Teen Substance Abuse

Greed, according to an electronic source, is another reason for drug abuse among teens, as they get others hooked and sell to them to pay for their own habit. (Guillermo D. Jalil) Peer pressure is probably the main reason most teens abuse illegal drugs. During puberty, many teens suffer with depression. Depression is when a teen is not happy with themselves for real or imagined reasons. They may be suffering from low self-esteem or torment by others, leading to not being happy with their appearance or other physical features.

Nicholson, Jill. "Causes of Drug Use Among Young People." N.p., 11 Apr. 2013. Web.

If teens have mental issues, they may be more likely to use drugs or alcohol. Teens who feel like they are not emotionally connected or loved by their parents are more susceptible to drug use. Teens who have poor self-esteem or emotional or mental health problems, such as depression are also at increased risk for drug use (Teen Alcohol and Drug Abuse). Teens who have alcohol and drug addictions in their family history ... ... middle of paper ... ...ings and thoughts of suicide. In conclusion, substance abuse has the most affect on teens mentally, by affecting the performance in school, emotional problems, resulting in relationships at home becoming strained and broken and also teens becoming chemically dependent on the drugs that they use.

There are many reasons why teenagers do drugs such as, social pressure, other illnesses such as depression, and it can even be linked to genetics. Many social situations put teens in positions where they feel that the only way to gain acceptance or "be cool" is to do drugs. These adolescents can struggle with self-confidence and the need to make people like them. Boys as well as girls feel these problems. Although most people believe that attaining drugs is difficult, the reality of that varies greatly.

Web. 1 Dec 2013.

Web. 1 Dec. 2013. "Over-the-Counter Drug Abuse." Parents. The Anti-Drug.

Drugs can affect someone’s life by damaging their health. Using a drug can be very addictive, and that can lead to an overdose, or suicide. Someone may also get in trouble by the police, if they catch anyone with drugs. Couple great impacts that someone might have as a teenager would be starting to ditch class, and may affect family relationship. Those are some of the impacts that can affect a teenager’s life.

By talking to children about drugs when they are young, good communication habits are being developed; and the chance that they will discuss concerns later are improved. Give them the facts: Talk to teens about the dangerous consequences of drug use. Respect their need to know the facts and answer their questions honestly. Help them sort through all the confusing messages they get from peers, television, movies, music and school. Listen, don't lecture: Teens often struggle to express their feelings and concerns to adults.

Teenage Prescription Drug Abuse Years ago, the common image of an adolescent drug abuser was a teen trying to escape from reality on illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. Today, there is a great discrepancy between that perception and the reality of who is likely to abuse drugs. A teenage drug abuser might not have to look any further than his or her parent’s medicine chest to ‘score.’ Prescription drug abuse by teens is on the rise. Also, teens are looking to prescription drugs to fulfill different needs other than to feel good or escape the pressures of adulthood. Teens may be just as likely to resort to drugs with ‘speedy’ side effects, like Ritalin to help them study longer, as they are to use prescription painkillers to check out of reality.

Anyone, anywhere is able to experiment with drugs and alcohol, but some are more likely than others we label them “at risk” and when they are minors they b come “at risk youth”. What makes someone at risk? There are many contributing factors that lead youth to try drugs and alcohol: peer pressure, rebellion, exposure through a parent or guardian and a slew of others. Adolescent is a difficult time where there are many changes happing internally and externally at the same time. Some youths have already experienced traumatic events in their lives or living through them during them at this time.