The annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found a strong link between teens perceived risk of using a certain drug and their actual use of that drug.

"Adolescence is a period of significant developmental change when health patterns are being established. Decisions that youths make about tobacco and drug use can have both immediate and long-term health consequences for themselves, their families, and their communities." [Source: SAMHSA]

Based on the correlation between perceived risk and drug use, parents, teachers and anti-drug campaigns could make significant impacts in teen drug use by emphasizing the risks. The more teens are aware of, and believe in, the risks associated with  for example - heroin, cocaine or alcohol, the less likely they are to use.

Labels: causes_of_teen_substance_abuse

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

It's easy to find statistics about teenage drug use. It's also fairly easy to find tragic stories of teens that lost their lives, or ended up in prison, because of their addictions. The dangers of drug use are well-known, yet teens continue to get drunk, get high, and get addicted. Why?

"Life is often difficult for teenagers. When they're unhappy and uncomfortable with themselves and have neither a healthy outlet for their frustrations nor a trusted confidant, they may turn to chemicals for solace."

The media often makes drug use look much more prevalent than it actually is, making teens feel like it must not be "a big deal" if so many people are doing it. Teens who feel socially awkward, depressed, or ignored by their parents are also more likely to turn to alcohol and drugs. Read more at DrugFree.org.

Labels: addiction, media_influences, causes_of_teen_substance_abuse

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Not being attached to school and family are predictors of alcohol abuse among adolescents, according to a study in the Journal of Counseling Psychology.

• Professors Kimberly Henry and Eugene Oetting of Colorado State University and her colleagues studied 1,064 middle school students for two years, keeping track of changes to their true or false answers to questions such as, "My family cares about what I do," "School is fun," and "My teachers like me."
• Those students who answered in a way that showed a lack of attachment to their families and schools were more likely to abuse alcohol. Another predictor of alcohol abuse was having friends who abuse alcohol.

"The study showed that the short time in junior high school is a time of Important changes for some individual adolescents," according to the report. "There are significant changes in family and school attachment and significant changes in association with alcohol-using peers. These within-person changes were accompanied by within-person changes in alcohol use."
 

Labels: alcohol_abuse, causes_of_teen_substance_abuse, families

Posted By: CRC Health Group 0 Comments

Kids are heading back to school soon.  And for some, the increased pressure to do well and “be popular” may prompt them to experiment with drugs.

Every change in grade level, coach, friend or teacher may also contribute to stress, which can lead to experimentation with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, said Michelle Morse, communications director for Drug-Free Action Alliance.

Those most at risk are students who transition to new school buildings in middle school and high school, she said.

“We see that statistically speaking, the older a child gets the more exposure there is to alcohol and drugs,” she said. [Source: Journal-News]

Morse encourages parents to be involved in their kids’ lives, know their friends, and know what they’re doing after school.

Labels: schools, students, causes_of_teen_substance_abuse

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 2 Comments

Why are so many people, especially teenagers, becoming addicted to prescription painkillers? According to a new article in the Washington Post, experts are pointing to four main reasons.

1. The first reason is that people who are not in any pain often experience intense feelings of euphoria and well-being when they take opiate painkillers. They often become addicted to these substances, not realizing how closely related they are chemically to opium and heroin.

2. The second reason is that many believe these drugs are safe because they are available only by prescription. Street drugs, on the other hand, can contain dangerous fillers or impurities that are extremely toxic to the human body.

3. The third reasons is that doctors are writing more prescriptions for painkillers than ever before. According to Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the number of prescriptions for opiate painkillers has gone from 40 million to 180 million in the past 20 years.

4. Finally, there are no government entities in most states that do a good job of monitoring prescription drugs. Only a few states have data bases that keep track of them, and most do not monitor the disposal of leftover pills. This enables people to "doctor shop" or obtain them in emergency rooms.
 

Labels: prescription drugs, causes_of_teen_substance_abuse, painkillers

Posted By: Adolescent Substance Abuse 1 Comment

For many young people, the roots of teen alcohol abuse and alcoholism are found in the desire to obtain social acceptance, and their "tales of alcohol related mishaps and escapades are key markers of young people's social identity," according to a new study presented before the British Psychological Society.

Professor Christine Griffith and her colleagues at the University of Bath analyzed liquor advertisements as well as the results of interviews with young drinkers from both rural and urban areas.

"The 'culture of intoxication' has become a normalized and all but compulsory aspect of many young people's social lives," Dr. Griffith explained. "Getting very drunk with friends often insulates young people from viewing their level of alcohol consumption as a potential problem, deepening bonds of friendship and cementing group membership. ... Extreme inebriation is often seen as a source of personal esteem and social affirmation among young people."
 

Labels: alcohol_abuse, causes_of_teen_substance_abuse, alcoholism

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment