Drug Abuse and Teens
It is well known that drug abuse and addiction is a depressing scourge in our community, and the rising number of addicted young adults is unquestionably the most horrible facet of it.
Drugs affect a teen’s body in unique ways. Plus when people are becoming addicted as teenagers, it’s going to be much more difficult to maintain a clean and sober life as they become adults.
Young people in our community are being exposed to drugs at an increasingly young age. Studies show that by the time children get into 8th grade, approximately 35 percent have experimented with drugs. In some areas, the number of individuals who acquire a habitual drug habit in their teens is as high as 20 percent!
Teenagers are also more inclined to degenerate from drug use to drug addiction because of their life conditions. Many teens get overcome by the ordinary struggles of life. They have low self-esteem, struggle with common adolescent problems, and find that they can’t express their feelings. They feel that they lack control over their lives. All of these impact greatly to increasing drug use and eventually drug addiction.
Drugs kill the pain of a traumatic or monotonous life. They get rid of physical and emotional pain by altering the abuser’s experience of reality. Drugs make the addicted human being numb to the pain, despondency, or loneliness that they feel characterises their life.
Do you fear your teenager has a drug addiction? Some of the more common marks of drug addiction in teens include:
Dramatic fluctuations in behavior
Dull, glassy eyes
Excessive tiredness
Failing in university
Lying or stealing
Isolation or loss of fulfillment in activities
What do you do when you feel your teenager is struggling with a drug addiction?
Firstly, listen to your gut instinct. If you feel there is a problem, there probably is. Find a safe time when you can talk freely with your child and be straightforward with them regarding your concerns. Try to be open-minded about what they are telling you and be sympathetic to their perception of their difficulties. Tell your teen what you are feeling about their drug addiction.
You are probably afraid regarding what might happen to your teen. Try not to be too negative or angry: this will only cause them to shut down and back away. You can also talk about personal opinions or experiences you might have had with drugs. While you may be hesitant to do this, it will make you more real in your teen’s eyes.
Often, those closest to the teenager (ie. the parents) find it easir to deny that their little one has a drug problem. Parents can’t afford to do this. On the contrary, if you, as a parent, truly love your teen, it is important that you get them help as soon as practical. Don’t give up, and try not to be too disappointed if your initial attempts fail. Eventually, you will get through this and then you and your teen can commence battling with drug addiction as a team.
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