Why Do Teens Use Drugs?
Why Do Teens Use Drugs?
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Teens Use for a Variety of Reasons
Let’s go over a few common starting points. Teens may do a drug just to “party” and be a part of the crowd. They may take a drug and discover that the drug made them feel good, so they want to feel good. Most teens start with drinking, and in the case of many, the drinking gives them a good feeling so they naturally want to repeat it. Marijuana is everywhere and other than alcohol, it’s the most common drug used. Sometimes life is difficult, so the drugs that started out as recreational, are now used to self-medicate. A teen might turn to drugs as the only answer to life’s problems. They are ill-equipped to handle adult adversity, so the self-destructive force of drugs is the only answer. Teens often have difficulty making good decisions. Their ability to reason is impacted by the development of the frontal lobe of their brain, which doesn’t reach maturity until their early 20’s. Peer pressure is enormous. Boys often think drinking is a sign of manhood. Girls might want to be more “mature,” so drinking and smoking are two things that are identified with being “mature.” When teens use drugs the question that I ask is “what hurts?” They are trying to fill a void in their life, something that the drug fills. While the desire to feel good is physical, the void in their life and the life of any addict/alcoholic is spiritual. What hurts? Teens will use for a variety of reasons. The important thing for parents is to have a close relationship and know what is happening in the lives of their children. Most importantly, parents need to be parents and not buddies. Tolerating your child’s drug use is not good parenting, and you will not earn “cool parent of the year” honors. |