Teen Drug Help
Helping a Friend With a Substance Abuse Problem
I realize that I talk a lot in my blog about the high probability that teens will use or experiment with drugs and alcohol. While this is true, I think it’s also important to talk about the teens who don’t use drugs or drink alcohol, but who may have friends that do drugs and drink. For teens who have friends or loved ones with substance abuse problems, it is important to provide information about getting help for those loved ones in order to help them get back on the right path.
It can be a really sad and scary experience to see your friends get involved in drugs. We have been taught that drugs and alcohol can be really dangerous, and to see someone that you care about do things that you know will hurt them can be hard. That is why it’s really important to be aware of the signs of teen drug and alcohol abuse so that you can get help for someone you care about who has a substance abuse problem.
There are a lot of things you can do to help a friend with a substance abuse problem. One of the easiest things to do is set a good example for that friend. As I’ve mentioned in the past, the most important people in a teen’s life is usually their friends. You’re parents will always be important, but the people who are most influential are your friends. As a teen it can be hard to resist the peer pressure to use drugs and alcohol, but by doing so you are creating a positive image for the rest of your friends to follow.
For a lot of teens, there is no motivation to stop using drugs. Most teens know that drugs can do serious damage, but a lot of teens ignore these consequences and do drugs anyway. There is a variety of reasons that can explain why teens use drugs, ranging from peer pressure to self-medication, and it can be difficult to confront a friend about their problem with substance abuse. It might be hard, but it is important to let your friends know how you really feel about their drug and alcohol abuse. If you need additional support when talking to a friend, talk to your parents or an adult that you trust to offer their support. While it might be scary to help a friend with their substance abuse problem by confronting them about it, you will be doing them a favor in the long run. They might be mad at you at first, but they will thank you later.
While some teen substance abuse remains casual and you can convince your friends to stop using drugs before it gets to serious. Unfortunately, sometimes a friend has gotten so deep into their drug abuse and addiction that it is necessary to take more drastic steps in helping them overcome their addiction. One of these steps is an intervention. Teen drug interventions are when friends and family members come together to offer their support and tell the addict that they need to get help. If you think that one of your friends is in need of an intervention, talk to their parents or an adult that you trust.
As a teenager, the opinion of friends and peers are very important, and it is your responsibility to use that influence in a positive way. While there are people who will try to get you to do things that you know are wrong, you should remember that you can be a positive influence in the lives of your friends rather than a negative influence. If you or someone you know has a problem with drug and alcohol abuse or addiction, it is important to get help. By getting help, you are helping yourself or a friend to get back on the right path away from drugs and alcohol.
Labels: at-risk-teens, teen-addiction, teen-drinking, teen-drug-abuse, teen-drug-help, teen-drug-rehab, teen-rehab, teen-substance-abuse
Why Teens Use Drugs
When teens start to use drugs, a lot of parents and friends usually feel confused about why their loved ones are doing something that they know is wrong. For a lot of people, the decision to start using drugs does not make a lot of sense, but there are a variety of reasons that explain why teens start using drugs. Being a teenager creates a whole list of emotional and physical issues that can be really difficult to deal with, and can lead to teenage substance abuse.
In this post, I want to outline some of reasons why teens use drugs and alcohol.
1. Peer Pressure: When teens are around their friends at a party or after school, they will be more likely to use drugs if their friends are using drugs too. Most teens know that drugs are wrong, but if everyone else is using drugs, that drug use becomes an instant way to fit in. And vice versa, if you refuse to use drugs you could run the risk of isolating yourself from everyone. Peer pressure plays a very big role in teen drug abuse because in general, teens are more worried about what their friends think, and if a teen’s friends are using drugs, it is likely that that teen will start to use drugs as well.
2. Self-medication: When teens face challenges, drugs often seem like an easy way to escape those challenges. For teens, problems with school, family, friends, etc. can all seem to go away when they are using drugs. Some teens also deal with issues like depression, and using drugs helps them to feel better. They don’t have to worry about homework, chores, or arguments; all they have to worry about is getting high. Because of this, a lot of teens turn to drugs to cover up the problems that they are facing. When teens feel unhappy or uncomfortable, they can just get high and for a few hours their problems go away. Unfortunately, this drug use can create more problems than it solves.
3. Rebellion and Experimentation: As a teen, you are experiencing new things and meeting new people, and sometimes part of those new experiences can include experimentation with alcohol and other drugs. Teens want to break away from their parents and try new things, and they see drugs as a way to do that. Everybody tells teens that drugs are bad, but when you’re a teenager, all you care about are your friends and having a good time. Most teens see experimentation as harmless, but what a lot of teens don’t count on is that they continue to use drugs and alcohol and eventually become dependent on those substance and develop an addiction.
4. Lack of strong parental guidance: A lot of parents want to be friends with their teens, and as a result don’t set a lot of boundaries or rules for their teens. This can be a costly mistake. Without guidance from parents, teens are very susceptible to falling into destructive behaviors such as substance abuse. I’ve even heard stories of parents who let their teens drink at home because they think that they will be safer. This kind of behavior and lack of guidance creates the message that drug and alcohol abuse are okay and that there won’t be negative consequences to that substance abuse. By creating boundaries and rules, parents can help protect their teens from substance abuse.
These four reasons are only a part of why teens abuse drugs and alcohol. Every teen is different and every teen has their own motivations for using drugs and alcohol. However, the goal of this list is to show teens and their parents some of the motivating factors of teen drug abuse so that friends and parents of a teen with a drug problem can recognize the signs of teen substance abuse, and can then get help for that teen. Because everybody has different reasons for abusing drugs and alcohol, it is also important to find a treatment program that will suit the specific needs of that individual. Getting help for your teen can help get them back on the right track and can help them to deal with the problems that prompted their drug use in the first place.
Labels: teen-depression, teen-drinking, teen-drug-abuse, teen-drug-help, teen-drug-rehab, teen-rehab, teen-substance-abuse
Teen Marijuana Abuse
Marijuana is one of the most popular drugs among teens and is usually one of the first drugs abused by teens. I’m sure as a teen you know someone who uses marijuana, and it is likely that you might even use marijuana yourself. Marijuana, weed, pot, etc. is popular because it’s really easy to get and most teens don’t think it’s dangerous. For a lot of teens, marijuana isn’t even classified as a drug. Heroin is a drug. Cocaine is a drug. But not marijuana. You can’t overdose on marijuana and it’s a plant, so what could be the harm?
For one thing, there are plenty of plants that are poisonous and harmful to both humans and animals, so the whole “It’s safe because it’s a plant” argument should just be abandoned altogether. The idea that marijuana isn’t as dangerous as “hard” drugs like cocaine is also false. Marijuana, like cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, meth, etc., has its own set of negative consequences.
Teen marijuana use can lead to problems with memory in the short term and the long term. Like alcohol, marijuana can also make you do things while you are high that you wouldn’t do when you’re sober, like driving while under the influence of having unprotected sex. Smoking pot can cause you to lose your ambition, and can even result in a lack of interest in appearance, friends, family, sports, etc.
Another common misconception about marijuana is that it is not addictive. A lot of teens, and even adults, don’t think that they can become addicted to marijuana. The earlier a teen starts using marijuana, the greater their risk for addiction. When you use marijuana every day, you begin to feel dependent on it, and you want it more and more just to feel “normal.” But as you use marijuana more and more, the things that used to be important to you begin to fade away. You don’t care about school or sports or your friends. You just want to lie around and smoke pot.
I think the bottom line about pot is that teens need to accept personal responsibility and accountability. Usually when something seems to go to be true, it is too good to be true. Don’t be naïve and think that marijuana is this great drug that makes you relaxed and happy, but doesn’t have any side effects. Take responsibility for yourself and if you have a problem, it is important to recognize the signs of teen marijuana abuse so that you can get help for yourself. For parents, if you think your teen has a problem, find a treatment center for marijuana abuse so that your teen can get their lives back and regain the passion and enthusiasm that they once had.
Labels: teen-addiction, teen-depression, teen-drug-abuse, teen-drug-help, teen-drug-rehab, teen-marijuana-abuse, teen-rehab, teen-substance-abuse
Ecstasy and Teens
I was watching TV last night and I saw a PSA (public service announcement) about a 21 year old girl who died the third time that she used ecstasy. Usually I just ignore the majority of public service announcements because I’m pretty much aware of the information that they are telling me. This one was different though because I didn’t know that you could die from using ecstasy. I know that it wasn’t good for you, but I didn’t know that it could kill you. Then I thought, well since I didn’t know this, a lot of other people probably don’t know that about ecstasy either. And now here we are.
So if you have read this blog, you know how I feel about teen drug use (it’s a bad idea). Ecstasy is no exception. What makes teen ecstasy abuse such an serious issue is that it is pretty easily accessible, and as a result, is easily abused. Because ecstasy is known to produce feelings of happiness and love, a lot of teens use ecstasy at parties and raves as a way to have a good time. And while ecstasy can be a good time, it also results in some really scary and dangerous consequences.
First I want to talk about the physical consequences of teen ecstasy abuse. Then I’ll get to the psychological consequences (which are also pretty bad). Some of the physical consequences of ecstasy abuse include:
• muscle tension
• nausea
• blurred visions
• fainting
• increased blood pressure and heart rate
• overdose and death
When you take ecstasy, your heart rate increases and your body can overheat, causing dehydration, seizures, liver failure, cardiovascular problems, and death.
Along with these physical consequences of ecstasy use, there are also psychological consequences that effect teens who use ecstasy. These psychological effects include:
• anxiety
• confusion
• depression
• intense fear
• memory loss
These psychological factors can last even after you have stopped using ecstasy and can cause sever disruptions in your life and your normal daily functioning.
Like other drugs, ecstasy can be harmful and can result in death. A lot of teens also put themselves in danger when they decide that they want to take multiple doses of ecstasy in order to prolong their high. This is another reason why ecstasy is so dangerous—this increase in dosage can cause your heart rate to increase and can result in dehydration, which can result in death.
Ecstasy is not something to be taken lightly, and just because it makes you feel good doesn’t mean that it is harmless. Ecstasy can have serious and long-lasting consequences on your mind and body. Parents and friends should know the
signs of teen ecstasy abuse so that if someone you love is abusing ecstasy, you can get them help before they do permanent damage to their minds and bodies.
Labels: teen-addiction, teen-depression, teen-drug-abuse, teen-drug-help, teen-drug-rehab, teen-ecstasy-abuse, teen-rehab, teen-substance-abuse
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
Steroid Use and Teens
Since the Major League Baseball All-Star Game was this week, it seems fitting that to do a post about teen steroid abuse. I don’t want to get in to the debate about whether baseball players really use steroids, because that’s not the point. I’m more concerned with the teen athletes who use steroids in order to boost their chances of making the team, to get the girl or guy, or to get that six-pack.
In high school, there is a lot of pressure to be the star athlete or to have the perfect body. Sometimes, this pressure just gets to be too much, and steroids are a really easy way to boost athletic performance or to get the body that you want. The great thing about steroids for a lot of teens is that they don’t even consider them to be drugs. I mean, you can get them from a doctor and pro athletes use them, so what can be so bad?
While it’s true that steroids can be prescribed by a doctor, most of the cases of steroid use that you hear about in the new and that are really harmful are unprescribed. Like the abuse of other substances, the abuse of steroids can lead to serious health problems. However, even some patients who use steroids with a prescription can have side effects.
Some of the consequences of teen steroid use include:
•heart attack and stroke
•liver and kidney damage, leading to internal bleeding
•acne, baldness, and oily hair (this might work against any hotness that you feel like you’re gaining with your steroid created “hot body”)
•for girls, steroids can result in facial hair, shrinking of breasts, and deepened voice
•for guys, steroids can result in shrinking of the testicles, development of breasts, and infertility
•steroids can also make you irritable and irrational (“roid rage”), which can result in suicidal feelings
•steroids are addictive
I think this last point is something that not everyone is aware of. Steroids are addictive, and if you stop using steroids you can experience withdrawal symptoms.
Steroids are a lot more dangerous than people think. They’re not just harmless way to bulk up. They can do serious damage physically and mentally, especially in teens who are still growing and whose brains are still developing. You may achieve the perfect body, but there is a chance that you could do damage to your body and could alienate yourself from the people that you love.
If you or someone you know has a problem with steroids or any other drug, it is important to get help.
Labels: prescription-drug-abuse, teen-addiction, teen-depression, teen-drug-abuse, teen-drug-help, teen-drug-rehab, teen-rehab, teen-substance-abuse
The Truth About Treatment
If you ask me, there’s been a huge amount of misinformation going around about rehab and the process of recovery. This misinformation about rehab is largely a result of all of the celebrities who go in and out of rehab as often as most people go to Starbucks. The media coverage of celebrities going to rehab makes it seem like rehab is no big deal; you come and go as you please, and after 28 days (and sometimes not even that long) you’re cured and you never have to worry about your addiction again.
