Teenage drug addiction is a severe problem that could not be controlled successfully. A common definition of addiction is, “The uncontrollable and compulsive use of mind-altering drugs/substances, even though having the knowledge of the fact that such use may cause problems with one’s life". Addiction can be physical and/or psychological dependence on a chemical substance.
The Reasons for Teenage Drug Abuse
Adolescence is an age of trying new things. Most of the teens are innocent of the consequences of the drug abuse when they start consuming for the first time. Some of the reasons for teen drug abuse are- •Teens mostly want to do an adventure by experimenting with the drugs. It is difficult to identify which teen experiments and stop and which one addicts. •Many kids start using drugs when they see their family members or friends consume. In general, the family members seen by the teenagers highly influence them to use drugs. •They come to know the effects of the drug abuse like- it feels good, to reduce stress, to feel grown up (mentally & physically). •Often peer pressure plays a major role. The situation gets out of hands when teens start rely on drugs and think that they need it to escape from problems at school, home life or with friends. •Favorite movie stars use drugs in movies and the popular bands sing songs about it. This has a major impact on teens, as they always want to follow their idols.
The most common reason of drug abuse either experimentally or habitually, is to experience an immediate euphoric effect. Other common reasons for teenage drug abuse include - to become popular with friends, think people would like them more, because someone else wanted them to use, to make them feel more like an adult and they could make extra money selling them. Teenagers who are alcoholic are more prone to use drugs rather than non-alcoholic.
The Warning Signs of Teenage Drug Abuse:
The warning signs of teen drug abuse are generally classified into five different categories. They are – •Physical: Overly tired or hyperactive, repeated health complaints, red and glazed eyes, strange smell on breathe or body and a lasting cough. •Emotional: Personality change, sudden mood changes, irritability, irresponsible behavior, low self-esteem, poor judgment, depression, impassiveness, over-reacts to criticism- acts rebellious. •Family: Verbally or physically abusive, breaks family rules, withdraws from the family activities, spends much time in their rooms, constant excuses for irrational behavior. •School: Decreased interest in school activities, negative attitude, drop in grades, absenteeism, reduced memory and attention span and discipline problems. •Social: New friends who are not interested in usual home and school activities, less interest in sports or other extracurricular activities, problems with the law, and change to uncommon styles in dress and music.
The above stated reasons and warning signs can help parents and teachers to identify the drug abusing teens at the initial stage and help them to check further addiction.
In most cases, situations of teenage drug abuse become more complicated because their families were not able to take stock of the situation earlier. Parents of a teenager are not professionals in the subject of drug abuse and hence it is quite normal that they do not read the signs or mistake them for some other condition. This kind of ignorance however can take an immense toll on the entire treatment process later on. It can actually impede treatment because the person's abuse will keep on growing to higher levels. That is the reason the families must read about the way a drug abuse works as much as possible.
Drug abuse signs can be found out in the behavior as well as the physical characteristics of the teenager. Here is what you should be looking out for.
Behavioral Signs of Teenage Drug Abuse
1.The teenager will not find restful sleep at night. Insomnia will be quite common. Youngsters who are consuming drugs may stay awake for long hours at night and then feel quite sluggish and lethargic on the next day.
2.They will not be quite interested in eating too. This will make them lose weight to an appreciable extent. But in some cases, the opposite effect is observed. These teenagers will develop an appetite and will eat voraciously. This can cause weight gain. Whether the person loses or gains weight will depend on the kind of addiction the person is in.
3.When teenagers use drugs, they become quite secretive about everything. You will find the defensive and guarded approach in the way they say things. Lying can become a mainstay too. Teenage drug abuse victims will lie at the drop of a hat, often for no reason at all.
4.School grades dropping is a very common indicator. If the teenager has been consistent in academic performance but has been showing an inexplicable dip lately, then you have to investigate whether he or she is with drugs or not.
5.You will find that they lose their drive to perform also. Teenagers, once they start consuming an addictive substance, will start relying on it to a great deal. They will not want to achieve anything in life. Goal-making, being oriented in life, etc. will have no meaning for them.
6.There will be sudden and unexplained mood swings. You will find that they begin throwing tantrums at the merest pretext and become quite irritable and nervous.
7.You will notice several changes in the teenager's environment. This might include a new friends group and new places that they visit. They will also become reluctant to speak about these changes. You might also find several curious objects in their collection, such as tin foils, rolling papers, tourniquets, syringes, roach clips, etc.
8.They will always need money. If not given to them, they might also begin stealing.
Physical Signs of Teenage Drug Abuse
1.Defective walking manner that appears staggered. 2.Lack of coordination with the different parts of the body, which creates poor reflex signals. 3.Palms that are always sweaty. 4.Hands that are always unsteady. 5.Eyes have a blank look in them and are often bloodshot. 6.Face looks flushed or pale. There may be an increase in the amount of facial fat. 7.The person's breath will begin to smell differently, often carrying the odor of the addictive drug in it. 8.Typical smoker's cough that is characterized with a hacking sound. 9.A continuous runny nose. 10.Nausea and feeling of vomiting.
Apart from these, there are some signs that you can actually see. You might find some syringe marks on their hands and feet which might be places where they have injected the drug into their bodies. These will especially be found on the arm or the feet. There are also some characteristics such as a large amount of talkativeness and a great uncharacteristic zest for getting things done, even if they are not needed at the moment. This is actually a method in which they will try to cover up for their addiction so that the other person does not suspect anything, but in truth, it becomes excessive.
Being parents, it is necessary to learn how to identify these symptoms in your children and, if they persist, they must not be avoided. Today, there are many centers where teen alcohol and drug abuse treatments are provided. Look for such an option and get the child into treatment before it is too late. When people begin an addiction early on in life, there is a great chance that their addiction will become drastic quite soon and then treatment will only become more difficult.
Both Nate Rodnay & Todd Lange are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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