Over 20 million Americans above the age of 12 have an addiction, and 90% of those with an addiction began drinking, smoking, or using illicit drugs before the age of 18. Many of these addictions are products of peer pressure and students attempting to be the life of the party. In Cole Meyers “Addiction” he shows us how the continued use of drugs can give one a short term gains to increase his or her social status; however, in the long term, addiction strips the individual of his or her identity.…
The effect of addiction have consumed billions of individuals all over the world, not only consume but also killed. Individuals have relied on drugs to fill the void in their life that is missing. The addict is not only hurting themselves from the drug use but their families, friends, and their community. In this paper, it will give a description of a 21-year-old male named Anthony. Anthony started using marijuana at the age of 20, trying to hide the pain from the death of his sister. Eventually, marijuana was not enough to get Anthony the extra high he wanted which Anthony made the choice to try another drug and eventually it became the love of his life.…
* I would educate my teen about drugs through facts. Living the same standards of not using any drugs myself, would help the cooperation of my teen. Lastly I would notice my teen that I am worried about their condition.…
The history of addiction goes back centuries, and unfortunately, there is still a long way to go for people to realize the effects of chemical substances do more harm than good. The difference between drug use and abuse relies heavily on a person’s dependence on the substance. The line between the differences is often very fine. Depending on other factors involved, such as morals, values, environment, and genetic predisposition, the line will most likely be crossed without regard to the consequences until treatment and recovery are the only options left. This is essay compares two theoretical explanations for addiction, including a psychological theory, and a biological theory. In addition, the writer will describe the viewpoints of each model, and how their effectiveness in addiction prevention and intervention.…
Having to deal with addicted parents is immensely challenging for teens. Aside from having to deal with school, friends, and other things, some teens also have to deal with addicted parents. It is an obstacle for them to balance their school and family lives because instead of receiving support from their parents, they actually have to depend on themselves. It is all up to them to tend to their own needs on what is supposed to be their parents duties and responsibilities. This make them to not trust their own parents and even other people. Self-isolation is also a problem of teens who come from dysfunctional families, because they do not rely and trust others. In other cases, some teens follow the footprints of their parents and engage in illegal…
Adolescence constitutes an important period of growth in which adolescents develop physically, socially, psychologically, and cognitively (Stagman, Schwarz, & Powers, 2011). During this time, adolescents make choices that impact their health and also develop attitudes and behaviors about their health. Among these choices stands drug use which can affect the developmental milestones of adolescence. Towey and Fleming (2006) describe that drug use in adolescence can impact the development of autonomy, the formation of intimate relationships, and the integration into adult society. Drug use increases their risk at developing dependency and addiction (The Gallup Organization, 1996) and 5% of school-age children in the United States qualify for a diagnosis of substance abuse disorder (Tarter, 2002). As a result, they have poor health outcomes and a poor quality of life and this becomes an issue in counseling not only for developing early intervention by identifying…
Directly or indirectly, adolescents are affected by substance abuse. Substance use is one of the United States’ leading health problems. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, deaths associated with drug use have “more than doubled since the early 1980s” (www.drugabuse.gov). Substance use addictions are costly to tax payers. Substance use is an overlooked problem and continues to grow. Eliminating the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs is impossible. Never the less it is important to create awareness on the health effects of the abuse of substances among…
Youth do not know how to control themselves when it comes to these addictions. They often abuse their power. They do not know when to stop or when to seek help when needed. These addictions of drugs and alcohol can start from the influences of friends and family. Once they are hooked onto these substances, they have a hard time letting go, like a leech feeding on the blood of their host. Most children have easy access to drugs or alcohol because their parents use these substances at home and leave them around the house. Youth will do anything in their power to find a way to get these substances in their hands. The American Journal of Public Health reports 80% of homeless youth use drugs or alcohol to self-medicate for dealing with the traumatic experiences and abuse they have in their lives (Greene, Ennett, Ringwalt 231). Due to the many traumatic experiences in their lives, it is difficult to stop the cycle of…
Some adolescents are not aware of all of the risk that comes with substance use. They do not know all of the effects that each drug will have on them cognitively, physically and emotionally. As they get older they gain more knowledge about drugs and their effects. They are able to assess the risks and determine that substances are not worth their health. They are not able to assess whether the rewards of taking drugs are worth the risks. Also some adolescents are not able to evaluate the bigger picture of how drugs are going to affect all aspects of their lives in the present and in the…
Increasing abuse of prescription drugs among teens can be attributed to psychological, environmental, or behavioral conditions.Drug abuse in teens can be linked to other disorders or conditions which lead to drug abuse. Teens who abuse drugs are likely to become adults who abuse drugs. It is necessary to understand and address these underlying issues if successful prevention is to happen. First it is necessary to understand the magnitude of the problem…
In today’s session, group members received education re: the definition of addiction, the addiction process, and the different types of substance(s) withdrawal symptoms.…
Why is it when someone is diagnosed with cancer others are concerned and feel horrible, however, when someone is diagnosed with an addiction to drugs they are faced with alienation and ridicule? It seems so, because, people know that cancer is a disease that has been studied and researched for many while drug addiction has not. Individuals who abuse drugs are affected by physiological changes that occur in the brain, unfortunately these changes lead to addiction and should be treated as the disease it is and not as if it is a choice.…
How should the issue of teenage drug abuse be handled? Prescription drugs are very popular amongst teenagers. Some teenagers have been known to abuse prescriptions drugs and possibly become addicted to them at a very early age. Some teens have turned to drugs for various reasons which may include peer pressure, family relationships, or sometimes wanting to relieve themselves of stress. There is no real answer to explain exactly why teenagers decide to abuse prescription drugs. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse's 2003 Monitoring the Future survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders found that 10.5 percent of 12th graders reported using Vicodin for non-medical reasons and 4.5 percent of 12th graders reported using OxyContin without a prescription. (Volkov, 2007) Teenage drug abuse has sometimes caused many family relationships to change. It can also cause a noticeable change in their academic performance. In some cases the abuse of drugs by teenagers can also…
Many of the causes and risk factors of prescription drug abuse are due to a teen’s genetic, physical, and the surrounding environment. “It’s well understood that addiction of all types runs in families. Teens who are born into a family in which addiction played a major role are more likely than their peers to develop an addiction to prescription medication and other drugs” ("Causes, Symptoms & Effects of Prescription Drug Abuse") Teenagers that have an parent or guardian using drugs are more likely to begin abusing them, due constant presence around the prescribed drugs. A teenager’s environment also plays a critical role in impacting their mindset. Friend groups can encourage a teen to start using drugs and sometimes pressure them; additionally…
There are 8 common reasons why teenagers use drugs. The first one is their surroundings. The people they hang out with. They want to seem cool with their peers. Some do it because they see how their family uses it for fun. So they think there is nothing wrong with it.…