Substance Abuse And Self Esteem

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.

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

Growing up with substance abuse parents can potentially put the children at risk for developmental deficiencies. Parents who are substance dependent are oftentimes focus on themselves over their children, and this leads to neglecting the children. Without the attachment with the parents, children are lack of security and trust to explore the outside world. According to Erik Erikson, children develop at different stage. Infants are totally dependent on their parents. If parents provide the good care and support to the children, they will develop the basic trust to their parents and the world, otherwise, they will feel insecure and develop mistrust instead. This mistrust may cause problems later in life. As children begin to grow and navigate the challenges of adolescence, parental substance abuse has a direct impact on their well-being, as well as their behavior. Teenagers are eager to seek their identities. Yet, growing up with mistrust, inferiority, and shame

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

Persistent substance abuse among youth is often accompanied by an array of problems, including academic difficulties, health-related consequences, poor peer relationships, mental health issues, and involvement with the juvenile justice system. There are also significant consequences for family members, the community, and society in

Adolescent substance abuse is a phenomenon in our country that has been steadily inclining ever since the 2000’s. The effects of this incline are very straight forward and call for action. The facts are that alcohol and drugs are the leading causes of crime among youth and that alcohol and drugs are the leading factors in teenage suicide. (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., 2014) Because adolescence is such a crucial developmental age the effects of alcohol and drug use are catastrophic. To fully understand this phenomenon we must firs operationalize all of the factors we are trying to study. The DSM V classifies substance abuse as,

Coyle et al. (2016) conducted a study on 154 juveniles between the ages of 12-20 to determine if peer support had an effect on substance use/misuse. Coyle et al. (2016) infers having a positive peer network may reduce substance use/misuse. Furthermore, the study indicates adding positive support network into prevention and intervention services is beneficial in addressing substance use (Coyle, et al. 2016). Juvenile substance abuse affects these interpersonal relationships; therefore any attempt at treating the juvenile should incorporate peers and family members. Lui et al. (2017) reviewed the statistical data of 358 adolescents between ages of 13-18 as well as their parents to determine if socioeconomic status had any effect on long term abstinence. Of distinction in this study, Lui et al (2017) concluded that socioeconomic status did not have an effect on treatment or abstinence long term. YOUTH FACING TRAUMATIC BACKGROUNDS

We will be examining substance abuse among adolescents in Orange County (OC) and assessing the contributing factors and different interventions currently offered. Adolescent substance abuse is difficult to identify because, unlike diseases, there are generally no physical manifestations. Therefore, proper education and resources geared towards at-risk adolescents must effectively address the underlying contributors of substance abuse. National statistics generally suggest that poverty is directly related to substance abuse. However, Courtney Perkes, a writer for the Orange County Register, notes that wealth is associated with substance abuse among teens, especially those living “in south Orange County and

Growing up is hard but children that grow up in homes with a parent, or parents, with substance abuse issues are more likely to become dependent themselves on some sort of substance. This can stem from the children carrying a heavier burden than most their age which can lead to depression, aggression, low self-esteem just to name a few issues (Schroeder, Kelley, & Fals-Stewart, 2006). While the chances that a child raised in a conventional home with two loving parents can still turn to drugs it is more likely that a child raised in a troubled home will be addicted to drugs (Sharma, 2016). A child raised in a home with a parent that has a substance abuse is likely to experience poor parental bonding, exposed to a stressful environment, as well as experience rejection from their parents. Growing up with a parent that is addicted to an opioid such as heroin is compared to the family burden of having a person with schizophrenia (Pomini, et al., 2014). Families that have problematic drug or alcohol abuse “experience disruption, chronic stress, excessive worry and poor psychological adjustment” (Gethin, Trimmingham, Chang, Farrell, & Ross, 2016). In the article Dance with a Demon, the writer describes her life growing up

The second perspective on this question is Psychodynamic Psychology. In a report published by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, A Psychodynamic psychologist may approach this problem by investigating and understanding a drug abuser’s past and present behaviour by focusing on the person’s unconscious processes. Therefore, psychologists would focus on the abuser’s experience during childhood or past troubled relationships that may manifests itself later on in life, which then causes the individual to abuse drugs. The report continues to state “The ingestion of the drug provides him with the self-esteem which he does not possess. Through the incorporation of the drug, he supplies for himself the feeling of being accepted and thus of being self-confident; or he creates the experience of being merged with the source of power that gives him the feeling of being strong and worthwhile” (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 1999). Self-esteem is an incredible force that drives us to get up in the morning and face another day. Some individuals are born with an innate sense of self-confidence and

Along with illegal behavior often a substance abuser will find themselves as homeless, spending their paychecks on their habits of using substances (Tracy, 2005). Children of abusers are affected by both possessing negative role models that set the example that drug use is not wrong and sometimes the children are placed into the care of the community because of neglect and abuse by the substance user (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health [CDC], 2009). Other medical, social, and economic issues also are being experienced from substance abuse and use.

Gangs, drug trafficking, prostitution, and youth homicides are other related social and criminal justice problems often linked to adolescent substance abuse. Regarding illegal drugs, Maddahian, Newcomb, and Bentler (1988) found in an adolescent sample that two measures of drug availability were significantly related to the use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and other illegal drugs, even after controlling for money available to the

In this paper, I look at forms of substance abuse and the effects on children. I will be using the following headings to break down the different issues associated with this social problem: social causes, phenomenon, and consequences. I hope to educate those that may be ignorant to the situation, and help to spark a flame that can be used to not be a bystander, but a solution to the problem at hand.

Adolescent substance abuse is a major problem in society. There are many risk factors that can contribute to adolescent substance abuse. One of the main risk factors is peer pressure. When adolescents start at a young age there is an increase in health problems, addiction, and over all poor social outcomes. Parental influence has substantial effect on adolescents because the adolescent sees their parents and they learn by their example. Media plays a role in the use of drug and alcohol use among young people. Many school systems have implemented programs that teach adolescents about the problems of substance abuse that is funded

Marijuana is a contrast to tobacco and alcohol when addiction characteristics do not show with the use of marijuana while addiction shows with legal tobacco and alcohol. It shows that less than one in ten marijuana smokers convert to consistent consumers of the drug, and most intentionally terminate their use after age 34, by comparison, 15 percent of alcohol users and 32 percent of tobacco smokers display indicators of drug dependency. Cannabis withdrawal indicators are uncommon and do not need replacement medication to stop the habit. When smoking marijuana comes to an end of an intake, the vast majority of smokers do not feel subjected to uncomfortable withdrawal indicators commanding restarting the use of marijuana.