Teen Drug Abuse

Addiction Danger for Teenagers

It does not take long for people to become addicted to alcohol or drugs. Teenagers can be particularly at risk from this type of condition, and they can suffer more from it as a result. This behaviour can completely destroy the life of the young person before it has even really started. It is therefore vital that such individuals are able to get the help they need in order to break away from this behaviour as soon as possible. Addiction is a life threatening condition, and it does need to be taken seriously.

What Causes Teen Drug Abuse?

Young people will fall into drug abuse for many different reasons but some of the most common ones will include:

• The number one reason for why young people will first begin to experiment with these substances will be peer pressure. It can be very hard for young people to avoid these behaviours when their friends are involved with them. It is so important for teenagers to feel accepted by their peers, and they may engage in risky behaviours because of this pressure to fit in.
• It is common for young people to feel curious about these substances. They want to see what all the fuss is about, but they do not realise that such experimentations could lead them right into addiction.
• Some of these people will have grown up in homes where alcohol and drug abuse is considered normal behaviour. The individual may be almost oblivious to the risks involved with the use of these mind-altering chemicals.
• The media tends to glamorise substance abuse. The young person will hear news stories involving celebrities, and it makes them want to copy this behaviour.
• Some young people may be dealing with an undiagnosed mental health problem such as depression. They can find that using alcohol or drugs seems to make them feel better. They do not realise that what they are doing is self-medicating, and that this is actually exacerbating their condition.
• Teenagers can be faced with a great deal of stress in their life, and they can turn to these substances for relief.
• Young people can see this behaviour as a form of rebellion.

The Danger of Teen Drug Abuse

Drug abuse among teenagers is particularly risky for a number of reasons including:

• The young person will be going through a vital developmental stage, and alcohol and drugs will interfere with this. This means that the individual will fail to meet their developmental milestones.
• Teenagers are less able to handle the toxic effects of these substances. This means that they are far more likely to suffer physical and mental damage from them. Young people will also be more at risk of overdose.
• There is a strong link between teenage suicide and drug abuse. These substances make people act more impulsively, and it interferes with their ability to make good decisions.
• It encourages the individual to engage in high risk activities.
• The young person will be unable to perform well in school. This means that it will prevent them from getting good qualifications, and this will affect the rest of their life.
• The younger the person is when they become involved in substance abuse, the more likely they are to become addicted.
• It leads to criminal behaviour. The teenager may find it hard to obtain the money to finance their habit, so they turn to illegal activities for this.
• The young person will be missing out on what could be a real enjoyable period of their life.
• They will be harming their reputation. This may affect them for the rest of their life.
• The young person will be causing a great deal of concern for their loved ones. It may even lead to them becoming estranged from their family.

Addiction Treatment Options for Young People

Young people will often need a good deal of help in order for them to break away from addiction. There are many treatment options available but probably the most effective will be rehab. There are fewer rehabs that deal with young people than deal with adults, but there are plenty of these facilities available in the UK as well as elsewhere in the world. The reasons for why rehab can be such a good option in these cases would include:

• It means that the individual will be able to get to the root of their problem.
• The young person will be supported through withdrawals.
• It means that they can pick up tools that will make it easier for them to deal with the challenges that come their way in life.
• These facilities will usually be geared towards young people. This means that the person will be around people of their own age. They will meet powerful role models who will show them that sober living is something worth having.
• These programmes can provide the individual with new meaning and purpose. It can also provide them with a programme for living.
• These treatment programmes are not just about helping the individual break away from addiction but more about teaching them how to find a fulfilling life.

We know about all the resources available in your local area, and we will be happy to discuss your options with you. There is a solution to teen drug addiction, but it is a problem that needs to be treated as soon as possible, before it destroys the young person’s future.