...Analysis Paper 3: Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Belinda D. Hicks Liberty University Abstract This paper offers a perspective on adolescent alcohol and drug abuse by focusing on identifying common predictors of adolescent drug, and alcohol. Alcohol and other drug use among adolescents has been a public problem for decades. However, it seems that the problem is increasing more every year. Although, some adolescents make it through these years with, on balance, more positive experiences, but as the writer indicated more negative experiences of alcohol and drugs are on the rise. Substance abuse can lead to serious problems such as poor schoolwork, loss of friends, problems at home, and lasting legal problems. Alcohol and drug abuse is a leading cause of teen death or injury related to car crashes, suicides, violence, and drowning. Adolescences experience tragic consequences and others develop chronic problems of abuse and dependence. The broad developmental themes during adolescence and the transition to young adulthood, heavy drinking and drug use increases during the transition from junior high to high school and has to potential to extend to college. The majority of young people make it through. There will also be a discussion on how the family- peers and individual characteristics/variables are correlated with drug and alcohol abuse in adolescence. There will also be review connections between each system risk factor and...
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...Substance Abuse and Psychosis in Adolescents Over the past several decades, the U.S. population has grown significantly and continues to do so at a rapid pace. The most recent U.S. Census Bureau figures estimate that the population in the United States is currently nearing 304,800,000. Of this tremendous number, approximately one quarter are children under that age of eighteen years and over 40 million are adolescents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001a). For the purpose of this examination, we will define adolescents as individuals between the ages of ten and eighteen years, although it is important to keep in mind that there are many different definitions and understandings of adolescents, most of which are not as directly related to chronological age (Santrock, 2001). Adolescents are a very special population because these are often the years in which childhood and adulthood become blurred, roles, expectations and needs change, as well as significant physical and psychological growth. As we also know, experimentation is often characteristic of adolescence and this experimentation can be physical, sexual or philosophical; all of which may possibly lead to drug use. This paper seeks to examine the question of whether or not drug abuse is related to psychosis in adolescents. Literature Review Adolescent Drug Use According to a national study in 2006, over 60 percent of reported that drugs were used, kept and sold on their school campuses on a regular basis. ...
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...Substance Abuse among American Adolescents Control substance abuse is an excessive consumption or a disorder use of substances especially drugs or alcohol that is associated with significant problems. Substance abuse is a disease that commonly appears among adolescents. According to Kerby Anderson1, “93% percent of all teenagers have some experience with alcohol by the end of their senior year of high school. Almost two-thirds of all American young people try illicit drugs before they finish high school.” If substance abuse is left untreated, it will cause violence in streets, such as crimes, kidnaping. Also, it will cause domestic violence. For example, many babies are born with drug dependency. There are many basic factors that lead to the use of control substances among American adolescents, how these factors affect our community, and what are the methods used to minimize them. Adolescence is a sensitive period for young people. They are encountered by many basic factors. First of all, family factors, which have the strongest impact on adolescent development, play a part in the influence to try control substances. For example, parents who provide low levels of support, or are not as close to their children, and use bad parenting judgment have children who are more likely to be drug abusers. “The parents are the biggest factor in the choice to drink or drug” (Stephen Artrburn24). Other factors are the social pressure, such as friends and school these significant...
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...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 may also abuse drugs children...
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...2014/04/22 2014 [Type the company address] Social Challenges Drug Use and Abuse in Secondary Schools It has been recognized in Guyana and other Caribbean countries that the youths are confronted with a number of challenges and Drug Use and Abuse in Secondary Schools is a major one. This therefore leads the mind to ask three questions; 1. Are Secondary school students making the decision to use drugs because of pressure from their peers? 2. Are Secondary school students using drugs because someone in their household is also using it? 3. Are students abusing drugs because it is easily accessible and affordable? According to the 2007 Guyana School Survey on Drug Prevalence in Secondary Schools, statistics indicated that the response of the majority of the students’ feedback was positive for the above three questions. How can we prevent drug use and abuse? What can treatment centers do to deal with abusers? Drug use (substance abuse) is a serious cry for help and making your child feel ashamed or embarrassed can make the problem worse. Some common behavior in changes you may notice is your child is abusing drugs and alcohol is: violent outbursts, rage, disrespectful behavior, poor or dropping grades, unexplained weight loss or gain, skin abrasions/track marks, missing curfew, running away, truancy, bloodshot eyes, distinct “skunky” odor on clothing and skin just to name a few. To prevent drug use and abuse communication is the key. Whenever opportunity arises parents should...
