ESSAY ON TEENAGE SUBSTANCE AND DRUG ABUSE

essay_on_teenage_substance__drug_abuse x

5

DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

TEENAGE SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Name:

Due Date:

School Affiliation:

Teenagers, especially during their adolescence period are most prone to drug usage. The adolescence period being typically a period of experimentation, most at times irrespective of parentage skills and influence. At this stage, teenagers disillusioned by the notion that finally they are crossing over to adulthood tend to try out what for the past years they had considered adult business. Majority of these trials most commonly drug use are always harmful if not fatal depending on the society in which the teenagers have been brought up in (Moe, 2004).

One of the major reasons that lead teenagers to try out drugs is peer pressure or rather wanting to be accepted and associated with a certain group. The only channel through which new membership can be facilitated being drug use and their non usage being the only impediment (Bukstein, 2007). These youth eager not to be viewed as cowards, agree to take up the challenge and try out the group’s drug of choice, the result not at all amusing as ultimate addiction and maybe death is always imminent.

The upsurge in teenage substance abuse has also greatly been fuelled by the sad fact that a greater number of the commonly abused drugs can be easily accessed without ruffling the authorities. Top on the list of this seemingly easy accessible drugs is Marijuana, half as many as the approximate young drug using population confess to having an easy time laying their hands on as it can also be planted in backyards without fear of it being noticed by the parents or “hard on drugs” authorities. Also in this list of easily available fixes being prescription medications which can be accessed from pharmaceutical shops without even a whim of abuse suspicion.

The persistent lack of communication and information between parents and their children has greatly led to misinformation. This misinformation factor poses another greater challenge in the war against teenage drug use. Majority of the youth being widely misinformed on the vast effects of the drugs they choose to abuse and the lifestyle they fancy overlook the major risks involved in all they do including death. (Peter M. Monti, 2012) On the other hand there has been a steady increase in the abuse of prescribed medications as most of our uninformed youth continually risk their lives on the notion that prescription drugs are safer to abuse, then it is to abuse the illegal ones.

An array of problems are often experienced by the youth who constantly abuse these drugs most, common among them being in the academic field as the victims start having a decline in their grades, this is majorly caused by continuous absenteeism from their institutions of study and other non-academic related activities that lead to an incline in school drop-out potentials the result being shattered dreams, desperate state of life and unfulfilled family expectations.

Teenage drug abuse has also been known to take its toll on both the user’s physical and mental health. Cases of injuries due to accidents, diseases and physical disabilities have been rife adding to the fatal effects of possible overdose. The high populations of disproportionate youths involved with drugs constantly face increased risks of death by suicide, accidents homicides or drug related illnesses. (Peter M. Monti, 2012) Depression, psychosocial dysfunctions and withdrawal are also some of the mental health problems linked to substance abuse as most of this commonly abused drugs have evidently been shown to affect an individual’s short term memory, psychomotor skills and learning capability.

In addition to the personal adversities linked to drug use, the vice may also result in family crises, that may jeopardize the root aspects of the family tree. Most at times resulting in dysfunctions in the family as the presence of a drug use victim in the family greatly drains the family’s emotional and financial resources.

The socio-economic costs of teenage drug use have also proven to be at an all time high, this results in rampant financial distress and losses as experienced by substance related crime victims. As also is with the increased duty of supporting the young adults who in their state are not in a position to be independent and self supporting, coupled with the greater demand for the treatment of this youth which is as always very costly.

As has been seen on the diverse adversity of this vice among teenagers, parents are thus the first of people always on call in helping their children with this problem. A number of guidelines to mention but a few have been put across to assist the parents who seek help on how best to help their young adults disengage themselves from the vice. (Bukstein, 2007) The main reason for parent targeting is because most of the youth are driven to substance abuse by non-understanding parents who always consider themselves right and so don’t want to hear out their children’s views on matters important to them (children).

The first advisable thing as a parent keen to helping his/her child is to have an amicable seating with them. Try to discuss with him/her the reasons why it is not advisable to abuse drugs and while in the process avoid scare tactics which may push them further away into self isolation and prevent them from opening up to you .Emphasize to them how drug abuse can greatly affect the things important to their lives such as sports, appearance, health, education and explain to them that you are ready to walk them through the whole journey of a drug free lifestyle.

Upon a parent discovering that his or her child is on drugs, the best action to take as a responsible parent is to seek help and most advisable treatment. First and foremost have a screening and an in-depth assessment of your child ,then try to network with your friends, relatives, medical practitioners and fellow parents who have at one time or another had similar problems with their children on the best way to seek help for your teenager while at the same time also educating yourself on substance abuse and how teenagers go about it so as to be able to understand the rehabilitation process better.

Try talking to your child on matters drugs from a more personal perspective by first thinking of your own response upon being asked of your own drug experience. Give an in-depth explanation of the reasons why as a parent you chose not to engage in substance abuse. You can also share your own experiences if at one time you ever engaged yourself in the vice and the lessons it taught you. This makes it easier for young adults to understand the underlying risk from an adult perspective and back out at an earlier time before addiction sets in. (Moe, 2004)

In conclusion, the problem of substance has over the past years been on a steady increase also proving to be a major problem to both developed and developing states as a result of the adversities it poses on the users .The society as a whole is thus encouraged to lend a helping hand to the family structure by ensuring legislations against the vice are implemented, while also helping in educating the youth on the pitfall s of the vice while also helping in positive parenting for a healthier generations.

References

Bukstein, O. G. (2007). Adolescent substance abuse: assessment, prevention, and treatment. Michigan: J. Wiley.

Moe, B. (2004). Drug Abuse Relapse: Helping Teens to Get Clean Again. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, .

Peter M. Monti, S. M. (2012). Adolescents, Alcohol, and Substance Abuse: Reaching Teens through Brief Interventions. New York: Guilford Press.