...Drug Abuse Among Teens Meruyert (Mika) 12 D What is the best way for helping teens overcome their addiction to drugs? Is your teen involved in drug use? Are you unsure of how your teen developed an addiction and how you can help your teen now? These questions are most frequent in our modern world where every teen acts like an adult as soon as he first tries drug or alcohol. A teen develops a drug addiction just as an adult would. This problem hasn’t been discussed and published as it should be, so most people who are not affected by this issue have no idea how this problem penetrates into our lives. There are many reasons why it actually happens, like curiosity, family psychological problems and friends’ influence. Most of them don’t consider drugs to be not harmful as it is, but an engaging and entertaining one. Consequently it leads them to drug addiction that is not as easy to cure as they think. This problem leads us to ask: What is the best way for helping teens overcome their addiction to drugs? Some people implicitly trust to rehabilitation centers while others claim that only family members and society can return addicted teen to the right way , however small amount of people definitely thinks that without teen’s mutuality and unshakeable faith in success everything will be idly. The good one is the rehabilitation center because the patients there are always under control and best medical treatments. Another way is let addicted...
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... Teenage Drug Abuse There are many illnesses that can take over a child’s life and even cause death. Drug abuse is at the top of that list. Teenage drug abuse is a common problem in today’s society and has increased over the last fifty years but, what most do not realize is that an increase in drug abuse leads to addiction and that addiction leads to an incurable disease. Many people do not understand how or why anyone could become addicted to drugs, especially teens. Studies have pointed out “having fun” as a teens number one reason for using drugs, but recent studies show that teens are now using drugs to problem solve or to hide feelings. The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that “by 8th grade, 52% of adolescents have consumed alcohol, 42% percent have smoked cigarettes, and 20% have used marijuana”, (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2012). The top five reasons teens abuse drugs are: stress, social acceptance or low self esteem, self medication, to rebel, and to experiment. The problem is that drugs do not care what the reason is for using them, and effects on the body and brain are the same whether teens are using to deal with a problem or using to have fun. The truth of matter is that the earlier teens starts to use, the greater the risk of becoming addicted. Dr. Manny Alvarez wrote an article on teen drug abuse becoming an epidemic. He addresses how easy it is to get a hold of prescription drugs at any age (Alvarez, 2012). Teens are looting drugs from their...
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...Alcohol abuse is a serious problem, driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs is an even bigger problem that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Abusing either one of these substances can lead to the death of you or the death of someone else or even cause a major change in their life like Jacqueline’s story, her whole life has been changed because of another person’s ignorance and carelessness. Therefore, you should know the facts about drug and alcohol abuse before you do something you may regret for the rest of your life. According TO NIDA FOR TEENS: THE SCIENCE BEHIND DRUG ABUSE, drugs are chemicals or substances that change the way our bodies work. Drugs find their way into your bloodstream, whether you ingest, inhale or inject them, they are then transported to parts of your brain. Weighing about three pounds, the brain is made of many parts that all work together as a team. Each part of your brain has a job to do. When drugs enter your brain, they can interrupt the work and actually change the way your brain performs its jobs. These changes in the brain are what lead to compulsive drug use, the hallmark of addiction. Alby, an eighteen year old teen who was residing in a maximum-security jail, ended up in jail because he began dealing drugs. HEADS UP: REAL NEWS ABOUT DRUGS AND YOUR BODY, recorded that it all started one summer day on a street corner in Yonkers, New York, when Alby was thirteen. One of his friends told him “You need to get your mind right. Hit this blunt”...
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...According to the National Survey on Drug Use, it is approximated that 24% of the population between the ages of 12 through 20 have engaged in underage drinking. Medical Experts say that alcohol can be used to increase metabolism and also helps with digestion. Despite the fact that it is against the law for college and high school students to consume alcohol, there is a large amount of teenagers experiencing the usage of alcohol. Even though it is said to be favorable, too much consumption has led to negative result and side effects. It is apparent that teenage alcohol abuses are basic problems that need to be taken up in society by our leaders, advisers and as well as the parents. Many people ask this question everyday, “Why do teenagers take prescription drugs?” Well most of the time teens wrongly believe that these drugs are more safe than regular drugs mainly because they are accessible to them from home or from friends. Breaking away from reality and being bored are the main reasons that teenagers abuse drugs. Peer pressure to continue friendships and relationships are also reasons that teenagers experiment with drugs. Teenagers also turn to drugs to cope. The stress of work, school, grades, sports, and making their parents proud is difficult for most teens to balance. On top of the day-to-day pressures, adolescent growth brings a huge collection of emotions and moods that can be hard to get through, as a result teenagers may turn to drugs...
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...Teen drug use shouldn’t be looked at as a rite of passage but as a public health problem, say experts, and one that has reached “epidemic” levels. In a new report on drug, alcohol and tobacco use among teens in the U.S., the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University finds that 75% of all high school students have used alcohol, tobacco or either legal or illicit drugs and that 20% of these adolescents are addicted. The data also support previous studies that link early substance use to addiction later in life: 90% of Americans who are currently addicted started smoking, drinking or using drugs before age 18. A quarter of those who begin using addictive substances at these early ages become addicted as adults,...
