Link between Teen Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS

If I went around and asked a bunch of teenagers if they thought HIV/AIDS was a big problem in the US today, I bet most of the answers would be “no.” HIV/AIDS got a lot of notoriety in the 80s and 90s, but isn’t on the mind of most teens today. Unfortunately, this creates a problem among teens because HIV and AIDS are still a problem and are still a threat to teens, especially for teens who abuse alcohol and other drugs.

Some people might be confused at this point. For teens who abuse substances like marijuana or alcohol, they might be thinking that they don’t inject drugs, and therefore aren’t at risk for HIV/AIDS. But even though you don’t use drugs that are typically associated with the spread of HIV, by using any mind-altering substance you are putting yourself in danger for contracting HIV/AIDS through the increased likelihood that you will engage in risky behavior while under the influence. Teen substance abuse increases the risk of HIV/AIDS because while you are drunk or high, you might do something that puts you at risk.

Like I said in a previous post, when teens abuse alcohol and other drugs, they put themselves in a situation where they are more prone to do things that put them at risk. When someone is drunk or high they are more likely to do things that they know are dangerous like have unprotected sex, share needles with strangers, etc. Because of these reasons, just because you don’t think you’re directly at risk for contracting HIV/AIDS doesn’t mean that you don’t need to be careful.

When teens abuse drugs and alcohol, they also damage their immune system, which puts them at greater risk for contracting HIV. Teens who are under the influence are also more likely to participate in unprotected sex, which and lead to contracting HIV. And there is no cure for HIV/AIDS. You might think that you are just having a good time with your friends, you might be putting yourself in danger.

Most teens know that if they decide to drink and drive that they are putting themselves at risk, but most teens don’t think of HIV/AIDS when they are thinking of the things that could go wrong when they are using alcohol or other drugs. We tell our friends not to drink and drive, but most of the time we aren’t telling our friends to make sure not to get HIV/AIDS. This is an issue that more teens need to be aware of so that they can protect themselves.

If you or someone you love has a problem with drugs or alcohol, they could be putting themselves at risk for some serious and life-threatening consequences and should get help as soon as possible. Make sure to be aware of the signs of drug use so that you can help a friend before their drug use results in serious consequences like illness and death.

Labels: at-risk-teens, teen-addiction, teen-alcohol-abuse, teen-drinking, teen-drug-abuse, teen-drug-help, teen-drug-rehab, teen-rehab, teen-substance-abuse

posted by beth @ 4:18 PM