The Dangers Of Adolescent Substance Abuse

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

According to Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Study, conducted among high school students, over 70% tried cigarettes, 25% smoke daily for at least a month and over 80% of students have used alcohol at least once5. Many factors impact the likelihood of adolescent substance use. One risk factor for adolescent substance use is perceived ease of access to substances4. Also, the type of substances being used by adolescents varies by geographic location. Students living in rural areas report higher perceived access to alcohol, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco and steroids while students living in urban areas report higher levels of perceived access to marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, ecstasy, methamphetamine and hallucinogens4. Depression during adolescence is linked to substance abuse. Students who did not have many peers of the same racial/ethnic group in their school reported poorer school attachment, which in turn is related to depressive symptoms3. Positive relationships among peers tend to have an impact on substance use 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

Educating the public about the high rates of substance abuse in wealthy communities is important as data shows the relationship between adolescents’ socioeconomic status and risk of alcohol or drug abuse. Also, providing adequate resources to families with a history of substance abuse is another way to prevent teens from nurturing the same behaviors. Implementing more policies that regulate alcohol and drug advertising is critical as these industries focus on targeting the youth to make them lifelong consumers. Efforts to combat substance abuse among adolescents continues to be a national health issue but with the appropriate services, it can be

Substance use disorder, misuse, and dependence are among the most prevalent causes of adolescent morbidity and mortality in the United States (Brannigan, Schackman, Falco, & Millman, 2004; Newcomb and Bentler, 1988a; Sussman, Dent, and Galaif, 1997). Substances of all types are being widely used or misused by teens and emerging adults in the United States (Johnston et al., 2004). Adolescent substance misusers experience numerous social, economic, physical, and legal consequences, for example, truncated development (Newcomb and Bentler, 1988b). Substance use–related disorders are associated with such problems as poor academic performance, job instability, teen pregnancy, and the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. Crimes such as stealing, vandalism, and violence are associated with “heavy drug use” in adolescence. Adverse immediate consequences occur (e.g., overdoses and accidents). Also, drug-using youths are more likely to develop disorganized thinking and unusual beliefs that may interfere with problem-solving abilities and emotional functioning and may lead to greater social isolation and depression (Sussman and Ames, 2001), though the prevalence of dysfunctional thinking is not known. Substance dependent adolescents endure consequences of additional problems such as drug tolerance effects, withdrawal symptoms, and preoccupation with using a drug to the exclusion of other activities.

In this essay I will be discussing the topic of substance abuse amongst adolescent youth within Canada. I will be reviewing topics of interest revolving around various types of street narcotics, alcohol consumption, and psychoactive drug use. Although substance abuse is a global issue, I will be focusing primarily on studies, and research done on the effects and impacts on Canadian youth. Thought the course of this essay I will also be touching on the various effects, that come with the continuous usage of these illegal and legal substances which not only take a toll on the user but also the families, social setting, and community. Finally some pro-active steps to getting the information and required help if you suspect someone or yourself are under the influence of any form of substance abuse.

Substance abuse has become a notable public health threat to today’s adolescents. Substance abuse is associated with an array of behavioral and psychological consequences that can jeopardize the future of the young people. Lifelong dependence is another possible consequence of drug abuse among adolescents. Ultimately, counselors are supposed to come up with effective programs to address addiction issues among the adolescents to prevent them from relying on drugs in future. Counselors rely on direct counselling, group counselling, community collaborations and parent participation to make a difference in the lives of adolescents abusing drugs. Nonetheless, counseling adolescents with substance abuse is challenging and in order to make a difference, counselors must be prepared to handle those challenges.

(maintained abstinence/sobriety for than twelve months), or is in a controlled environment, such as a treatment facility, where access to alcohol is restricted (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 491). Individuals presenting two or three symptoms are considered to have a mild severity disorder, those who present four or five symptoms are considered to have a moderate severity disorder, and individuals presenting with six or more symptoms are considered to have a severe disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 491). These criteria help care providers diagnose alcohol use disorder among a variety of populations, including adolescents, and are similar to the other substance use disorder criteria that are listed in the

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

According to teendrugrehabs.com, over 60 percent of teens have reported that drugs of some kind are kept, sold, and used at their school. Over 23 million people over the age of 12 are addicted to alcohol or some other drug. One significant issue, among many, that our nation faces is the abuse of drugs and alcohol among our youth. This is a problem for all age groups, but every day more and more people under the age of 18 are experimenting with drugs to “fit in” with the crowd.

Substance use and abuse is a definitely a public health problem among American children and adolescents. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, substance abuse is the excessive use of a drug or the use of a drug without medical justification. There are various different substances that adolescents are abusing. Alcohol is the most abused in adolescence with four in ten high school seniors consuming some type of alcoholic beverage in the past month and more than one in five engaging in binge drinking in the past two weeks. Tobacco is not much of an issue as it was in the past with the rates declining. Only one in ten adolescents have reported smoking in the past month. Illicit drug use is a growing problem in the US. By the twelfth grade, nearly half of all students have tried illicit drugs with marijuana being the most used but also include prescription drug use and aerosols (The Office of Adolescent Health, 2014)

Keeping up with the life of a typical adolescent is not as simple as it seems. Adolescents frequently get consumed with negative thoughts about the future which causes anxiety and prevents sleep. These are all signs that can lead one to a state called depression1. Once an adolescent is depressed, it is common for them to reach out to substances that numb their pain such as: alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana. These drugs can be extremely destructive when abused. Since these substances can easily be bought by young adolescents, it is becoming more common for youngsters to reach out to these dangerous substances. Alcohol being the most prevalent and the easiest to get places a lot of trouble on youths. According to past research, there is a direct correlation between depression and alcohol abuse among teenagers aged 13-18.

Drug and substance abuse among children, especially teens, is substantial. According to the most recent statistics available, (http://www.nationalyouth.com) 1.1 million of our youth age 12 to 17 meet the diagnostic criteria for dependence on drugs and approximately 1 million of our American youth (http://www.drugabusestatistics.samhsa.gov/) are being treated for