The use of illegal drugs is increasing, especially among young teens. The average age of initial marijuana use is 14 years , and alcohol use can start even before the age of 12. The use of marijuana and alcohol in high school has become very common. These discouraging, gloomy statistics are worth examining for the sake of our children. The more we know about the problem, the better chance we have of making sure our children will be able to have the healthy, self-actualizing lives they were meant to.
No single cause may be determined for adolescent substance abuse . Drug abuse takes time to develop , and t here are different reasons for the development of a teen's drug problems. S chool and relationships, especially family relationships, are among the social areas most affected by drug use. Some of the factors that incur the possibility of adolescent substance abuse are:
- inconsistent parental supervision and monitoring
- lack of communication and interaction between parents and kids
- lack of clearly defined and communicated rules and expectations against drug use
- inconsistent and excessively severe discipline
- family conflicts
- difficulty maintaining emotional stability
- perceptions of extensive use by peers
- curiosity characteristic for teens coming of age
It’s been determined that u sing alcohol and tobacco at a young age increases the risk of using other drugs later. Some teens may experiment and stop, or continue to use occasionally, without significant problems. Others will develop a dependency, experimenting with more dangerous drugs and causing significant harm to themselves and sometimes others. Exactly what type of legal and illicit substances are teenagers most often toying with? Here are a few of the most common:
- Alcohol
- Club drugs: Drugs used by teens at parties such as "raves" or "trances," dance clubs, and bars. Some club drugs are colorless, tasteless, and odorless and can be added to beverages by individuals who want sedate others. There has been an increase in reports of club drugs used to commit sexual assaults.
- Inhalants: Known by street names such as huffing, sniffing , and wanging. This dangerous habit of getting high by inhaling the fumes of common household products claim s the lives of more than 1,000 children each year. Even first -time users may cause serious respiratory problems and permanent brain damage.
- Marijuana: About one half of the people in the United States have used marijuana ; many are currently using it and some will require treatment for marijuana abuse and dependence.
- Depressants: Drugs used medicinally to relieve anxiety, irritability, tension.
- Heroin: Several sources indicate an increase in new, young users across the country. Heroin has also been appearing in some affluent communities.
- Tobacco: Smoking is associated with a number of risky behaviors, such as fighting and engaging in unprotected sex.
- Stimulants: The possible long-term effects include tolerance and dependence, aggression, and malnutrition. Crack is the term used for the form of cocaine used for smoking . In 1997, an estimated 1.5 million Americans age 12 and older were chronic cocaine users.
Drug use has a variety of dismal outcomes, including increased risk of serious drug use later in life, school failure, violence, unsafe sex, and suicide. There is hope with the fight against adolescent substance abuse, however. If your child needs help to overcome addiction, turn to www.SoberRecovery.com, a comprehensive directory of drug rehab and support centers, especially adolescent substance abuse centers.
By Vanina Sloan