Teen Drug Abuse

Drugs can result in teens not doing well in school, which can lead to lower academic opportunities and career options.

Many teenagers between the ages of 12-18 are exposed or already on their way to addiction to substances that are not good for our mental or physical health. Many teens experiment with drugs but aren’t addicted. According to addictioncenters.com “teen drug abuse can have long term cognitive and behavioural effects since the teenage brain is still developing.” A study also shows that half of all new drug users are under 18. This is because our brains are still seeking the “thrill” and temptation of substances. Other common reasons are curiosity, peer pressure, stress, emotional struggles and wanting a escape. Thankfully drug use among teens, despite popular opinion are significantly decreasing. The teenage brain is very immature. By doing drugs as a teen you are at a greater risk for being an addicted adult.

The existence of a myriad of social problems among teenagers that both parents and states have to deal with is a factor whose weight ought not to be treated lightly. The increasing level of drug use among the adolescents constitutes one of the ever increasing situations in the society and may, as a matter of fact, be a representation other underlying issues. The level of the situation in the contemporary world, though not discussed as much as it ought to be, has reached alarming levels. There seems to be an increasing predisposition among the use to take the drugs as it's reflected in the escalating trends of drug abuse among this generation of individuals (spooner, 1999). The ever deteriorating levels of this situation coupled with the widespread permissiveness in the society and the absence of attention from appropriate caregivers at different institutions only means that the need to address the problem is paramount. Different avenues of solutions can be applied in reducing the level of the problem and averting the massive negative consequences that come with the phenomena. Dealing with this issue is not a matter of instance as the different parameters of the problems, its causes and possible workable solutions have to be discovered. As such, research on these dynamics is a mandatory undertaking.

Specifically, the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that reappearing effects of drug use are physical distress, including dangerous changes in blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration as well as psychological distress including paranoia, aggression, and anxiety (“Hallucinogens”). Not only would people be authorizing teens to drink alcohol causing harm to their growing bodies, but they would also be allowing them have easier access to drugs that would damage their mental and physical health even more without knowing it. By allowing teens to drink, a whole new door of opportunities opens for them; they would be

Teens get influenced by others and once the alcohol is inside it takes control of what's going on surrounded by them, those affected are young teens once it attaches to your system you'll won't know the trouble it will cause after a while. Drunk driving has been an issue for decades, costing a lot of lost lives. Driving intoxicated impairs judgement and how much they have drunk. It makes the driver forget their actions, not having a perfect train of thought, not knowing they may get charged with an DUI, DWI, OWI, or OVI. Knowing that drunk driving is preventable not causing many their lives and not having their happiness is drowning.

Alcohol use: Although the numbers have fortunately decreased in recent years, teenage alcohol and drug use is still a serious problem. It can affect the mental and physical health of an adolescent whose body is in a vital stage of growth. Use of drugs and alcohol has often been linked to serious injury, homicide and suicide.

Substance use disorder, misuse, and dependence are among the most prevalent causes of adolescent morbidity and mortality in the United States (Brannigan, Schackman, Falco, & Millman, 2004; Newcomb and Bentler, 1988a; Sussman, Dent, and Galaif, 1997). Substances of all types are being widely used or misused by teens and emerging adults in the United States (Johnston et al., 2004). Adolescent substance misusers experience numerous social, economic, physical, and legal consequences, for example, truncated development (Newcomb and Bentler, 1988b). Substance use–related disorders are associated with such problems as poor academic performance, job instability, teen pregnancy, and the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. Crimes such as stealing, vandalism, and violence are associated with “heavy drug use” in adolescence. Adverse immediate consequences occur (e.g., overdoses and accidents). Also, drug-using youths are more likely to develop disorganized thinking and unusual beliefs that may interfere with problem-solving abilities and emotional functioning and may lead to greater social isolation and depression (Sussman and Ames, 2001), though the prevalence of dysfunctional thinking is not known. Substance dependent adolescents endure consequences of additional problems such as drug tolerance effects, withdrawal symptoms, and preoccupation with using a drug to the exclusion of other activities.

