Substance Abuse in Teenagers, Essay Example

It has been found that many teenagers both in schools and at work places abuse substances. As reported by Costello (2002), teenagers who experience substance abuse have problems especially impairments in; social, psychological, academic and physical functioning.

Definition of Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is where a teenager uses drugs in an illegal manner or harmful way to oneself and this causes adverse consequences such as; fatal accidents, blackouts, injuries, risky sexual behaviors and also legal problems. Substance abuse often leads to substance dependence. This is where a teenager continues to abuse drugs despite the adverse effects of using the drugs. A teenager who is substance dependent tolerates the drug in the sense that they require a large amount (doses) of the same substance to attain the same effects. As suggested by (NIDA, 2005; APA, 2002), teenagers who are dependent on substances are often withdrawn, a symptom that is experienced when the substance abuse is discontinued.

Factors of Substance Abuse In Teenagers

There are a number of factors that affect the increase in substance abuse in teenagers today. Perceived social approval and also perceived availability are among the factors that lead many young people to abuse drugs. When a drug is available in the streets it simply means that the drug has been socially accepted and that is the reason why it is sold to people. It has been found that there are different drugs which emerge in the streets every single time and the fight against drug abuse has made matters worse. It has been found that according to teenagers, the “forbidden fruit “tastes much better than the approved things in nature. It is hard for people to fully control drug abuse because the perceived benefits seem to reach the teenagers faster than the perceived risks. The risk are; physical risks (addiction, accidents, getting arrested), emotional risks (acting inappropriately, depressed, and being mentally insane) and also social risks (disappointing teachers, friends and family). The perceived benefits of the substances are considered to be the energy, the euphoric high and also the numbness in the whole body. The teenagers consider the benefits to overshadow the risks. Other factors include parental involvement in the fight against teen substance abuse. It has been found that when parents sit down and talk to their kids or teenagers about the adverse effects of substance abuse, the rates of drug abuse goes down as compared to when the media takes up the fight alone. There are also teenagers who abuse substances because they had problems in their past. These kinds of teenagers often abuse drugs with the intentions of revenging for the trouble they went through when they were young. When they abuse drugs they think that they are directing all the adverse effects to their parents, their families or their lovers. Substance abuse among teenagers can also be caused by a history of drug abuse in the family where the teenager picks up the act from the parents as the teenager grows up. Strand Et al (2005) suggested that academic failures, poor peer association, poor parenting when the teenagers were young children and also the personality disorders teenagers lead to substance abuse.

Substances That Are Abused By Teenagers

There are a number of substances which are often abused by teenagers at an early age of about thirteen. These substances are alcohol, marijuana, heroine, vicodin, tobacco, cocaine, opiates, stimulation drugs, inhalants, steroids, prescription drugs and hallucinogens among others. It has been discovered that binge drinking starts in high schools and proceeds to colleges where teenagers are free to do whatever they want. In high school it has been noted that teenagers fake their identifications as adults to obtain alcohol when they have not reached the legal age of drinking. Some parents are blamed for providing alcohol to teenagers when they buy them and store them at their children’s disposal. Smoking marijuana has been rampant both in high schools and in colleges. Heroine has been abused mostly and this leads to many teenagers ending up in a mental institution because the drug affects the mental part of the brain.

Symptoms of Heroine Abuse In Teenagers

The symptoms of heroine abuse in teenagers are often visible to anyone who has stayed with the teenagers for a very long time to know their behavior has changed. The personalities of the teenagers change and these affect their work, their grades in school, quality of work, discipline, school attendance and also work out put.  A teenager can have unusual outbreaks or flare-ups of temper. The teenager is often withdrawn from performing one’s responsibilities in life. The teenager’s attitude changes when the teenager is abusing heroine. The interests and hobbies are not fun anymore according to a teenager who is using the drug. These teenagers often change their initial friends to those who abuse the drug and they do not let their friends visit or even talk about them. Strand Et al (2005) suggested that teenagers often have difficulties in concentrating in class or in any activity they are involved in. The teenager is often nervous, aggressive and jittery and they show physical deterioration of grooming and also physical appearance. Some teenagers wear sunglasses at night or anytime they have company. Most teenagers wear long sleeved garments because they fear that people will notice they are abusing the drug by injecting themselves on their arms. These teenagers unusually borrow money from parents, friends and also co-workers in cases where they have run out of money to buy a dose of heroine. They also steal items from home, school or from their employers so that they can sell them and get the money to buy the drug. The teenagers have secretive behaviors related to their actions and also possessions in the sense that they poorly conceal their attempts so as to avoid suspicion or attention for example; the frequent trips to the basement, restroom or the storage room.

Signs of Heroine Abuse In Teenagers

The teenagers often drive carelessly while under the influence of heroine. The teenagers also cause a lot of unnecessary accidents both at home and in school. As reported by (NIDA 2005), teenagers are often skeptical and also ignore their religious backgrounds. The teenagers are often found in the possession of heroin and their immediate reaction is denial. Most teenagers who abuse heroine are often seen selling the drugs to other people. These teenagers are often heard talking with low tones on the telephones and they usually have a lot of money while they have no real job and they are verbally and also physically violent. They have erratic sleeping and eating habits.

Treatment Of Heroine Abuse In Teenagers

The treatment begins with identifying and recognizing the problem. There should be a complete inventory of the problem, the signs and also the symptoms. All these should be incorporated into individual treatment plan when one is administering the psychological services. Strand Et al (2005) suggested that teenagers are often difficult to help when they have started abusing heroine because they have no responsibilities and they think that the world is against them. The best treatment is taking them to a rehabilitation center where there are a group of other teenagers with the same problem and counseling them appropriately. Team counseling is also encouraged because the teenagers share a common problem and they would love to get out of the addiction as an individual but also as a group. Knowing the type of addiction is very important because the effects of the addictions differ with the drug that is being abused. As reported by Costello (2002), parents need to give emotional support to their teenagers because when a teenager has no parental support the chances of a relapse are very high.

Prevention Of Heroine Abuse In Teenagers

It has been discovered that many people are resistant to change once they have grown up. Heroine abuse leads to bad appetite, mental disorders, personality disorders, heart disease and finally death. These people cannot change their lives soon until they have reached a level that requires them to stop the abuse. Instead of treating the heroine abuse, parents are encouraged to teach their children from an early age how good health is very important to their lives. This means that the children have to know that using heroine compromises the health of a person. The children have to be taught about the values and cultures of following the principles of their religion to the latter. NCTSN (2005) suggested that this reduces the chances of the children growing up with the idea of abusing heroine in their minds. Parents have to set a good example to their children by avoiding heroine abuse in their lives or at their homes. Most of the bad habits children pick up are from home as compared to the school. The parents can teach their children to be honest and also responsible in the sense that they do not have to secretive or follow the peer pressure to abusing substances or drugs. The schools also have to teach children how to behave well, how to relate to their friends and also how to be responsible young children who will grow up to be responsible and upright teenagers.

Heroine abuse is very rampant in the schools today leading to teenage drop outs all over the world. The drug has adverse effects when not treated earlier. The best way to fight against heroine abuse is to prevent it rather than cure it.

References

Costello, Erkanli, Fairbank & Angold (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Press.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). Types of Traumatic Stress. Retrieved, May 11, 2005 from http://www.nctsnet.org

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (2005). Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction. Retrieved May 11, 2005 from http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/understand.html

Strand, V.C., Sarmiento, T. L., & Pasquale, L. E. (2005). Assessment and Screening Tools for Trauma in Children and Adolescents. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 6(1), 55-78.