Troubled Teen Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Troubled Teen Drug and Alcohol Abuse Related Information:

The number of teenagers who are addicted to drugs and alcohol has risen dramatically in the past decade. The drugs are much easier to get and drug dealers have no hesitation to sell drugs to children and teenagers. Older teenagers buy the alcohol for them and teenagers think it is cool to drink and get drunk. The average age for youths to start experimenting with alcohol is 11 for boys and 13 for girls. According to the statistics, teenagers who begin drinking before they are 15 are more likely to become alcoholics than those who start at a later age. One of the leading causes of death among teenagers is death in an automobile accident caused by drunk driving.

Sometimes, drinking among teenagers as well as using drugs is just a phase they go through when they experiment and want to show others that they can do these things. Most of the smart ones wise up and stop the habit, but many of them get hooked and are unable to stop. Although it could be a symptom of wanting to get attention, impulsiveness or rebellion against parental authority, drug and alcohol abuse in the teenage years can also be a sign of depression, anxiety, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or an antisocial disorder. Any of these could lead to more serious problems such as violence against others or suicide.

Alcohol use among teenagers has been linked to the planning and attempting suicide. If parents have favorable attitudes toward drinking they are not likely to be worried if their teenagers start drinking and if they do object it may cause the teen to become worse as a sign of rebelling against parents’ perceived opposite ideas – it’s all right for me, but not for you. A lack or parental support and monitoring of activities has also been linked to the rising numbers of teenagers who become alcoholics. Harsh disciplinary actions and lax discipline have also found to be contributing factors, though it is hard to find a middle of the road approach. When a teenager’s peers are involved in drinking and it seems to be readily accepted, then it is likely that the teenager will drink alcohol.

Teenagers many be involved with drugs in several ways. Experimentation with drugs is common during the adolescent years and teenagers so not often see the connection between what they do now can affect them later on in life. They seem to feel that they are immune to problems that occur to other people. There are some teenagers who are more at risk of developing a problem with substance abuse:

  • If they have a family history of substance abuse, they can get the drugs more easily
  • If they are depressed and are looking for a way to get rid of their bad feelings
  • If they have low self-esteem and are looking for a way to seem better to their peers
  • If they feel that they don’t fit in and want to be a part of a certain group

There are warning signs that parents should be aware of so that they can recognize in their teenagers who are abusing drugs:

  • Physical symptoms such as fatigue, red eyes, persistent cough
  • Emotional symptoms such as changes in moods or personality, depression, low self-esteem, irritability
  • Family problems such as starting arguments, refusing to accept authority, having a negative attitude
  • School problems such as decreased interest, low grades all of a sudden, getting in trouble at school
  • Social problems, such as hanging out with a new group of friends who are not good influences, getting in trouble with the law

These are just some of the symptoms that could be a sign that teenagers are using drugs and alcohol, but they could also be signs of other problems.