is increased accesses to these drugs making them ubiquitous. What was considered safe and neutral grounds in the past, like schools and colleges, have not been spared either. In fact, the most common drugs abused by teenagers can be easily accessed from their homes. They include prescription drugs and alcohol. Studies have shown that most teenagers are subjected to different drugs at the average age of 12.

 

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMONLY ABUSED DRUGS BY TEENAGERS?

 

Most drugs available to teens come in their natural and synthetic forms. While some of these drugs have been in existence for a very long time now, it seems like new drugs keep popping up as the years go by. If you visit a treatment center today, you will be surprised by the numerous number of times they find themselves dealing with a drug they have no knowledge of. However, the most common drugs abused by teenagers include:

 

• Cocaine

• Heroin

• Inhalants

• LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)

• Marijuana

• Synthetic Marijuana

• Ecstasy (Molly)

 

When it comes to prescription drugs, the ones most commonly abused by teens include:

 

• Xanax

• Ritalin

• Vicodin

• Adderall

• Ambien

• Oxycodone

• Codeine

 

Out of all these drugs, the most commonly used among teenagers is marijuana and alcohol. Studies have shown that while the use of illicit drugs has waned among teenagers over the years, marijuana use has surpassed regular cigarette use.

The increased demand for these drugs has made most teenagers susceptible to the use of adulterated drugs. This is because a majority of the drug dealers and pushers lace the drugs with substances meant to improve the potency levels so they can keep up with the demand. This can have a devastating effect on anyone who uses these drugs.

 

CAUSES OF DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG TEENS

There is no clear indication as to why some teenagers fall into drug and substance abuse. However, there are a number of factors that have been proven to increase the likelihood of them using and abusing drugs. They include:

 

• Abusive parents

• Lack of parental involvement

• Mental or emotional strain

• Traumatic events

• Poverty

• Environment

• Genetics

• Peer pressure

 

Research has also shown that drug and substance abuse is more prevalent in men than it is in women. The gap, however, is not that huge. A child or teenager who grows up in an environment where drug use is rampant is more likely to start using drugs destroying their minds. There has also been an increase in drug and substance abuse among teenagers who attend affluent and upper-class schools. This is because of the availability of disposable income, coupled with, often, absentee or disengaged parents.

 

EFFECTS OF DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN TEENAGERS

 

Drug and substance abuse can have detrimental effects on a teenager’s life. The level of addiction is based on the type of drug being abused. Many a time, teens will feel like they are unvanquishable and immune to the dangers posed by drugs, but that is never the case. Teenagers who engage in drug and substance abuse are prone to the following risks:

 

•Becoming ill or serious injuries

• Being kicked out of school

• Job loss or difficulty finding employment

• Acquiring financial debt

• Serving time in jails or prisons

• Loss of pregnancy or birth defects

• Becoming a degenerate

• Contracting sexually-transmitted diseases

• Overdose

• Death

 

HOW TO TREAT DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

 

Under the right conditions, a person suffering from drug and substance abuse can be treated. Most teenagers fall into this kind of life because of an acquired behavioral problem. However, if the cause of the problem is ingrained and biological, the recovery process can be difficult. There are quite a number of traits that can tell you if a person is strung-out. They include: trouble at school or work, financial problems, change in hygiene, and lying, among others.

 

The first step is to help the person in getting help. There are helping clinics all across the country that have qualified staff to help treat drug addiction, properly. Some of the most common available treatment options in most of these centers include counseling and therapy. Just because someone is a drug addict doesn’t mean that they can’t turn their life around. They can be helped.