Teenagers are vulnerable to aquiring substance abuse disorders. This has much to do with their functional and neurocognitive brain development and how the areas of the brain manage the child’s feelings and cognition (Wiers, Boelema, Nikolaou, & Gladwin, 2015). It is estimated that by the time adolescents become high school seniors 70% had tried alcohol, 50% had tried an illegal drug and 20% had taken prescription medications that may, or may not, have been prescribed to them. There are a number of reasons adolescents abuse these substances such as to deal with stress or personal problems, to fit in or seem cool around other peers, or just to try the experience. While some may be able to try these substances and that be the end of it, others find the substances may help them cope with things, one way or another. (NIH Staff, 2014).…
Heroin. Marijuana. Cocaine. Methamphetamine. Those are just a few of the illegal drug substances teenagers’ use. Over the past decade, drug use among teenagers has been increasing dramatically. In the book, Go Ask Alice by Anonymous, readers are introduced into the life of Alice as she goes through her rollercoaster life, faced with abuse, drugs, and alcohol and how much those substances affected her life.…
There are many problems among teens, however some are becoming more serious than others. Some of these predicaments can cause long term effects for our future generation in numerous ways. One of the main issues among teens is underage drinking. The outcome from this issue may be critical not only for our teen but also for our communities. Some consequences caused from underage drinking are alcohol addiction, medical problems, and accidents.…
and as an escape from the stress and pressure of a situation or of life in general. Many students…
Teenagers have been abusing drugs for decades with no sign of slowing down. In recent years, the use of drugs has become so common in teens that 78% of teens say they have friends who regularly use drugs ("Drug Guide"). Consequently, teens are now so accustomed to drugs that it is no longer startling to find out that their friends are using drugs. Rappers, singers, and actors nonchalantly doing drugs all over the internet and television lead teenagers to believe that it is okay to do drugs. Many teenagers have lost the idea that drugs are harmful and now believe that drugs are not hurting them. Studies show 90% of all substance abuse disorders begin before the age of 18 ("Tara Conner”). In addition to the amount of drug users that start…
Teenagers today experience many different things in society. Whether it is their first date, first day of high school or everything in between, teens always want to try something new or different. One of they things they try is alcohol. Unfortunately, underage drinkers often over indulge the use of alcohol. I will attempt to shed some light on why teenagers are drawn to this deviant behavior of underage drinking. Many causes contribute to underage drinking which include peer pressure, family problems, low self esteem, and just plain curiosity. Eighty percent of all teens have tried alcohol before the end of high school this includes a few sips. Most students who enter college are about eighteen years old. They find a new kind of free will in…
* Number of factors can contribute to teen substance abuse. Contributing factors include individual characteristics such as aggressive behavior, poor social skills and mental illness. Families who provide inadequate parental supervision or have a history of parental substance abuse or criminal behavior increase the likelihood of teen substance abuse. Additionally, community factors include readily available drugs and poverty. Teens use alcohol and drugs for a number of reasons including attempts to fit in, to increase confidence, to mask symptoms of mental illness and to manage stress. The more risk factors that a teen has, the more likely he or she is to engage in substance abuse.…
Alcohol is the easiest substance for teens to gain access to and leads to dangerous and risky behavior. Directly and indirectly, alcohol contributes to 75% of deaths amongst teens. Binge drinking amongst teens 16-18 years old is very dangerous and exceedingly prevalent. Research shows, teens primarily gain access to alcohol from their homes or the homes of their friends. In addition, studies have un-covered parents admitted to allowing their teen to drink alcohol while under their supervision. There are many myths about how serious the substance is and how parents need to react to consumption but overall alcohol is very serious and needs to be closely monitored.…
Teen substance abuse continues to be a significant problem in US. While they may find new substances to abuse for time to time, teens are still using drugs and alcohol as an escape from the typical issues plaguing America's youth. Perhaps by taking an honest look at the numbers, we can all get some insight as to the depth of the problems and how we can best address them.…
One of the great tragedies of youth comes when our young people become involved with drugs and/or alcohol. Given that most "mature" adults are inadequately equipped to deal with the pitfalls of addiction, it stands to reason that teenagers and young adults would utterly be helpless to fight off the effects associated with teen substance abuse.…
There is no simple answer to why a young person might begin using alcohol or other drugs. Many times, it is a combination of several factors, including society, family and peers. They may turn to drugs to escape stress or loneliness or to overcome shyness in social situations. They may want to be seen as grown up or as a risk taker. Or, they may simply be curious. Teens often want to be like their role models as well. So, if their favorite music group, older sibling, parents or a "cool" peer at school uses drugs or alcohol, they may also use drugs or alcohol to emulate their role model(s).…
Alcohol and drug abuse among the youth and the adult population is a growing social problem in the United States. The teenage population is very influential to when around its peers. With peer pressure and social roles, teens tend to try and be like the person they look up to, and will do just about anything to look and seem cool in an effort to fit in. Adults tend to turn to alcohol and drugs due to life experiences, such as getting laid off of a job,a death of a family member or friend, or simply depression. There are many other reasons including psychological, physiological, and social consequences that lead to the use of alcohol and drugs among the U.S. population. Sociologist have different perspectives of what causes these individuals to engage in alcohol and drug abuse.…
According to studies adolescents who experienced substance abuse gave several reasons in why they turned to drugs or alcohol such as “my friends pressured me” or “I wanted to feel good and get high,” “to have a good time with friends,” or to “escape from my problems” (Titus, Godley & White 2006, p33.). Adolescents may also be influenced by other negative events that may be happening in the adolescent’s life. Research typically shows the reasons related to starting drugs or alcohol is peer-social behavior, dealing with negative conditions or feelings, or achieving a satisfying state (Titus, Godley & White, 2006). Studies reveal positive and negative emotions in the understanding of deviant behavior in youths’. Most teenagers generally use drugs for gratification however the adolescents who may become addicted say they are unhappy with past decisions or current situations (Brunelle, Cousineau, & Brochu, (2005).…
One of the problems that comes into play is with the cognitive behavior and how a child learns. The more drug use that is used the more the memory and other things that can be effected by the behavior. Another issue is the adolescent’s behavior and the way they act in school. The adolescent can become disruptive, they can become distant from their friends, and they can also become disengaged from school all together. The increased dropout rate of adolescents with substance abuse problems has been found likely in numerous studies (Apantaku-Olajide, James, & Smyth, 2014). With the lack of education along with the substance abuse the adolescent is going down a path that can set them up for total destruction as an…
Today, many teenagers experience different things in the world. Whether it is their first date or first day in high school, teens are always eager to try something different or new. One of the things that teenagers try is drinking alcohol. Unfortunately, underage drinkers often abuse alcohol. In this paper, I will try to shed some light on some of the reasons why teenagers drink alcohol at such premature age.…