This depiction of rehab is far from the truth, and this attitude that rehab and drug use aren’t serious sends a really bad message and creates a horrible example for young audiences who are watching TV, reading magazines, and browsing the internet. If the role models for rehab are celebrities who don’t take the process seriously, then what does that tell teens who have substance abuse problems?
Teen drug rehab isn’t glamorous, it’s not a vacation, and it’s not easy. Even though rehab might not be fun, it is a necessary step in recovery from addiction. Like I’ve said before, drug and alcohol addiction has a variety of negative consequences, ranging from stroke, to psychotic episodes, to death. Rehab might not be easy, but it beats the alternative.
Rehab is a really important process in recovery from a drug or alcohol addiction, and involves a series of steps and stages. Teens with substance abuse problems should look for a rehab program that fits their specific needs. Some teens might need a more intense rehab program that includes detoxification, inpatient treatment, or residential treatment, where they are under constant supervision and are away from their daily environments. There are also outpatient treatment programs for teens who have already completed residential treatment but might need some extra support while they are going back to their normal lives. Outpatient programs are also helpful for teens who have promised to stay sober while they go to school, and then attend treatment programs in the afternoons after school.
Another important aspect of rehabilitation and recovery is continuing care programs. It’s pretty naïve to think that once you’re done with rehab, you’ll never have to deal with your addiction again. Odds are, this will not be the case. After teens have completed rehab, they should get involved in counseling and support groups that will help them to deal with their stresses and their triggers, so that they can maintain their recovery.
For teens with substance abuse problems, it is important to get the truth about the recovery process. If you or your loved one has a problem with drug or alcohol addiction, it is important to be educated about the rehabilitation process so that you can find a treatment program that will be most effective. Rehab isn’t supposed to be a vacation; it’s supposed to be difficult, but a long life of recovery is much better than a short life of addiction.
Labels: teen-addiction, teen-alcohol-abuse, teen-drinking, teen-drug-abuse, teen-drug-help, teen-drug-rehab, teen-rehab, teen-substance-abuse
ADD/ADHD Drugs and Teens
Over the last couple of years, the number of teens and pre-teens diagnosed with ADD/ADHD has increased. With this increase in diagnosis, comes an increase in the prescription of drugs like Ritalin and Adderall, which are designed to treat the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. These drugs are meant to help people diagnosed with ADD/ADHD to focus and stay on task. However, when these drugs are taken by teens who don’t have ADD/ADHD, they can stimulate the user’s brain and create a euphoric high. These drugs seem awesome because not only do they sometimes produce a high, but they can also help your academic performance. So what could be bad about that?
As a general rule of thumb, it’s not a good idea to take drugs that aren’t prescribed to you, and it’s an even worse idea to take prescription drugs in a way that is not dictated by the doctor. Just because something is prescribed by a doctor doesn’t mean that you can take as much of it as you want, whenever you want.
Basically, don’t abuse prescription drugs—it’s just a bad idea. ADD/ADHD medications are no exception. Teen abuse of ADD/ADHD medication like Adderall or Ritalin are putting themselves at risk for side effects that include insomnia, digestive problems, psychotic episodes, blood clots, overdose, heart and lung problems, and addiction.
Teens who don’t have ADD/ADHD abuse drugs like Ritalin and Adderall to help them study, stay awake all night, or to do better on a test. The pressure to do well in high school and college can be overwhelming, and it seems like taking prescription pills to help you get better grades is an easy and harmless solution. Unfortunately, this decision to use prescription drugs in a way other than prescribed can lead to some serious problems.
For teens, abuse of Ritalin and Adderall might seem like a good idea in the moment. If they can help you get an A on a paper or test, who cares what the side effects are? Well, it might not matter if you get an A on a paper if you are in the hospital for an overdose or are experiencing psychotic episodes. These drugs may seem like a great way to improve focus and academic performance, but by abusing these drugs, you are putting yourself at risk for some serious consequences.
Labels: prescription-drug-abuse, teen-addiction, teen-drug help, teen-drug-abuse, teen-rehab, teen-substance-abuse
Teen Drug Use Increases Risky Behavior
Every time I leave the house on a holiday my mom warns me to be careful on the road and to watch out for “crazy drivers.” And by “crazy” she means “drunk.” Yesterday was no exception, and as I left the house to go watch fireworks with friends she warned me to be careful. So I gave her the typical “Okay” and was on my way. This might seem like a normal exchange between a mother and daughter, but it also reveals something about the risky behavior that people engage in while they are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
When teens are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, the likelihood that they will do something reckless increases significantly. These reckless behaviors include driving under the influence, and risky sexual activity. The decision to engage in either of these activities can be life changing, and normally, people would not put themselves at such at risk. However, when teens drink and use drugs, they are more likely to do something that can have some pretty serious negative consequences.
