Teens experiment with drugs for various reasons. Most try them because they are curious or in order to fit in with friends. Drugs are dangerous at any stage of use whether it is for experimentation, occasional recreational use or more frequent use in order to feel better.
Often times, troubled teens turn to drugs in an attempt to escape their problems. However, they soon find that the drugs only make their problems worse. When the teen becomes dependent on a drug or a combination of drugs it will affect every area of his or her life.
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Risk Factors of Teen Drug Abuse
There are a number of risk factors for teen drug abuse. These factors can be social, psychological or even biological. The similarity is that they all increase the risk that a teen will indulge in drug abuse. The social risk factors usually center around the type of people the teen chooses to be his or her friends. Teenagers tend to have a lot of influence over each other and the wrong friends can spell out trouble for a teen.
The psychological risk factors are usually disorders such as depression or even bipolar disorder. There are many mental disorders that can affect a teen and they will often try to self-medicate with drugs in order to feel better. If the disorder is undiagnosed then the drugs will tend to mask the disorder and the condition will remain untreated until the drug abuse becomes an addiction.
Biological risk factors for teens could be explained as a family or genetic sensitivity to chemical dependency. If the teen has family members who struggle with drug or alcohol abuse then the teen is more likely to be at risk to inherit the same dependency is he or she experiments with drugs. This can also be a behavior risk factor due to the environment of dependency in which the teen lives.
Recognizing the signs of Teen Drug Abuse
The signs of teen drug abuse are usually fairly easy to spot by a concerned parent or teacher. These signs include:
- Lack of interest in activities that he or she once enjoyed
- Declining school grades
- Changes in friends
- Negative behaviors
- Extreme mood swings
Once these signs are apparent it is time for the parent to step in and talk to the teen about the problem. Getting help for the teen as soon as possible is the most effective way to deal with teen drug abuse.