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...Legalizing Marijuana Can you imagine a society where everyone is taking drugs legally? There are more and more people who are being controlled by the addiction to drugs, however, most of them cannot get rid of it and they are suffering a hard time when they cannot be satisfied with enough drugs. Smoking marijuana is the first step to getting into heroin and cocaine, which would cause people to become too addicted to continue with their normal life. Marijuana would also be a financial trouble for some families because smokers need abundant marijuana to keep on their life. If marijuana was legalized, it would have had more and more teenagers or even kids become smokers, it’s dangerous for them to get into marijuana, because if they got older, their addiction to drugs would probably drive them to take every risk to get the money only for smoking. With that being said, marijuana should not be legalized because it would possibly lead to negative effects on human’s health as well as the self-aggravating financial burden and be a negative influence on teens. An important reason why marijuana should not be legalized is because although marijuana can become a substitute for happiness, it will bring people into being addicted. According to the research by NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), there are approximately 9% of Americans who are long-term marijuana smokers are considered to be addicted to marijuana, they cannot concentrate on one thing for a continuous time. Smoking...
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...Drug Addiction is a Problem in Today’s Society Tony E. Harbour Research Writing/Com/220 April 3, 2011 Cheryl Drug addiction is one of the major problems in American society. Actually, almost every country faces such problems today. A lot of measures are taken to fight against drug abuse, and, definitely, some changes for the better are evident. However, this problem is not eliminated and, perhaps, will never be. Today, Americans are losing their jobs, families, and even their lives over the abuse. There are a lot of legal drugs that Americans are addicted to, but there are also a lot of Americans who are addicted to street drugs. Either way, drug abuse is drug abuse. Who does drug addiction affect? Drug addiction affects everyone from infants to adults. According to 2006 statistics from the Department of Health and Family Services concerning drug abuse there was an estimated twenty million Americans aged twelve or older who were current illicit drug users. These drugs included, but were not limited to marijuana, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or addictive prescription drugs. (Drug Addiction Support). (2006). Every day, you hear about people having babies who are addicted to crack as well as other drugs and most of us say to ourselves or other people “I’m glad that’s not me or anyone I know”, but what people fail to realize is that according to statistics, drug abuse and addiction cost Americans four hundred and eighty four billion...
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...advantage of certain type of drugs that cause them to be dangerous. When people hear the word “drugs”, they automatically assume something negative. Drugs can come in all shapes, forms, or fashion. Drugs can come from a doctor, bought from a dealer off the street, or in a grocery store, either way; a drug can affect people in different ways. Alcohol is also considered to be a drug, and can also be addictive and toxic if too much is consumed. Prescription and illegal drugs can have different names for identity. Some examples of prescription drugs are: Hydrocodone and Adderall, these drugs must be provided by a doctor. Some examples of illegal drugs are: LSD and Ecstasy AKA X or Ex, and these can be bought from a dealer off the street with no prescription. According to the website of Illegal Drugs, “Cocaine is the powerful stimulant found in nature and is considered to be a Schedule II controlled substance. It is illegal to possess, sell, or grow and cannot be used as an anesthetic.” According to the website of Illegal Drugs, “Cocaine comes from the leaves of a cocoa plant which grows in South America and transformed into a white powder.” This particular drug can be addictive because it causes the blood vessels in the body to become narrow, constricting the flow of blood. Prescription drugs can be taken for different reasons, but can also be addictive if not taken properly. According to the website of Turning Point of Tampa, “Prescription drug abuse is a modern day plague...
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...addiction as a disease (Patterson.) Addiction causes people around the world to suffer from the loss of the ability to resist craving despite the negative consequences of the craving (Addiction.) Two basic types of addiction are highlighted: behavioral addiction and drug or alcohol addiction. Both behavioral and drug or alcohol addiction come from changes in the make up of the brain. This factor essentially makes it a brain disease (Leshner.) Leading factors of addiction are very important to look at as well as how to diminish the addiction population in the context of society. Addiction is important to look at from a sociological perspective, seeing how it affects the everyday interactions within a society. Behavioral...
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...Sutton Tierra DRAFT- TEEN DRUG ABUSE It is a vulnerable time of life as teens navigate the precious bridge between childhood and adulthood. One of the most challenging issue for this young age group that is ill prepared to make unwisely decisions, such as using and abusing drugs. Teenage substance abuse can greatly alter behavior. It aslo can cause a change in their brain which can lead to addiction and other serious health problems. Though some teens who use drugs do not progress to become abusers, or addicts in adulthood, drug use can put teens in a very serious position, even to a small degree of substance abuse can have negative consequences. School and relationships, notably family relationships are among the life areas that are most influenced by drug use and abuse. There are many possible reason your teen may turn to drugs and abuse it. One practical reason or excuse can be peer pressure. Peer pressure is a powerful force at any stage of life, but it is very influential during adolescence. The desire to be accepted by those around you such as your friends or a friend of friend can lead to that. Spending times with your friends could be fun sometimes but what is not fun is sharing intensely pleasurable drug induced euphoria. The effects can be entertaining at the moment and could make great stories the next day or down the road, until someone gets seriously injured. A desire to try something new because of curiosity can be very intense. Sometimes the parents who...
