Adolescence Substance Use And Drug Abuse

Adolescent substance abuse is a phenomenon in our country that has been steadily inclining ever since the 2000’s. The effects of this incline are very straight forward and call for action. The facts are that alcohol and drugs are the leading causes of crime among youth and that alcohol and drugs are the leading factors in teenage suicide. (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., 2014) Because adolescence is such a crucial developmental age the effects of alcohol and drug use are catastrophic. To fully understand this phenomenon we must firs operationalize all of the factors we are trying to study. The DSM V classifies substance abuse as,

Hannah is a fifteen year old girl who was recently sent to a rehabilitation center for the result of abuse of prescription medication. 6.1 million high school students currently use addictive substances, and like Hannah, 1 in 3 of them are addicted (“National Study Reveals,”2011). Although the number of teens using these drugs are decreasing, the numbers are still dangerously high. Due to it’s high risk of addiction, dangerous consequences, and growing availability, substance abuse among teenagers is a serious trend being presented among all United States adolescence.

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.

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.

According to Aprile Benner, adolescent is the time on which there is rapid change and development of heightened exploration of identity where socialization moves from the parent to peers. Although substance issues emerge during this stage in one’s life. Furthermore, researchers have found that risk for drug, alcohol use, and related offenses is higher in suburban school, schools with fewer minorities and low income students (Benner, 2015). Students that show depressive symptoms are positively linked to substance use (Benner, 2015). One of the common reasons that adolescents may choose to abuse over the counter drugs(OTC) which may include enhancing cognitive function, reducing pain, sleep problems, feelings of sensation aiding in psychologically coping with stress and negative emotions and finally weight loss (King, 2013). Peers also has substantive influence when it comes to drug use (King,

The use of street drugs among adolescents is a serious health problem in the United States and is the primary health risk behavior that contributes to unintentional injuries, homicide, and suicide, which are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children between the ages of 12 and 18 years (Patnode et al, 2014). Even when used infrequently, the risks for serious adverse effects increase due to behaviors of those intoxicated or impaired. There are numerous reasons as to why adolescents choose to experiment with various substances, including family structure, media exposure, socioeconomic status, or simply the desire to fit in. Whatever the cause is for each adolescent, it is important to apply early intervention and prevention in order to avoid the need for further specialized treatment for substance abuse.

drug users" and it was found that they all shared a similar lifestyle. All had

This source outlines substance abuse as a major problem within society, especially amongst adolescents. Adolescents who resort to substance abuse damage themselves and their surroundings, physically, socially, and economically. The source aims to battle these issues by preventing drug abuse with research and other strategies. It gives attention and importance to the histories of drug prevention and how drug prevention strategies of the future might work. It also discusses how the prevention of drug and resorting to different methods of help can positively effect a person’s family, school and community life, straying away from issues such as depression and anxiety disorders (Scheier, 2015, p. 294). This source is useful because it covers many

Among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, 9.8 % are estimated to be current users of illicit drugs, with 4.9 % using drugs other than marijuana. Nearly three quarters of students have started to drink alcohol and nearly half (47%) have tried using an illicit drug (not including alcohol or tobacco) by the senior year of high school.” (Hassan, Harris, Sherritt, Van Hook, & Brooks, 2009)

According to current statistics released by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, “In the United States in 2011, there were an estimated 25.1 million adolescents aged 12 to 17. In the past year, more than one quarter of adolescents drank alcohol, approximately one fifth used an illicit drug, and almost one eighth smoked cigarettes” ("A Day in the Life of American Adolescents," 2013, para. 1). Substance abuse is major problem amongst adolescents. Some are experimenting, but some adolescents may become dependent on a particular substance. If one becomes dependent on a substance as an adolescent it could be detrimental to their future health and success as an adult. Spear (2003) stated in an article titled Alcohol’s

Alcohol use among adolescents is a rising problem in the United States. Teenagers are using alcohol more frequently and they don’t know how dangerous it can be for them. There are many different reasons as to why adolescents will start drinking. Some start to drink because they are curious, some are peer pressured into doing it, and some teens drink to have fun. Many adolescents will also drink alcohol to cope with problems that they deal with in their everyday life. No matter what the reason is, adolescent drinking can lead to bad outcomes. As teenagers get older, they find themselves to be around alcohol and people who drink alcohol way more frequently causing them to want to experiment and try new things. There are many different reason why adolescents start drinking but they don’t know how it can affect them.

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.

Keeping up with the life of a typical adolescent is not as simple as it seems. Adolescents frequently get consumed with negative thoughts about the future which causes anxiety and prevents sleep. These are all signs that can lead one to a state called depression1. Once an adolescent is depressed, it is common for them to reach out to substances that numb their pain such as: alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana. These drugs can be extremely destructive when abused. Since these substances can easily be bought by young adolescents, it is becoming more common for youngsters to reach out to these dangerous substances. Alcohol being the most prevalent and the easiest to get places a lot of trouble on youths. According to past research, there is a direct correlation between depression and alcohol abuse among teenagers aged 13-18.

Teenage drug abuse is an issue that can result from a wide variety of social influences, stressful events, and mental disorders. Drug abuse among adolescents is a troubling issue because it decreases focus, increases the chance of consistency in behavior during adulthood, increases the chances of developing emotional issues, permanently damages the brain, and damages tissues in every system that can lead to death. Previous scientific research has identified that social factors, including the media and peers, play an important role in psychological development and impact the adolescent's decision to start experimenting with substances (Botvin 888). Appropriate solutions for the teenage drug abuse issue already exist, but the only remaining

Experimentation with alcohol and drugs during adolescence is common. Unfortunately, teenagers often don 't see the link between their actions today and the consequences tomorrow. They also have a tendency to feel indestructible and immune to the problems that others experience. Using alcohol and tobacco at a young age has negative health effects. While some teens will experiment and stop, or continue to use occasionally, without significant problems. Others will develop a dependency, moving on to more dangerous drugs and causing significant harm to themselves and possibly others. It is difficult to know which teens will experiment and stop and which will develop serious problems. According to our textbook, adolescence is a time where they are experiencing rapid learning along with