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...Substance abuse refers to the pattern of continued use, despite adverse consequence. Socio-cultural determinants of substance abuse of substance use imply to social factors that affect the outcome of drug abuse. The group characteristic determines social cultural determinants, and the general beliefs in history of the set community. For instance, smoking was considered fashionable in the early times. Currently, it is prohibited in some communities. The alienations of individuals in new environment trigger people to abuse drugs. Emerging adulthood has been a significant contributor to drug abuse widespread. The youths gain freedom during the transition stage of adolescence to adulthood hence they abuse the drugs without fear of the parents. The exposure to colleges where there is so much freedom and culture of excessive drinking is continuously contributing to widespread use. Students abuse drugs while trying to cope with up with the new environments of studies and trying to fit the new social settings. The significant direct cost is arising from substance abuse results from health care. According to (J Rehm et. al, 2006) “The cost of acute care and psychiatric hospitalization, specialized inpatient treatment, ambulatory care and doctor’s fees, visits to a family doctor and drugs prescribed to treat a substance abuse problem.”9(p.5).Absolute proportional cost is spend according to the attributable ratio. Law enforcement cause of direct cost arising from substance abuse. Surveys...
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...Stemming from Drug and Substance Abuse I. Introduction Addiction is a monster; it lives, and feeds off of you, takes from you, controls you and destroys you. It is a beast that tears you apart, rips out your soul, and laughs at your weakness. It is a stonewall that stands to keep you in and the rest out. It is a shadow that always lurks behind you, waiting to strike. Addiction lives in everyone’s mind, sitting, waiting (A prisoner in his own body, n.d.). Addiction is defined as the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma (Dictionary.com, n.d.). It has been reported that there is an increasing rate of drug and alcohol abuse whereas 23.5 million people are involved including children at 12 years of age. The given information has alarmed the populace regarding the said issue due to its adverse effects. Drug addiction is a detrimental vicious cycle as it threatens one’s health and society; however, this could be combatted. Considering that addiction is a crisis faced by numerous individuals, I would like awareness to be entailed by discussing its causes, possible solutions, and preventions. (Transition: What could be the possible causes of addiction?) II. Body Substance and drug abuse often lead to addiction as these are caused by curiosity, stress, and peer pressure. Curiosity drives people, especially teenagers, to try drugs. Adolescence is the stage...
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...Understanding Early Drug Use and Its Benefits on Future Drug Treatments Laura-Ryan Brooks Argosy University Abstract Drug abuse is a growing problem in the world today. Past studies have been conducted in efforts to recognize similar patterns in addicts’ lives that may have contributed to their behavior. The emerging results from this research suggested that it was due to several maltreatments occurring during the addicted individual’s adolescent years that were behind their early drug use. It is during the critical years of adolescence, when the brains of young adults are still developing, that the youth of today are most susceptible to a number of issues that can lead towards drug addiction, such as problems at home, abuse, and peer-pressure. Exploring these adversities will help shed some light on why adolescents make the decision to use drugs. This paper will address what influences drug use and how this knowledge can help treat addiction. Issues surrounding why addicts began drug use and how this information could be beneficial in treating substance abuse in the future will be explored. . Understanding Early Drug Use and Its Implications on Future Drug Abuse Treatment Addiction has been defined as a “misguided attempt at self-repair” (du Plessis, 2012 para. 53). But who is in danger of becoming addicted or may be feeling the need of some “self-repairing? During a 2013 testing of the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS), a tool to assess certain...