Drug abuse is an increasing problem in our society, and specifically among teenagers. This increased affiliation with substances is very detrimental to teens. It causes an inability to focus, increases the chance that you will continue your drug abuse through your adulthood and it greatly damages the brain and many other organs. Our brains are developing when we are in our adolescence, which is why it is very important to discourage kids experimenting with drugs.

How does drug use affect teens? Drug abuse causes serious health effects at all ages. This is particularly true for teens abusing drugs as they are truly at risk of negative consequences. Young people who abuse drugs are prone to struggle with addiction later in life and are more likely to have permanent irreversible brain damage. Drugs among teens result in serious mental disorders or permanent irreversible damage to the brain and/or nervous system. Brain damage among teens includes brain shrinkage, impaired reasoning, perceptions, intuition, and decreased socialization, and changes in sexual desire. Teens using drugs are more prone to be involved in car-related injuries or death. Four to 14 percent of drivers who are injured in traffic accidents tested positive for THC—the key drug in marijuana.

In the article, “Risk and Protective Factors for Alcohol and Other Drug Problems in Adolescence and Early Adulthood: Implications for substance Abuse Prevention “(1992) authors, Hawkins, Catalano, and Miller, discuss the implications which can lead to drug use and abuse. The authors suggest that “abuse of alcohol and other drugs during adolescence and early adulthood remains a serious public health problem” (p.64). Drug use is noted as being seriously harmful, able to easily to become addicted to, as well as it can be toxic to those around, including family members. As suggested by the article, “certain characteristics of individuals and of their personal environments are associated with a greater risk of adolescent drug use” (p.81). The

According to teendrugrehabs.com, over 60 percent of teens have reported that drugs of some kind are kept, sold, and used at their school. Over 23 million people over the age of 12 are addicted to alcohol or some other drug. One significant issue, among many, that our nation faces is the abuse of drugs and alcohol among our youth. This is a problem for all age groups, but every day more and more people under the age of 18 are experimenting with drugs to “fit in” with the crowd.

In my hometown, I have noticed an abundance of drug use. Many teens get peer pressured into doing drugs by their friends. They tell it’s cool, and how it can easily clear your mind. Also on TV they act like are fine. But what they don’t tell you is how it can totally ruin your life. You can become addicted and get into a lot of trouble. After recent research, I conclude that teens using drugs are a major problem in Piedmont and nationwide.

Substances abuse on today’s teens has become one of the main problems in the United State Society. Even though the Juvenile Department Center has create different programs and campaigns to help lower the rate of juveniles abusing substances, it seems hopeless. Now, this problem has directly affected Jane, who’s her son (which is a teen) has become involved with abusing three different substances. To be specific, Jane’s son has been abusing Percocet’s, Alcohol, and Marijuana. Jane has ask this author to provide her with facts in order to help her comprehend and help his son with the problem he has got himself into. Therefore, this paper will explain three things: explain the effects these three substances (Percocet’s, alcohol, marijuana) have on her sons, explain which drugs are addictive and what this means for treatment, and offer her the best treatment option/s for her son.

Substance abuse and addictions among adolescence is a problem among this age group. Adolescents go through major stages in life and are faced with stressful issues that can lead to experimenting with drugs. Experimenting with drugs can lead to for an adolescent to abuse the substance as well becoming addicted. Not only can a adolescent can become addicted to a substance but he or she can have issues with the brain developing properly. Spiritual development can help prevent as well help over come the influences of substance abuse.

It has been discovered that most people who struggle with drug addiction began experimenting with drugs in their teens. Teenage drug abuse is one of the largest problems in society today and the problem grows and larger every year. Drugs are a pervasive force in our culture today. To expect kids not to be influenced by the culture of their time is as unrealistic as believing in the tooth fairy (Bauman 140). Teens may feel pressured by their friends to try drugs, they may have easy access to drugs, they may use drugs to rebel against their family or society, or they may take an illegal drug because they are curious about it or the pleasure that it gives them.