If you are a parent, there are many things you should know about adolescent substance abuse. Many teens are under enormous strain, between parental expectations, school, and sometimes extracurricular activities. It's always good to know what kind of risk factors there are with regards to drug or alcohol abuse when it comes to teenagers. Availability and peer pressure are to contributing factors to substance abuse that can contribute to these types of problems. In various studies done involving adolescents, a majority of them have said that it is relatively easy to get access to alcohol or illegal drugs such as marijuana.
There are certain warning signs of adolescent substance abuse which you will want to look out for if you are a parent or loved one, including depression and a decline in grades at school. Both of these things can be warning signs of possible drug use, however there are many others. Any sudden personality changes should be looked at carefully, because it could mean they are either using drugs or drinking. Ecstasy is a very popular club drug among adolescents, and can be very dangerous.
One of the best ways to handle substance abuse with your children is to calmly explain the facts, laying it all out for them. Scare tactics are often ineffective and will not prevent them from taking drugs or drinking. Though there have been trends of increased or decreased drug use among teens, there is no solid explanation as to why. There are only certain risk factors and warning signs which you can use to identify possible substance abuse among your children.
Many adolescents are pressured into using drugs or drinking by peers, making their resolve weak. Giving in to peer pressure from friends or schoolmates is extremely common, and it is important to know just what to look for in your own kids. The fact that drugs such as marijuana are extremely easy for adolescents to get is a somewhat disturbing fact, however there are certain things which can be done to deter substance abuse among adolescents.
Straight talk conversations are the best weapon against drug use in your own kids. Preventing adolescent substance abuse one hundred percent of the time is just not possible; however there are certain measures you can take. The more honest and open you are about drug use with your kids, the less likely they will be to try it themselves. Knowing some of the negative or adverse side-effects from certain drugs can be helpful when trying to dissuade teenagers in experimenting as they go into high school.
Despite the availability of many drugs and the pressure to try them, it is not an unwinnable battle. There are programs which go into classrooms all over the country, attempting to present the facts about drug use and encourage kids to stay clean. A campaign of truth is always the most effective weapon when trying to fight substance abuse in adolescents. The more knowledge kids have when it comes to drugs and alcohol, the less likely they will be to even try it once.