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...Implications Of Drug Abuse Among Undergraduates: A Case Study Of The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Nigeria. Citation: Kobiowu, S.V. (2006) The Social And Academic Implications Of Drug Abuse Amonst Undergraduates: A Case Study of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation. 11 (1), 61-68 [pic] Abstract The researcher investigated the incidence of drug misuse among university undergraduates, with particular reference to Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. The study revealed that the academic pursuit of those undergraduates who engage in drug misuse is not unduly jeopardized, and that the abusers do not socialize extraordinarily, contrary to seemingly popular expectation. [pic] Introduction The term ‘drug’ in the main, would relate to “any substance that, when taken into a living organism, may modify one or more of its functions”, while abuse’ implies “a particular application of a drug more destructive than constructive for society, or the individual”. One may be hooked emotionally and psychologically, and may have a physical dependence, where one has a drug addiction problem, whether to a legal or illegal drug, there is a craving for it. The individual wants to use the drug again and again, and if it is stopped, there are usually unpleasant physical reactions. While it is not everyone who uses drug that becomes...
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...Drug Use and Gender Tammy L. Anderson, Ph.D. University of Illinois, Chicago, IL GENDER DIFFERENCES IN DRUG USE AND ABUSE Looking at the world through a "gender lens" began in most areas of social science during the second wave of the women's movement, or the late 1960s through the 1970s. During this time feminist researchers began questioning science's conclusions by pointing to male-oriented biases in research questions, hypotheses, and designs. Unfortunately, the "gender lens" did not appear in substance use research until the early 1980s. Prior to the 1970s, most studies of alcohol and other drug use were conducted among males. Early studies that included women suffered from the "add women and stir approach." Females were added to samples, but no gender-related concepts were used. The result was that women's and men's drug use were viewed through a male lens. Fortunately, the 1980s witnessed the first series of studies that placed women and gender at center stage. For instance, Rosenbaum's (1980) book on women heroin users was one of the first major U.S. publications to challenge conceptual frameworks on drug use, abuse, and treatment by gender socialization (e.g., gender roles). The gender lens asks us to study substance use more carefully and to recognize the impact of social and cultural constructions of masculinity and femininity on individual and group drug use. Fortunately, gender oriented research has blossomed since the early 1980s. However, more is still known...
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...step for man and one giant leap for mankind. Despite the fact that marijuana is legalized for recreational use in these two states and legalized for medicinal purposes in 16 others, the drug is still forbidden under federal law, meaning marijuana is still an illegal drug. For decades, the subject of legalization has been a recurring theme in Washington and state governments. Should marijuana join the ranks of alcohol and cigarettes and be made legal? No, we must realize the damaging health effects and the detrimental societal/cultural effects that legalizing marijuana could have on Americans in the future. Although there are some advantages to legalizing marijuana in the United States, the disadvantages tremendously outweigh any advantages when considering this touchy topic in politics. Of course, there has been research conducted that states that marijuana could be positive for the nation. Advocates to legalization suggest that if marijuana were legal, it would tremendously boost the economy, forcing drug dealers out of business. Roberto Trevino and Alan Richard explain the economic gain America would experience, stating “economists for the most part support the legalization of drugs…they argue that the legalization of dugs will lower drug prices and drive the economic rents enjoyed by drug deals to...
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...We’ve all heard it before. An elderly person rants on and on about how “corrupt” the youth of today is. Yes, we’ve seen examples of youth disregarding the idea of being law-abiding citizens, but do youth really deserve all of the blame? Not necessarily so. Today’s youth, like youth throughout time, are being influenced. The problem is just that the influences of today’s world such as, the media, education, drugs, and alcohol are growing steadily negative and poorer in quality. Social networking, the media, music, education, various drugs, and alcohol affect today’s youth in negative ways. Youth and the Media Some of the most influential vectors affecting teenagers are social networks, the media, and music. Social networking sites dominate the time of many teenagers. Paired with the entertainment industry, and things being said on television or the radio, social media can definitely change people's mindsets and emotions. Think about it. Very often, you see children posting statuses on Facebook or tweeting on twitter. And when these kids are watching television, listening to the radio, or reading magazines, often times the wrong messages are being projected to the ears of teens. The result is a changed teenager. The result is a teenager whose mind is being corrupted by the face of a few people. Nowadays, many teens have a Facebook account. The website is simple. You upload some statuses, you like somebody's pictures, you see what your friends like and update. Even though...
