In the years since the COVID-19 pandemic, substance abuse among adolescents has been at lower levels than before the pandemic. It’s not entirely certain what has contributed to this, but the National Institute on Drug Abuse has indicated that the reported use of alcohol, nicotine vaping, and cannabis in the twelve months before the survey found levels of use have “generally declined from or held steady” compared with previous years.
This is undoubtedly good news, with the survey indicating, for instance, that alcohol use declined among 10th graders, with a reported use of 26.1% in the past twelve months (compared to 30.6% in 2023), and 41.7% of twelfth graders reported alcohol use in the past twelve months, compared to 45.7% in 2023. However, for any parent or loved one in a teen’s life, these numbers remain unacceptably high. What can be done to help?
Drug Abuse and Your Teen
Substance use during adolescence – whether it’s using alcohol, cannabis, or vaping nicotine – is particularly dangerous because these and other psychoactive substances can interfere with healthy brain development. Disrupting brain development can lead to other issues later in life, and early substance use will often develop into adult substance use disorder. Substance use disrupts school success and increases the risk of getting involved in the juvenile justice system.
These are some of the reasons why a teen needs to avoid drug abuse. Drug abuse is when someone is engaged in the misuse or excessive use of substances such as illicit drugs, over-the-counter medications, alcohol, or prescription medications. These substances can alter the brain’s neurotransmitter levels, and they activate the brain’s reward system, prompting repeated use.
When a person is exposed to a particular substance repeatedly, they develop a tolerance to that substance. One result is that they require even more of that substance to achieve the same ‘high.’ Chronic substance use can also rewire one’s brain, which can result in increased cravings and even changed behavior. One of the more devastating effects of drug abuse is seeing your child change before your eyes into someone you don’t recognize.
Why Teens Turn to Drug Abuse
Drug abuse is devastating not only to teens but also to everyone who loves them and doesn’t want to see them get hurt. One of the many questions a parent or caregiver might ask is “Why?” The reasons why someone turns to drugs or substance abuse are complex, and no two cases are going to be the same. Understanding the causes and circumstances that affected your teenager helps to tailor a meaningful response.
Some of the reasons why a teen gets caught up in drug use and abuse include:
Self-discovery An adolescent is at a point in their life where they are discovering who they are. Drug use may simply be a form of experimenting and discovering that identity.
Peer pressure The pursuit of one’s identity, coupled with a need to fit in and find a social circle, can make for a bad combination. The influence of social media and how it portrays certain behaviors can also make drug use attractive for teens.
Risk-taking and curiosity Teen brains may be wired for impulsiveness and seeking out new experiences. The desire for thrills can also be at the root of trying out new experiences and drugs.
Stress relief As teens grow up, they are developing their coping mechanisms to allow them to manage issues such as family issues, social isolation, academic pressures, or other concerns like depression and anxiety. Drug abuse is one unhealthy way to try to cope with these difficulties. The high these substances provide gives temporary relief from carrying these burdens.
Turning to drugs and substances may be a way to try to cope with pain. For instance, if a teen experiences trauma or other adverse childhood experiences like abuse, they may be at greater risk of turning to substance use as a coping mechanism.
Family and cultural environment Teens live in families and communities. Media can portray drug use in a way that normalizes it or that makes drug use seem widespread. Other realities, like a family history of substance abuse, dysfunctional relationships, and a lack of supervision, may also play a role in substance use and abuse.
When there are favorable parental attitudes toward drug use, poor parental monitoring, a lack of social and school connectedness, or rejection from family and other loved ones, this increases the risk of drug use and abuse in a teen’s life. These and other factors play a role in creating and increasing the risk of teen substance use.
A teen may also legitimately use prescription drugs to overcome an injury or some other ailment. Those drugs do affect brain chemistry and the brain’s reward system and can inadvertently lead a teen into dependence on those drugs. With treatment, it is possible to be weaned off those drugs and function without them.
The Effects of Drug Abuse on Your Teen
When a teen uses drugs or other substances, it can damage their body. Whether through the risk of overdose, a weakened immune system, or damage done to vital organs and healthy brain development, drug abuse can result in physical health issues. It can increase the risk of mental health problems like suicidal thoughts, depression, and anxiety.
Another common effect of drug abuse is academic decline resulting from poor concentration or absenteeism. There are also legal repercussions to drug abuse, and the lowered inhibitions it brings about can also prompt risky behaviors such as reckless driving, unsafe sex, and sharing drugs.
Drug abuse leads to strained family relationships and friendships. Likewise, it can also increase or worsen the feelings of spiritual and social disconnectedness that might have fueled the turn to drugs in the first place. Drug abuse can leave a person feeling distant and disconnected from people and God.
How to Help Your Teen
If you’re old enough, you may remember the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program, which urged students in middle and high schools across the country to “just say no” to drugs. That approach wasn’t effective, and in fact may have been counterproductive, as the American Psychological Association has indicated. What can a parent or caregiver do to help their teens?
Among the many effective strategies that one can use is to intervene early. Being able to discern the signs of stress or behavioral changes that indicate drug abuse can make an enormous difference. Fostering a non-judgmental environment in which you and your teens can have honest and tough conversations can be a help. Educating them in an age-appropriate manner about the consequences and risks of drug abuse is also helpful.
A parent can enroll themselves in professional prevention and harm reduction programs offered by healthcare providers, schools, or community organizations to nurture the necessary skills to help their teen when or if the need arises. Getting out ahead of things and staying informed allows you to be the best support you can be for your teens. An engaged parent and family are an effective buffer that can protect a teen from unhealthy behaviors.
Teens can also benefit from having healthy behaviors modelled to them. We don’t all know how to cope with difficult emotions and situations. Modeling Christ-like behavior for your teen and teaching them basic problem-solving, stress management, and decision-making skills can be a lifeline for them. Urging them to be engaged in activities that nurture a sense of purpose and belonging also helps.
Teens may overestimate how many of their peers use substances. Parents and caregivers can also help by highlighting that drug use isn’t as widespread as they might think or a normal part of being a teen. Teens care a lot about their bodies and about issues like the environment. Empowering them to make decisions and consider the harmful impact cannabis and tobacco production has on the environment could resonate with your teen.
Your teens may also want and need prayer support, as well as an offer of grace and hope. Pray for and with your teens. Remind them of the Lord’s many promises and the abundant grace that is to be found in Him.
Lastly, you can also seek professional help for your teens if they are struggling with drug use. Such professional help can be highly effective in addressing drug abuse and substance abuse disorder. If you need this kind of help, contact our offices today to set up a free appointment.
Photo:
“Smoking”, Courtesy of Martjin Scheffer, Unsplash.com, CC0 License
