Teen Girls and Substance Abuse

I think I've made it pretty clear thus far that teenage substance abuse in general is not a good thing for a variety of reasons. While it's clear to me that teen substance abuse on the whole has a bunch of negative consequences, I was a bit surprised to discover that substance abuse affects boys and girls differently. I guess this might seem obvious to some, but I had never really thought about it before. In light of my newly acquired knowledge, it only seemed logical that I should share this knowledge and post a blog about the effects of teen substance abuse on the fairer sex. So ladies, this one's for you.

I don't think it's a shock to anyone that boys and girls are different. Men are from Mars, and women are from Venus, right? Anyway, in addition to all of the differences between boys and girls that we learned in our very uncomfortable and embarrassing sex-ed classes, boys and girls also differ in the ways that they are affected by alcohol and other drugs.

Some of the effects that substance abuse has on teen girls can be found on the Adolescent Substance Abuse blog. This site references studies that have found that girls enter treatment for substance abuse at a younger age than boys, and girls have a higher likelihood of entering treatment with co-occurring psychiatric disorders, such as depression. Teen girls are also more likely to suffer from depression than teen boys. This site also has a great link to the Teen Help Directory, which can help you find help for yourself or a friend who has lost control of their use of drugs or alcohol.

In my experience, girls really depend on their friendships, so it's important to support each other. Don't follow the pattern of Mean Girls, where Lindsay Lohan (who is a terrible example for girls in real life) and Rachel McAdams are constantly trying to sabotage one another. While that movie is thoroughly entertaining (not to mention one of my personal favorites), the way that the girls acts towards each other only promotes insecurity and low self-esteem, which in the real world can lead to drug and alcohol abuse. Because of the tense relationships that can develop between girls in high school, this site on girls and drugs seems particularly valuable. It talks about ways that you can support your girlfriends, which I think is a key to success at any stage of life.

As women, it is important to be empowered and to be aware of the threats posed to our health and safety. When you're going to a party, there are things that you need to be aware of to protect yourself: Use the buddy system, don't leave your friends alone, and never leave your drink unattended. It's also important to remember that you don't have to out-drink the boys. The biological odds are that you will get drunk faster, and puking is gross.

So ladies, there's no need to go to parties and get totally wasted just because you think the boys will like it. The right guys will think you're trashy and the wrong guys will take advantage. Have fun with your friends, look our for each other, and be aware of the risks that are present.

Labels: girls-and-substance-abuse, teen-addiction, teen-alcohol-abuse, teen-drug-abuse, teen-drug-help, teen-substance-abuse

posted by beth @ 3:10 PM  0 Comments Links to this post