Drug and Alcohol Use Among Young Teens
Drug and Alcohol Use among Young Teens
I have chosen the use of drug and Alcohol among young teens. The reason I have chosen this because it is very common for young teens to experiment with drugs and alcohol due to peer pressure. Young teens are faced with some kind of peer pressure in their lives. Peer pressure is more than a phase that that a teen goes through. Peer pressure could lead to extreme hair and clothing, tattoos, or body piercing. It can be a negative force in the lives of children and adolescents, often resulting in their experimenting with tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs. (Clark, 2008) Nearly one in four teens age 12 to 17 cite drugs as the most important problem facing people their age.(National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 1999) As we seen in the movie “Thirteen” Tracy was faced with peer pressure and wanting to fit in. Tracy first started changing her clothes and hair, and later lead to her use of alcohol and drugs. During adolescence, young people start having more of a risk-taking behavior to try to find their identity and become more independent. This makes the teen more vulnerable to experimenting or becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol, and sexual activity. Young teens are encountering physical, emotional and lifestyle changes. This can be a confusing time for a teenager. Developmental transitions, such as puberty and increasing independence, have been associated with alcohol use. (Alcohol Alert, 2006) Also family factors might have a big role in substance abuse problems in youth, such as any history of parent or sibling substance abuse problems or addiction, domestic violence; physical , sexual, or emotional abuse, and neglect. Which Ev in the movie had family factors, she was physically and sexually abused, and she was being neglected by her aunt. Most teens think when they try drugs or alcohol it’s only going to be one time, but many teens find themselves under continual peer pressure
I have chosen the use of drug and Alcohol among young teens. The reason I have chosen this because it is very common for young teens to experiment with drugs and alcohol due to peer pressure. Young teens are faced with some kind of peer pressure in their lives. Peer pressure is more than a phase that that a teen goes through. Peer pressure could lead to extreme hair and clothing, tattoos, or body piercing. It can be a negative force in the lives of children and adolescents, often resulting in their experimenting with tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs. (Clark, 2008) Nearly one in four teens age 12 to 17 cite drugs as the most important problem facing people their age.(National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 1999) As we seen in the movie “Thirteen” Tracy was faced with peer pressure and wanting to fit in. Tracy first started changing her clothes and hair, and later lead to her use of alcohol and drugs. During adolescence, young people start having more of a risk-taking behavior to try to find their identity and become more independent. This makes the teen more vulnerable to experimenting or becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol, and sexual activity. Young teens are encountering physical, emotional and lifestyle changes. This can be a confusing time for a teenager. Developmental transitions, such as puberty and increasing independence, have been associated with alcohol use. (Alcohol Alert, 2006) Also family factors might have a big role in substance abuse problems in youth, such as any history of parent or sibling substance abuse problems or addiction, domestic violence; physical , sexual, or emotional abuse, and neglect. Which Ev in the movie had family factors, she was physically and sexually abused, and she was being neglected by her aunt. Most teens think when they try drugs or alcohol it’s only going to be one time, but many teens find themselves under continual peer pressure