Top 5 Drug Addiction Causes In Teens - Things You Must Be Aware Of As A Parent

As a parent it is important to stay up to date on topics such as teen drug usage to see what your child may encounter in his/her teenage years.

Much of today's youth's drug usage begins with peer pressure and the need to want to fit in and be like everyone else. By the time your child reaches the age of 18 there is about a 70 percent chance that your child has been offered some kind of drug in his/her life time. There is about a 15 percent chance that he/she has actually tried some sort of drug at one point. For the most part, teenagers are curious and rebellious so they tend to experiment. Cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana are the most common and the most accessible.

With this said, it is important that you get to know your child's group of friends so that you have an idea about what type of people they are associating with. Studies show that we are like the five people we hang out with the most. If you look at the five people closest to you, you will find yourself. It is crucial that you prepare your child for the peer pressure that they are sure to experience. You may want to give them different scenarios and ask them for their response in such a situation.

Another factor that causes drug addiction in teens is a poor family life. People that are unhappy at home are three times as likely to become addicted to drugs or start using them than someone who experiences a healthy living environment. The reason for this is that they start using drugs to escape the emotional pain they are experiencing and drugs work for that. If you feel like the living situation you are in at the moment is affecting your child, make sure that you talk to them about it and do something to help them cope with the situation.

Some teens feel like they can only be confident and happy with the consumption of drugs and alcohol, that is why it is important that you give them proper praise whenever they do something good. Make sure you acknowledge them for achievements, even if they are small. A simple, "good job," can go a long way to build confidence and self-esteem in your child.

Furthermore, steroids are becoming more and more popular among high schoolers. With all the actors and actresses in perfect shape, we all tend to think that being like that is normal. Teenagers look up to these people more than anyone. This is why a lot of females experience eating disorders and why a lot of males start taking steroids. They want to have the perfect body in the shortest amount of time possible. Unfortunately, a lot of teenagers don't see steroids as being as detrimental to their health as marijuana or other drugs. A lot of teenagers start taking them with the intention of quitting when they get the body they want. They figure that because it isn't an addictive drug that they will be able to do so. However, due to the fact that once you quit using them, you lose a lot of muscle mass, a lot of people tend to get back on them when they notice themselves getting smaller. They cycle on and off of them and over time this can cause extreme irreversible health problems.

The last, most common cause of drug addiction among teens and others is that it starts off as medication. The most common type of drug that starts off as medication are pain killers. Pain killers can be extremely addictive and hard to break away from once you are on them. The addiction to these drugs kind of sneak up on you. If you know your child is taking them for some kind of injury they experienced make sure you are monitoring their usage and cutting them off when you feel appropriate. What happens is that people get so used to taking them that they end up needing them just to feel normal. Once the normal dosage stops doing the trick they end up taking more and more.

With all this said, it is important that you talk to your children about drugs and their effects on the body and mind. Make sure you educate them properly. A lot of parents make the mistake of thinking their children are too young to speak with them about drugs but they aren't. You should talk to them about it as soon as possible and set a good example for them. Show them pictures of what drugs do to people and give them as much information about them as possible.

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Stay Aware of Holiday Alcohol Abuse

While the holiday season is a time of joy for many, it can also be a dangerous time, especially if you tend to drink too much or are around others who may overdo it on the alcohol.

The suicide rate always goes up during the holidays, and studies indicate that alcohol is involved in one third of the completed suicides.

Motor vehicle accidents and impaired driving charges increase... The consequences of drinking and driving, however, often go far beyond the fines, the car impounding and the loss of driving privileges. Children, passengers and other motorists are often the ones killed. US statistics indicate that half of all traffic deaths are alcohol related.

When alcohol is used to excess, (causing alcohol abuse) all sorts of unhealthy conditions and behaviors emerge. There are higher rates of mental illness, especially depression. There is increased domestic violence. There are more incidents of stalking behavior. In a survey of 40,000 women in over 20 countries, one in five admitted to becoming romantically involved with a colleague during an office party. One third of these admitted to a brief affair. Do not ignore the fact that if several thousand women admitted to having affairs, there were probably a few men involved too. At what cost to marriages and families?

The fact is that most people do not want to keep on drinking after they have had a couple of drinks. If you are hosting a holiday party, however, do keep an eye on those who continue to drink. They may be among the alcohol-dependent segment of the population, that is, they may be alcoholics. (We politely call them functioning alcoholics if they are still working.) Being able to tolerate large quantities of alcohol, and being unable to stop drinking or to remember events the next day are all signs of alcoholism. Some even appear to take on a different personality when they drink.

Have nonalcoholic beverages readily available for everyone. Serve sweets, because part of the craving for alcohol is the craving for sugar. Sweets can help reduce that craving. Be ready to stop someone who is unsafe to drive home. I know this is hard, but you might be saving someone's life.

Every year hundreds of children are sexually abused by relatives and friends at holiday house parties. Social class is irrelevant, so hire a babysitter to look after your children, even though you are there.

If you are at someone else's party, always have an escape route. Prearrange with someone to pick you up if you call. If you are not going to drink yourself, drive your own car rather than accept a ride. If your partner has a tendency to drink too much, have a discussion in advance of the party to plan an intervention and the escape route.

If your teens are going to a party where there will be drinking, ask them about their escape route, should things turn bad. Talk with them about the importance of a designated driver. Remind them to call home for someone to pick them up, no questions asked.

I invite you to reflect on the role alcohol will play in your holiday season. Let's make Christmas both fun and safe this year.

Happy holidays to all my readers.

Psychologist Dr. Neill Neill maintains an active practice on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, with a focus on healthy relationships and life after addictions. He is the author of Living with a Functioning Alcoholic - A Woman's Survival Guide. Get a copy of his free report "Codependency and Alcohol Addiction" at http://www.neillneill.com/.

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