Teen drug abuse is a major and widespread issue around the globe. In order to prevent teens from getting involved in drugs, or, in order to help teens already abusing drugs, it is important to understand what leads teens to drug abuse to begin with.
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The Primary Causes
Peer Pressure
A top reason many teen abuse drugs is because they see their peers doing so and feel the need to fit in. The negative consequences of abusing drugs sometimes seem petty to teens when compared to the social consequences associated with drug abuse. If peers are involved with drugs, participating may allow teens to fit in and form a social identity. Should they refuse to partake, they may be ousted from friend groups and gain an unwanted reputation.
Emotional Instability
Teenage years are loaded with emotional instability. Pressure to form an identity, to meet the standards of loved ones, friends, and teachers, as well as to reconcile all of the challenges people in the world with one’s own place in the world causes many teens to be emotionally unstable and therefore more susceptible to engaging in risky behaviors that feel like an escape, such as drug abuse.
Depression
Many teens suffer from varying degrees of depression, causing them to be vulnerable to finding easy fixes and disregard consequences to feel okay. Drug abuse can offer such fixes and feelings.
Other Forms of Abuse
Unfortunately abuse of all varieties is prevalent today. Many teens seek escapes from these other forms of abuse by finding something they feel they can control and get away through, like doing drugs.
Gateway Drugs
Few teens decide that they would like to be identified as a “druggie”. Often, doing drugs begins as occasional recreation or escape. Sadly, many teens are unable to stop at such points and end up spiraling into drug abuse.
Addressing the Causes
When teens enter drug rehab or treatment, the most important element of their recovery is addressing the causes of their drug abuse rather than simply getting them to stop. This is difficult to do. However, if the causes are not addressed, then a recovered teen drug addict is likely to encounter the causes again and choose the same drug-laden path again. Thus, it is vital to teen drug rehab and treatment that the causes of a teen’s drug abuse are discovered and dealt with.
