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.…
Teenagers are vulnerable to aquiring substance abuse disorders. This has much to do with their functional and neurocognitive brain development and how the areas of the brain manage the child’s feelings and cognition (Wiers, Boelema, Nikolaou, & Gladwin, 2015). It is estimated that by the time adolescents become high school seniors 70% had tried alcohol, 50% had tried an illegal drug and 20% had taken prescription medications that may, or may not, have been prescribed to them. There are a number of reasons adolescents abuse these substances such as to deal with stress or personal problems, to fit in or seem cool around other peers, or just to try the experience. While some may be able to try these substances and that be the end of it, others find the substances may help them cope with things, one way or another. (NIH Staff, 2014).…
Growing up and entering the teenage years exposes young people to new things that they have never had to deal with before, such as drugs. Many children do not know how to handle a situation when faced with drugs, which opens the possibility of bad decision making. Just one bad decision can lead to a lifetime of addiction and struggling. The use of dangerous drugs is a growing issue amongst teens in real life while also depicted in modern works of literature such as Crank and Go Ask Alice.…
“Teenagers get peer pressured into trying drugs, teenagers rebel, they want to do what they’re told not to do,” (Mass 59).…
Drugs are common in our world today and seem to cause problems in some cases. For example, a teenager in high school discovers the use of drugs. The teenager starts doing drugs and starts caring less and less about his or her school work or extracurricular activities. This concept of doing drugs applies to anyone though, not just teenagers. Therefore, partaking in doing drugs makes many people forget about their responsibilities in life. More importantly, these people should keep trying in their everyday fight and not take the easy way out of it. They must battle these temptations of doing drugs, because it will take them away from what is actually important in…
Peer pressure is a big issue for all teenagers in our society. Many teens start doing drugs to be part of the group, and never expect to become an addict. Slightly more than 25% of adolescents, ages 14 to 17, have used illegal drugs (Huebeck). The National Survey on Drug Use and Health states that 8% of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, which is over 2 million, in the United States meet diagnostic criteria for abuse or dependence on illicit drugs. Some studies show that the most susceptible teenagers are those in the “popular” group, because they pay attention to what their peers value. While other studies show that the teenagers who socially are not accepted have a higher likelihood of using, and becoming addicted to, drugs.…
In today’s society, the common problem among teenagers is the use of drugs. Teen age years is probably one of the most challenging periods of life. It is a stage of identity versus confusion – knowing oneself compared to losing oneself. Belonging and being accepted in a group is very important and being cool as well. During these years of growing up, teenagers encounter their share of positive and negative experiences. Peer pressure, curiosity, and the availability of drugs are factors that some youthful and vulnerable teenagers have to deal with in their adolescent lives. This paper will be focusing on the effects of teen drug abuse and how pressure plays a big role.…
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…
This is a time in an adolescent’s life where they feel the most need for acceptance from their peers. They have a need to be more experimental, innovative and sometimes controversial. They are at a time where they have to keep reinventing themselves so they fit in with their peers and society in general. Teenagers emphasise freedom but with this freedom come responsibilities and obligations that they don’t want nor do they think they need. Teenagers are at an age where they think they are adults but they don’t understand…
When an adolescent gets involved with individuals who pressure them to perform risky behaviors they tend to get into trouble and end up in the justice system. “Positive communication and overall functioning may help improve the teens and families to recognize the effects of drug use on criminality and other aspects that relate to it; such as anger, that may help with the halt and progression of addiction”(Young, C. E. (1999).…
The strongest temptations for youngsters’ drug abuse are usually because of the adolescents are curious. Given the easy availability of drugs, the temptation is really hard to resist. Some of them are looking for extreme excitement caused by drugs, it is also one of the main reasons that the youngsters take up this habit. Young people may turn to drugs as they want to escape from their personal problems or relieve a physical pain and in time they may become dependent on drugs. Also, youngsters like to form groups. If most members in the group take drugs, the rest will follow. This is another example how young people’s behavior can be influenced by their peer group.…
In today's society, teenagers are faced with many struggles and tough decision that they are seeking to make. As each day passes, there is an internal and external battle that is going on in the complex minds of the youth. One of those minds are mine. In my lifetime, I have been through many situations that have helped build the character that I am to this day. Throughout this paper, the three key principles will be reviewed that applies to a situation and how I handled it are integrity, courage, and unity.…
Bibliography lists 7 sources. Drugteen.wps Teen Drug Abuse / Literature Review : This 5 page model literature research report addresses the subject of teen drug abuse and peer pressure. A variety of theories are explored. Bibliography lists 4 sources.…
I prefer to be true to myself, even at the endangerment of finding the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and finding my own detestation. Why should I worry about what others think of me? I don’t give a shit about how others perceive my personality because to begin with, I know myself and I also know my own demons — in which, at the outset, are just conventional behaviors of an ordinary human being.…
The end result of peer pressure can cause an impact on the academic performance in school. According to an article in the Green Haven Press, one reason why some of those students will go on to use is because as students age, pressure increases. Most commonly, the pressure to use begins at about middle school, although some students said their first encounters with drugs occurred when they were as young as 8. That exposure increases and is especially strong in high school, when parties become commonplace and kids are more rebellious. (Dudley, 2002) Many teens said the need to belong underlies the appeal of drug use. High schooler Joe Felion of St. Paul wrote, "If you ask an adolescent what the most important thing to them is, the answer will probably not be family, school or religion. More often than not the answer will be friends.... It is no surprise that they will do anything to fit in." (Dudley,…