Challenges Affecting The Teenagers

Drug abuse and distribution among youth is also a big problem. The use of both alcohol and cigarettes reached their highest points according to recent studies. Use of several

So far this author has given the reader a little bit of introduction on how substance abuse can affect an adolescent both physiologically and psychosocially. Nonetheless, it is also important to mention how the media has a tendency to influence teenagers as far as substance misuse. First and foremost, the power of advertising to influence children and adolescents is unquestionable. Many advertisements use celebrity endorsers, humor, rock music, or attractive young models, all of which have been shown to be effective with children and adolescents. Therefore, advertising makes smoking and drinking seem like normative activities. In addition, it is worth mentioning that more money is spent advertising tobacco than any drug which is estimated at $15 billion per year, almost half of what the National Institutes of Health spends each year to study all aspects of health. Correspondingly, approximately $6 billion is spent annually on alcohol advertising and promotion. Comparable to tobacco advertisement, beer commercials are virtually custom-made to appeal to children and adolescents, using images of fun-loving, sexy, successful young people having the time of their lives. Next, nearly $4 billion is spent annually on prescription drug advertising; therefore, children and teenagers get the message that there is a pill to cure all ills and a drug for every occasion, including sexual intercourse. Scenes with smoking also remain common in movies

Substance abuse is use of a substance (drug) or alcohol in which the person consumes the substance/alcohol in amounts or with different methods which are harmful for themselves or others. Substance abuse and addictions are run in families.

People addicted to substances and people who abuse substances are different. Those who abuse drugs have control over their lives, while those with an addiction have a disease that affects many aspects of their life. An addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because the use of the drug changes the brain structure and how it works. These brain changes can be long-lasting. One definition of abuse is the inappropriate use of any substance, especially those that alter consciousness (e.g., alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamines). An individual can abuse drugs without being an addict to that drugs. The drug abuse definition centers around the way a person uses the drugs, while the drug addiction definition includes the

There are some reason that teenagers involve in drugs use. Firstly, other people Teenagers see lots of people using various substances. They see their parents and other adults drinking alcohol, smoking, and, sometimes, abusing other substances. Also, the teen social scene often revolves around drinking and smoking pot. At times companions ask each other to attempt a drink or smoke something, yet it's similarly as regular for high school to begin utilizing a substance since its promptly accessible and they see every one

One of the myths about substance abuse is substance abuse and addiction is actually the same thing. But the fact says, though the terms “abuse” and “addiction” are often mixed up for one another, they are not the same thing. Substance abuse generally refers to those who continue to use drugs or alcohol even though they know that they are dangerous. An individual who has a drug addiction

Parents can play a huge role in the difference of their child becoming a drug addict because of peer pressure or them living up to their expectations simply by guiding them in the right direction and maybe keep a closer eye out on them wont do any harm although teenagers

A person’s teenage years mark the peak of growth and self-discovery. Adolescences are still figuring out the world around them. Newly founded freedoms open the gateway to test new boundaries. Because of this, most teens turn to experimentation with drugs or alcohol out of curiosity and when looking for a new way to have fun. Just think, teenagers are too old for games and too young for adult activities and responsibilities. Slurring words or acting in an altered way can provide entertainment for many teens. According to the Teen Rehab Center, 68% of high school seniors have tried alcohol at some point (“Drug”). Drinking alcohol at a young age can be detrimental. For example, those who start drinking alcohol before the age of 15 are six

Substance abuse is can be a serious problem at any stage of life, especially during adolescence. The effects of using drugs, alcohol, marijuana, and other substances have a major impact on not only your physical health, but also your mental health. I wanted to research the effects that substance abuse has on adolescents because that is the group I want to work with. I am interested in this topic because adolescence is a time where various aspects influence a young person’s life. Being that I want to work at the high school level, that is a time where students are trying to figure out who they are and what they want to be, while also trying to fit in with the people around them. This topic is important because as a future school counseling,

Alcohol and drug addiction are two important topics in today’s society. Alcohol and drug addiction affects people of different ages with different backgrounds and ethnicities. There are many researches and studies regarding underlying reasons and roots of these issues. Just as many other addictions, these addictions have psychological, biological, and sociological roots to it. This paper will discuss research findings regarding the main points, roots and underlying reasons of alcohol and drug addiction mostly in adolescents, and it also provides prevention, solutions, and recommendations to these issues in the society.

Teenage drug and alcohol abuse is becoming a major problem in the United States. Abuse of illicit substances eventually leads to an addiction. Drug and alcohol addiction is a disease, and it is contagious. It does not spread through germs; it spreads through families, schools, and communities. There are two youth prevention programs that try to exceed at decreasing the drug and alcohol abuse in teenagers. They are the D.A.R.E. program and the Serenity House based out of Texas.

There are various forms of addictions that teenagers and adolescents indulge in. Various researchers have devices concepts, theoretical frameworks and models to try to identify the cause of addiction among young people. For instance, in a longitudinal study by Hansell and White (1991) & Shedler and Block (1990), results showed no correlation between “drug addiction and adolescents trying to cope with pre-existing psychological distress” (p. 288). On the contrary, drug addiction correlated to physical and psychological impairments over time (Hansell & White, 1991).

As a programer, treating adolescents and addiction we have to know that this population moves through three varying time periods: early (12-14 years of age), middle (14-17 years of age), and late(17-19 years of age) (NRPA.ORG) The programmer must understand that each developmental stage has different demands. For example, younger adolescents focus on the present, whereas, older adolescents focus on developing their future(). Moreover, a study analyzed how young to middle adolescents spend their free time. On an average, young-middle adolescents have 40% of free time each week. If adolescents spent their time engaged in beneficial recreational activities, it could prevent undesirable recreational activities. Although adolescents show needs in skill development, independence, moral development, a sense of achievement, and relationship building, most of their time was not spent building those skills(NRPA.ORG). The researchers observed that adolescents spent about 10 hours sleeping, five hours at school, two and a half hours watching television, 1 hour in non-table leisure activities, and eighty-two minutes of unsupervised time (NRPA.ORG) . Moreover, Ms. Dollene McLemore of Chemical Addictions Program, Inc (CAP) reported that most adolescent that abuse drug come from unstable households. We deduced that during the eighty two minutes of unsupervised time and an unstable environment can increase the chances of drug experimentation.

Addiction is commonly associated with drugs and alcohol. Addiction is not only related to drugs or alcohol, but it is also tied to things and activities. Addiction to drugs or alcohol are quite similar, but in some respects, slightly different to addictions to activities and other things. Addiction to drugs and alcohol, over time, leads to a buildup of tolerance. Tolerance causes the user to need more of what they are addicted to in order to experience an equal or increased effect than previously needed to obtain the same effect. They use drugs to avoid or relieve withdrawal symptoms. Addicts put people close to them at risk and jeopardize their social life for just a little more of the addicted substance or activity. Addiction to an activity can be just as detrimental to someone as an addiction to a drug. Addicts will put their addiction to whatever activity before the rest of their normal lives. When an addict is not doing such activities, they are thinking about it, and letting their addiction consume their mind.

Most of the problems facing today’s youth are not restricted to any one ethnic or religious group, but affect young people generally. Most discussions on youth have focussed on issues such as drug abuse, crime, violence, sexuality and poverty. In addition to these, today’s youth are afflicted by new challenges.