For teenagers, drinking and using drugs can be a way to loosen up at a party, to be more social, and to have a good time. This “social lubrication” seems to be pretty harmless and can make the night more enjoyable. However, this decision to drink or get high can impair your common sense and your decision making skills, which can result in some really serious consequences later. Under normal circumstances, most of us wouldn’t drive drunk, but after you’ve had a few drinks your common sense doesn’t work so well and driving home doesn’t sounds like such a bad idea. It’s just five minutes away, and nothing can go wrong.
Unfortunately, this line of reasoning is why so many teens are involved in drunk driving accidents. Alcohol impairs your ability to think clearly and lowers your inhibitions, so when you are drunk, you are more likely to do something that you wouldn’t do sober, like drive recklessly and put the lives of other people in danger. By driving drunk, you are putting yourself at risk for serious injury, or even death. You probably think that it won’t happen to you, but it can happen to anybody.
In addition to the risk of drunk driving, teens are also more likely to engage in sexual behavior when they are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Like I mentioned, when teens take drugs or drink alcohol, their inhibitions are lowered, and they are more likely to do things that they wouldn’t do sober, like engage in unprotected sex. These irresponsible sexual behaviors among teens can lead to pregnancy, STDs, and HIV/AIDS. Nobody wants to wake up in the morning next to someone you might not even like and have to worry about what happened, if you might be pregnant, or if you could have a disease.
By abusing drugs and alcohol, you could be putting yourself at risk of doing something that is against your morals and values. Unfortunately, while you’re under the influence those morals and values don’t matter. Everyone makes mistakes as a teenager, but the mistakes that you make while drunk or high can be life-threatening. Take responsibility for yourself and watch out for your friends. Don’t put yourself in the position to do something that you will regret later.
Labels: teen-addiction, teen-alcohol-abuse, teen-depression, teen-drinking, teen-drug-abuse, teen-drug-help, teen-substance-abuse
Teen Inhalant Abuse
I wrote in a previous entry that a lot of teens assume that prescription drugs are safe because they are prescribed by a doctor and they are pretty much always around the house. Like prescription drugs, some teens think that because they find inhalants in their homes, that they should be safe. Again, this assumption would be totally wrong. Just because you find something in your house doesn't mean its safe. You wouldn't drink bleach just because you found it under the sink (or at least I hope you wouldn't). The abuse of inhalants found in household products can have serious effects on your brain and your body.
It seems like inhalant abuse would be a parent's prevention nightmare because it would be nearly impossible to keep a teenager away from products that can be used as inhalants, such as air freshener, hair spray, white out, spray paint, or even gasoline. All of these products are easily accessible, and even if parents try to remove all of these things from their homes, anybody can go pick up a can of air freshener or a bottle of white out for a couple bucks. This accessibility to products that can be abused is what makes inhalant abuse a serious problem among teens.
Inhalant use may seem like a pretty easy and relatively harmless way to get high, but you could be putting your health, and your life at serious risk. Chemicals that are inhaled are absorbed into the body rapidly, and then travel through the bloodstream. All inhalants slow down the body's function, and cause intoxication, or a high. Many of the consequences of inhalant abuse are very serious, and many of these consequences cannot be reversed. These permanent consequences include brain, liver, and kidney damage, and can result in a loss of hearing and smell (which would be really crappy). Inhalant abuse can also result in death even the first time you use them. Because you are breathing in toxic chemicals, inhalant abuse can result in asphyxiation and suffocation when your body does not get the oxygen that it needs to function.
None of the consequences of inhalant abuse should be taken lightly. You can do serious and irreversible damage to your body. If you have a friend who is abusing inhalants or if you think your teen is abusing inhalants, it is important to be aware of the signs of inhalant abuse, which can include slurred speech, drunk or dizzy appearance chemical smells on clothing, and red eyes. Talk to your friend or your teen about their inhalant abuse and get them help before they do permanent damage to their bodies. If you are abusing inhalants, ask for help to stop so that you don't put your health, and ultimately your life, in danger.
Labels: teen-addiction, teen-drug-abuse, teen-drug-help, teen-inhalant-abuse, teen-rehab, teen-substance-abuse
