People use drugs for various reasons such as depression, experimenting, to feel good, peer pressure, stress, exposure to drugs among others. Whereas these reasons are general, for teenagers the reasons seem to be slightly different.
Various factors cause teenagers to abuse drugs. Rise Recovery Services has compiled a number of factors that led teens to abusing drugs and some of them end up in drug addiction treatment centre for their recovery from drug addiction.
Easy access to drugs
The first and foremost factor that can cause teenagers to abuse drugs is easy access to drugs such as alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes and other drugs. This has a great contribution to the misuse and they try to taste the drugs.
When a family member, friend or classmate is abusing drugs around teens or when a drug dealer is around teens, chances are high that they will end up abusing such drugs.
Desire for acceptance
Most teenagers fear rejection by their fellow teens and as result the desire to fit in leads them to drug abuse. They assume the dangers of addiction and generally feel okay abusing drugs as long as they keep their friends. This mostly happens in schools and neighbourhoods because the teens do want to be the odd one out.
Family history of substance abuse
Research by National Institute of Alcohol Abuse reveal that family history is a principal factor when it comes to drug addiction.
Family members with someone abusing drugs are likely to have others get into addiction by themselves. This means that teenagers with family members who are drug addicts stand a chance of getting into drugs.
Mental condition
Mental health cuts across all ages and teens are not exempt. When teenagers are battling depression, anxiety, bipolar, dissocial disorders among others can easily lead teenagers to drug abuse. Most will get into drug abuse as a way of escaping from the reality.
Impulsive behaviour
The sense of independence by teens give them a chance to make choices and some are dangerous to them. Some end of choosing to abuse drugs and end up in addiction. In worse case scenarios some end up in a drug treatment centre to help them recover from addiction as a result of the choices they made.
Traumatic life events
Distressing live events such as involvement in an accident, sexual assault, losing a parent or someone close can lead a teen to drug abuse. They run into drugs as a way of dampening the moods and self-medicating to run away from reality at hand.
Low self-esteem
Self-esteem is very important to each person. Some causes of low self-esteem are disability, financial challenges and poor treatment by parents or a spouse. All these factors can cause someone to resort to drug abuse as a teen.
Bottom Line
Identifying the major causes of drug abuse by teens is helpful in helping them avoid and stay away from drugs. Further, it helps you as a parent, guardian, and teacher of a caregiver take the necessary measures to ensure you teen is not exposed to something that threatens their sanity. It is for this reason that Rise Recovery has developed intervention program that seeks to detox program for drug addicts through their in-patient and out-patient program.
