Drug abuse at any age can cause serious problems, but adolescents who abuse drugs are at particular risk for negative consequences. Adolescents who abuse drugs are more likely to struggle with addiction later in life and have permanent and irreversible brain damage. Some other common negative problems of adolescent drug abuse are:
- Emotional problems: Drug abuse can cause or mask emotional problems such as anxiety, depression, mood swings, suicidal thoughts and schizophrenia. Drug use can increase the severity of emotional problems. For example, adolescent that use marijuana double their risk of depression and anxiety.
- Behavioural problems: Adolescents who abuse drugs have an increased risk of social problems, depression, suicidal thoughts and violence. Adolescents who abuse drugs are more likely than their counterparts who don’t abuse drugs to engage in delinquent behaviours such as fighting and stealing.
- Addiction and dependence: Experts are of the opinions that the younger a person is when they begin using drugs the more likely they are to develop a substance abuse problem and relapse later in life.
- Risky sexual behaviours: Adolescents that abuse drugs are five times more likely to have sex than those who don’t use drugs. Adolescents that abuse drugs are also more likely to have unprotected sex and have sex with a stranger. This leads to higher risks of STDs, unplanned pregnancy and sexual assault.
- Learning problems: Drug abuse damages short-term and long-term memory and can lead to problems with learning and memory later in life.
- Diseases: Adolescents who abuse drugs with needles increase their risk of blood-borne diseases like HIV, AIDS and Hepatitis B and C.
- Brain damage: Drug abuse among adolescents can result in serious mental disorders or permanent, irreversible damage to the brain or nervous system. Brain damage among adolescents who abuse drugs includes brain shrinkage; impaired learning abilities; amnesia and memory problems; impaired reasoning, perception and intuition; increased or decreased socialization; and changes in sexual desire.
- Car accidents: Adolescents who abuse drugs are more likely to be involved in car accident-related injuries or death.
Psychological and sociological bases of drug addiction in our societies
Psychological and sociological bases of drug addiction in our societies include:
- Genetic tendency: Some people are more susceptible to developing an addiction although this is not conclusive. This does not mean that the addiction is passed down in their family; rather that their biological make up is hard-wired in such a way that makes them more prone to dependency.
- Peer pressure: This is something which tends to affect young people rather than adults. Young people place a high value on what their friends think and do and are keen to ‘fit in’ with their peer group. If that group takes drugs, or smokes cigarettes or enjoys drinking then the pressure is there to do the same.
- Stress: Stress is blamed for many of the problems in our society. We live our lives at an increasingly frenetic pace, working longer hours to provide a decent standard of living without finding time to relax. Going for a few drinks after work is one way of relaxing as is taking drugs such as cocaine at parties. This may initially, seem like a good way of coping with stress but once it becomes a regular habit then it is in danger of leading to addiction.
- Experimentation: This is a form of behaviour that is more commonly seen in teenagers and young people. Often seen as part of growing up or being part of the gang, experimentation with drink, drugs or smoking can result in addiction. If you are part of a group of friends who are trying these substances then you are more than likely to do the same. But sometimes it only takes one puff of a cigarette or that first line of cocaine and you are hooked. The sad fact is that this might never happen with a different group of friends and in different circumstances.
- Addictive personality: There are people with certain personality traits which pre-dispose them towards addiction. These people are said to have an ‘addictive personality’ which means that they are more likely to turn to drugs, cigarettes or alcohol than other groups of people.
- Environment If you were brought up in a household in which your parents both smoke and drank heavily then there is a greater chance of you doing the same but it is not automatic that you will do so. Being exposed to addictive substances when young may explain a tendency to dependency in adulthood although there are people who avoid doing so. Another related factor is a chaotic childhood and/or abuse. If you suffered abuse in your childhood, were neglected or conversely, treated very harshly then that is a strong trigger for addiction. In this situation alcohol or drugs provide a means of dealing with feelings of self-hate or alienation.