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...A STUDY ON DRUG ABUSE AMONG YOUTHS AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIP 青年濫藥與家庭關係的研究 THE FINAL REPORT (FINAL version) February 2011 1 PREFACE The project on the study on “DRUG ABUSE AMONG YOUTHS AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIP” (“the Study”) is being undertaken by the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention and the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong (“the Consultant”). The research team comprises the principal investigator (PI), Professor Paul YIP, Director of the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention and Professor of the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong, and eight co-investigators (Co-Is), Dr. CHEUNG Siu Lan Karen (Demographer), Dr. Sandra Tsang (Social and Family Worker), Dr. Samson Tse (Focus group expert on mental health and drug abuse), Dr. Wong Oi Ling (Family therapist, Family Institute), Prof. Karen Laidler (Sociologist, expertise on assessing drug abuse problem), Dr. Paul Wong (Clinical psychologist), Ms. Frances Law (Social Worker), and Dr. Lilian Wong (Associate Consultant, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Tseung Kwan O Hospital, Hospital Authority). We would like to thank Mr. Gary Ip, the research assistant of the Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Ms. Garlum Lau, the senior research officer 2 of the Department of Sociology, the participants and NGOs for focus groups and case studies for their kind and valuable support on this...
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...DRUGS AND ALCOHOL Introduction The use and misuse of alcohol and other non-prescription drugs is one of the more controversial issues in our society, and often a source of conflict between generations and between sections of society. It’s not the purpose of this page – or of the NTU student counselling service – to tell people how to behave or to seek to label them as alcohol or drug abusers. However alcohol and other drugs are powerful substances with a potential to harm users; we would encourage people to take care of themselves when considering using them and to avoid taking any risks which they might regret later. No universal classifications ignore the fact that significant alcohol and drug use is an accepted part of many social groups. What is seen as risky or inappropriate behaviour by one group is accepted as normal by another. Use of drink and drugs can be classified as – 1. Abstinent – no use is made 2. Controlled – people have made a conscious decision have evaluated the risks and can stop if they want. 3. Impulsive – use is unpredictable and can lead to unexpected accidents and harm. However this is not continual or dependent use. 4. Habitual – the use of alcohol or drugs have become a significant and important part of the person’s lifestyle. Stopping would not be easy. 5. Dependent – there is a high degree of physical and psychological addiction. Alcohol and drug use disrupts or rules the person’s life. Stopping is not possible without considerable support...
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...Drug Abuse: Silent Epidemic Jennifer Lieberman Com 220 December 4, 2011 A. Caruso Drug Abuse in Today's Culture There are many drugs that are abused in today’s culture, and they are more readily available and affordable than a person would think. Even though not everyone that uses illegal drugs is an addict, drug abuse is a terrible epidemic in the United States because so many people die every day from drug overdose and drug abuse can lead to long term health problems. The current statistics state that one in four people die from fatal drug overdose. The most commonly abused drugs fall into six categories, have both “positive” effects and adverse effects, withdrawal symptoms and overdose potentials. The first category I want to explore is Stimulants. The drugs most commonly abused from this category are Amphetamines and Cocaine. Each drug in this category will give the user the feeling of increased energy, increased strength feelings of euphoria and a suppressed appetite. The adverse effects of this type of drug are an increased blood pressure, dry mouth, weight loss, mood swings, and paranoia. The most commonly seen withdrawal effects are mental agitation, depression, and panic. Both Amphetamines and Cocaine have the potential for fatal overdose even in small amounts. The next category I am going to talk about is Hallucinogens. The most commonly abused drugs from this category are LSD, Ecstasy, and Mushrooms. The drugs in this category...
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