Drug Abuse

Adolescence is a time where adolescents grow and mature at a rapid rate. It is also a time where adolescents are more vulnerable to taking risks, such as using and becoming addicted to illegal substances, due to raging hormones. Whether or not an adolescent chooses to engage in drug use and abuse depends on their home environment and those they choose to associate themselves with. Adolescents are confronted with an enormous amount of pressure to participate in risky behaviors by their peers. According to Broderick and Blewitt (2015), “risky behaviors are behaviors that constitute a departure from socially accepted norms or behaviors that pose a threat to the well-being of individuals or groups” (p. 389). One such risky behavior is drug use and addiction. Some adolescents use cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and prescription drugs in order to get “high”. Adolescents who engage in drug use are likely to become addicted, and thus, their addiction will negatively affect their brain development.

People use drugs as a solution to reduce stress, to relieve the boredom, for enjoyment and also to forget all the dilemmas they have. Besides, drug also can act as an energy booster. For example, when students take drugs, they able to stay up all night to study and complete all of their assignments while for athletes they able to perform well during the competition and at the same time to stay fit. Sometimes, people use drugs as they are curious how the taste of drugs is and want to experiment the feeling of drugs. They think by taking drug only once will not give any bad consequence to them. It is true for some people, but others when they

Teenage drug abuse is an issue that can result from a wide variety of social influences, stressful events, and mental disorders. Drug abuse among adolescents is a troubling issue because it decreases focus, increases the chance of consistency in behavior during adulthood, increases the chances of developing emotional issues, permanently damages the brain, and damages tissues in every system that can lead to death. Previous scientific research has identified that social factors, including the media and peers, play an important role in psychological development and impact the adolescent's decision to start experimenting with substances (Botvin 888). Appropriate solutions for the teenage drug abuse issue already exist, but the only remaining

Many teenagers between the ages of 12-18 are exposed or already on their way to addiction to substances that are not good for our mental or physical health. Many teens experiment with drugs but aren’t addicted. According to addictioncenters.com “teen drug abuse can have long term cognitive and behavioural effects since the teenage brain is still developing.” A study also shows that half of all new drug users are under 18. This is because our brains are still seeking the “thrill” and temptation of substances. Other common reasons are curiosity, peer pressure, stress, emotional struggles and wanting a escape. Thankfully drug use among teens, despite popular opinion are significantly decreasing. The teenage brain is very immature. By doing drugs as a teen you are at a greater risk for being an addicted adult.

According to current statistics released by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, “In the United States in 2011, there were an estimated 25.1 million adolescents aged 12 to 17. In the past year, more than one quarter of adolescents drank alcohol, approximately one fifth used an illicit drug, and almost one eighth smoked cigarettes” ("A Day in the Life of American Adolescents," 2013, para. 1). Substance abuse is major problem amongst adolescents. Some are experimenting, but some adolescents may become dependent on a particular substance. If one becomes dependent on a substance as an adolescent it could be detrimental to their future health and success as an adult. Spear (2003) stated in an article titled Alcohol’s

Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is a patterned use of a substance (drug) in which the user consumes the

Adolescence, usually defined as individuals between the ages of 12 and 20, is a period of transition, brain development and challenges1, 2, 3. Adolescence is the peak time to engage in risk taking behaviors2. Substance use is a common occurrence among adolescents. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse has identified adolescent substance use as one of the United States’ top public health concerns4. In fact, an individual’s chance of becoming a cigarette smoker drastically declines if smoking is not initiated by the time the individual is 18 years old. Alcohol and Marijuana are the most commonly used substances among adolescents1,2,3. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Study, the Center for Antisocial Drug Dependence, Monitoring the

The teen years are also a time of making decisions and of discovering one's own values and beliefs around a variety of issues, including health and lifestyle choices. Friends and other outside sources can also influence decisions. The decision to use drugs is therefore influenced by the interaction of many different individual and environmental factors.

Abusing prescription drugs commonly called "pharming"--is the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States, particularly among teens. About 7 million Americans abused prescription drugs in 2007 more than used cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, Ecstasy, and inhalants combined.” Pharming is a form of drug abuse that is using pharmacy drugs to get high. They use drugs such as oxycontin and other over the counter drugs.These drugs can be easily obtained by getting a prescription by a doctor. Drug abuse is a big problem in America due to the fact that it ruins people’s lives and negatively affects others around them. If people were more educated on drug abuse it wouldn’t be a problem. Knowing the negative effects could change the mind of a teen

Among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, 9.8 % are estimated to be current users of illicit drugs, with 4.9 % using drugs other than marijuana. Nearly three quarters of students have started to drink alcohol and nearly half (47%) have tried using an illicit drug (not including alcohol or tobacco) by the senior year of high school.” (Hassan, Harris, Sherritt, Van Hook, & Brooks, 2009)

Adolescences and young adults begin using drugs including prescription drugs, illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. It’s hard to understand the reasons why adolescences and adults abuse drugs. New experiences are sought out by adults and adolescences and they will give and administrator many reasons for doing so to have that experience of new highs. It is so shocking to know that almost 3/4 of the seniors in high school have tried drugs, and have tried alcohol as well. Then almost 1/2 have tried illegal drugs and have smoked cigarettes, and about 1/3 have tried prescription drugs and it was not for medical reasons either. It is a risk factor that adolescences try drugs thinking

Drug use is an increasing problem among teenagers in today's high schools. Most drug use begins in the teenage years, these years are the most crucial in the maturing process. During these years adolescents are faced with the difficult tasks of discovering their self identity, clarifying their sexual roles, assenting independence, learning to cope with authority figures and searching for goals that would give their lives meaning. Drugs are readily available, adolescents are curious and venerable, and there is peer pressure to experiment, and there is a temptation to escape from conflicts. The use of drugs by teenagers is the result of a combination of factors such as peer pressure, curiosity, and

It has been discovered that most people who struggle with drug addiction began experimenting with drugs in their teens. Teenage drug abuse is one of the largest problems in society today and the problem grows and larger every year. Drugs are a pervasive force in our culture today. To expect kids not to be influenced by the culture of their time is as unrealistic as believing in the tooth fairy (Bauman 140). Teens may feel pressured by their friends to try drugs, they may have easy access to drugs, they may use drugs to rebel against their family or society, or they may take an illegal drug because they are curious about it or the pleasure that it gives them.

Drugs between teenagers is one of the most serious problems, because it causes a change in the behavior of any teenager and a physical change too. Most of the teenagers use alcoholic drinks as a way to escape

A chemical substance that alters the function of one or more body organs or the process of a disease. Drugs include prescribed medicines over the counter remedies and various other substances such as alcohol, tobacco and drugs of abuse that are used for non-medical purposes.