Substance Use and Abuse

Potential Influences:
Adolescence is a time when many choose to experiment. Teens begin to listen to new types of music; try new sports, video games, and activities; read new literature and magazines. People also start to make choices on their own, maybe going against some of the rules their parents have established. Some adolescents choose to try drugs and alcohol. As long ago as 1995, two-thirds of 12th graders (living in average households and/or living on military installments) felt they had to choose whether to use drugs before they graduated high school. In 1999, 56 percent of 12-17 years olds living in average households reported that marijuana was easy to get; by 17 years old, 56 percent said they knew a drug dealer. (http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov)

The availability and presence of drugs is totally apparent in schools today. Most teens know at least one person who does drugs recreationally. But why do some teens become dependent on “getting high,” and needing that feeling all the time? Why does finding their next hit become the most important task of the day? Although many teens may try drugs once or twice, some move from being recreational users into becoming addicted. To begin with, it is important to understand the differences between Drug use, abuse, and addiction (as defined by the National Institute on Drug Abuse):

1. Drug – “A chemical substance, such as a narcotic or hallucinogen, that affects the central nervous system, causing changes in behavior and often addiction.” (American Webster Dictionary)
2. Use– “Occasional use without developing a tolerance or withdrawal symptom when not in use.”
3. Drug Abuse – "The use of illegal drugs or the inappropriate use of legal drugs. The repeated use of drugs to produce pleasure, to alleviate stress, or to alter or avoid reality (or all three)."
4. Drug Addiction – “Drug addiction is a complex brain disease. It is characterized by drug craving, seeking, and use that can persist even in the face of extremely negative consequences. Drug-seeking may become compulsive in large part as a result of the effects of prolonged drug use on brain functioning and, thus, on behavior. For many people, relapses are possible even after long periods of abstinence.” (http://www.nida.nih.gov)

There are numerous reasons why teens make the decision to try drugs. One motive is the physical affects: it “feels good” to get high. The limbic system in the brain, often described as the “pleasure center,” is the cause of this euphoric feeling (www.nida.nih.org). There is a little section of the system called the Nucleus accumbens. Dopamine, the “happy” chemical released in your brain, increases in this area when you take drugs. This chemical causes feeling “high” or “good.” With constant drug use or addiction, permanent damage can occur in your brain, messing up the limbic system and your body’s ability to produce and use dopamine. (www.nida.nih.org) This helps explain how your body can become “physically dependent” on a drug. A physical dependency is apparent because of withdrawal symptoms – i.e., “need for the drug” – when drug use is discontinued. (www.nida.nih.gov)

But teens try drugs for many reasons other than the physical feelings achieved from use. There are many psychological reasons to try drugs:

1. To “fit in”: Drugs cause people to lose their inhibitions thus allowing them to cover up their insecurities. The problem is that this can ultimately isolate people away from their friends and families.
2. To “relax”: Because of the physical affects, people feel that drugs allow them to escape their problems for a while. Except, these problems do not go away with drug use, and when people come down from drugs, they usually get depressed again.
3. To look older: It is a misconception that drugs make you look older. Most older, wiser people would not do drugs.
4. Rebellion: Adolescence is a time when we all try to establish who we are as an individual. Some people do drugs to make a statement against society or their family.
5. Curiosity: Adolescence is a time to experiment and try new things. Drugs are around everywhere, and curiosity is a big reason why many teens will try drugs.
6. Media: Although not an obvious one, the media does portray drug use as cool. There are incidents of pot smoking on sitcoms, or teens being drunk on reality TV. Although there are commercials that say drugs are bad, media tends to give a different image.

These reasons can all lead to a ‘psychological addiction,” which is a dependency of the mind. People use drugs to take the place of normal, positive stimuli, like hanging out with friends or going for a run. The problem with experimenting with drugs is that you or your friends may become addicted to drugs or physically dependent on them. These are some qualities that place people at most risk for developing substance abuse:

1. A family history of substance abuse
2. Depression
3. Low-self esteem
4. Feeling like an outcast or out of the mainstream.

People do not wake up and say, “I want to be an addict.” Addiction is a process that can lead to ultimate damage in the brain. A person who abuses drugs may not know they have a problem until they get hurt or arrested. Recreational use of drugs as an adolescent dramatically

Click on the links below to get facts about specific types of drugs:

Marijuana

Alcohol

Cocaine

Ecstasy

Methamphetamine

Now that we've given you some cold hard facts about the harmful effects of drugs, here are a few ways to help those who have chosen to say "yes" instead of "no."

Prevention

Treatment

Helpful Links and Phone Numbers

References