The Use Of Drugs During Adolescence

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Adolescence is a transitional stage of becoming an adult by going through puberty. Hence, an adolescent is an individual going through the stages adolescence. This is a critical stage for physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development. Since the onset of puberty varies, it is difficult to give a specific age range for an adolescent. There is crucial evidence of substance use among boys and girls during this transition. The use of drugs during adolescence may negatively effect the developmental growths stated above. Within Greenville, North Carolina, there is statistical evidence of the use of substances among adolescents, proving a need of more available protective factors to prevent and reduce these rates amongst adolescents. …show more content…

Adolescence is commonly defined as “the years from puberty to adulthood” (Stages of Adolescence, 2015). Considering puberty starts at different ages, there are countless sites stating different age ranges for adolescence. For instance, according to Psychology Today (n.d.), adolescence “describes the teenage years between thirteen and nineteen and can be considered the transitional stage from childhood to adulthood”. Dowshen (2014) states that girls start puberty earlier than boys, starting at age 8, while boys starting at the age of 9. To sum the description of adolescence and its variations of definitions, WHO (n.d.) states that “the biological determinants of adolescence are fairly universal; however, the duration and defining characteristics of this period may vary across time, cultures, and socioeconomic situations”. This description of adolescence perfectly describes how adolescence and the onset …show more content…

No matter the gender or the onset of puberty, an adolescent goes through physical growth, cognitive growth, and psycho-social growth (Morgan & Huebner, 2009). To confirm the importance of this transition, it is considered a “tremendous pace in growth and change that is second only to that of infancy” (Adolescent development, n.d.). It is known that the use of drugs can effect growth and development, imagine the tremendous effect it would have on adolescents’ development as they use any drugs during adolescence. Success in prevention and decreasing rates would increase successful growth and development among adolescents in Greenville, North

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