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...delinquents take them to therapy to try and turn their life around. Violent crime in our teens today is ruining our society. Direct and in direct costs of teen violence are more than 158 billion dollars (Teen Help). Conviction for carrying knives and other weapons have doubled since the last decade. (Telegraph). Homicide was the second leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds. (Ashira R.). Most kids missed school due to feelings of insecurity. (Teen help). One third of all victims were between the ages of 12-19. (Ashira R.). In most cases adolescents are under the influence of drugs and alcohol a.k.a. non-violent crime. In an article, Derrick Reed was born “Fragile and addicted to crack” (huffingtonpost). “With his drug addicted mother” and “drug selling father out of the picture, he was raised by his grandparents and considered himself a “typical teenager” until $75 of heroin landed him in a adult prison at the age of 17. Through the 1990s, drug abuse rates rose steadily and have not dropped significantly. In most cases the male sex is the most common drug addicts. Drug abuse violations accounted for $3,900 (Juvenile Crime). Illinois is one of only 12 states that will automatically throw minors into adult prisons facing charges (Huffingtonpost). Sexual abuse is on the rise, in today’s world, “1 in 4 girls have been sexually abused by age 18” and most “sexual abuse victims know their abusers (Teen Help). Teenagers account for “51% of all reported sexual abuse and 23% of sexual...
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...States' economy outweighs the dangers it can cause, but that they should be recognized also. Especially those dangers that involve minors. Sheff affectively and ineffectively persuades his audience by using ethos, pathos, and logos. Sheff does this by using some persuasions over zealously and some not enough. Sheff's article develops the ideas of how marijuana has negative impact on adolescence, but a positive impact on society as a whole. This article published on August 4, 2014 strives to inform everyday people on the effects of marijuana and persuade them to understand how marijuana usage and proper regulation are a positive attribute in the everyday outlook of users. The other point they make is Children, teens and young adults should be educated about this drug. They should know what warning signs to look out for and know what kind of help they should get if they develop any issues. Many organizations have taken the time to research, survey potential and current marijuana users, and predict methods to help combat all of these issues that...
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...web was created, many people have allowed the online world to influence their own decisions. These people might argue that teenagers especially allow themselves to be impacted by social media. This claim is true because teenagers are influenced by behavior around them. For example, teenagers who see pictures of people under the influence of drugs tend to seek and experiment with drugs themselves. Teens tend to feel that if others their age do something, then they should do that too. Because teens on social media are more exposed to what others are doing, social media can become addictive to adolescents and can cause depression and mental issues. As the millennial generation is growing, multiple teenagers and young adolescents...
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...What Is Drug Addiction? Drug addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time create an intense impulse to take drugs. Signs of Substance Use - Topic Overview Signs of Substance Use Guide * Topic Overview * Health Tools * Related Information * Credits The following are some obvious signs that a person may be smokingcigarettes, drinking alcohol, or using other substances. This is not a complete list of signs to look for. If you suspect a particular drug or drugs, get more information on signs of use for those substances. For more information, see Teen Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Cigarettes * A distinctive smell on the breath and clothing * Cigarettes and lighter in his or her possession * Cigarette butts outside a bedroom window or in other odd places around the home Alcohol * Alcoholic beverages missing from the home storage cabinet * Alcohol or mouthwash (used to cover up alcohol) breath orhangover symptoms (nausea, vomiting, or headache), if recently used ...
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...Kathryn Rapp Composition II 11/12/2012 Drug Addiction Everyone knows at least one person that has been or is addicted to drugs in some way, whether it be cigarettes, alcohol, or illegal drugs. Although, not many of those people ever look past the addiction and wonder why. I’m going to lean more towards the alcohol and illegal drugs that people are addicted to and try to get past the actual problem and try to explain the reasons behind it. It has been proven that most addicts are addicted because of childhood issues and traumatic experiences they never got past. One of the most known drug addictions is alcoholism. Alcoholism is when people become dependent on alcohol and their body and mind does not know when to stop drinking. They start to feel they have to have alcohol to survive or function. Recent data from the National Institutes of Health reports that 15% of the people living in the United States are considered “problem drinkers.” Of this 15%, 5%-10% of the males and 3%-5% of the females could be labeled as alcoholics. Another study found that approximately 30% of people in the U.S. report experiencing an alcohol disorder at one point in their lifetime. Researchers from the University of California in San Diego have found that the lifetime risk of alcohol-use disorders for men is greater than 20%. They share that there is a risk of around 15% for alcohol abuse and 10% risk for alcohol dependence. (http://www.alcoholaddiction.info/alcoholism-statistics.htm) Alcoholism...
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