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A majority of both adults and adolescents fail to realize that “safe” or “commonly” used drugs or substances can be just as dangerous and deadly as substances such as heroin and cocaine. Drug abuse does not just occur when one overdoses, or takes the more well known dangerous substances, but it also occurs when someone takes their own prescriptions medication in a way other than prescribed. It can occur when an individual takes the prescription drugs of a peer or family member in order to get high. Additionally, common substances such as alcohol and cannabis can also be highly addictive and dangerous when used in excess.  Substance Abuse Among Teenagers Essay Paper

Both parents and adolescents often times do not realize that “commonly used substances” such as prescription drugs or alcohol can easily become addictive, especially since adolescence is a time of exploration and experimentation. This in and of itself is already a risk factor for substance use and abuse. In the case of alcohol for example, many adolescence drink socially but do not realize how easy it is to become dependent or tolerant. \”Adolescence is a developmental stage during which experimentation with alcohol reaches its peak (Bukstein, 2000). Although experimental or occasional use does not generally cause any impairment, it may act as a risk factor for the development of problem alcohol use” (Grant and Dawson, 1997).

Many people feel that it is difficult to become addicted to commonly used drugs, however, when an individual becomes addicted to a substance such as alcohol or prescription drugs, it is usually because they are misusing it, and underestimate its affects. The progression of drug addiction can happen very quickly and can be very dangerous.

A good example of this is recent research using fMRI scans in discovering the affect of heavy alcohol use on adolescent brain development. “A review of both MRI and fMRI studies revealed that adolescents who used alcohol had significant differences in their brain structure, specifically differences in grey matter volume and white matter integrity, than those adolescents who did not consume alcohol” (Feldstein Ewing et al., 2014). Cannabis, which is thought to be a more “mild” substance, can also cause adverse affects in individuals, and even withdrawal and addiction in some.

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Therefore, when addressing these differences in perceptions with an adolescent, it is important to understand that adolescents are going through significant hormonal, social and emotional changes, which may cause them to turn to substances and use them improperly. It may therefore be useful to encourage them to be open with an adult and perhaps implement different school programs that will allow them to be aware of the dangers of the misuse of substances.

Essau, C. (2008). Adolescent addiction: epidemiology, assessment, and treatment. Amsterdam: Academic Press. Feldstein Ewing, S. W., Sakhardande, A., & Blakemore, S. (2014). The effect of alcohol consumption on the adolescent brain: A systematic review of MRI and fMRI studies of alcohol-using youth. NeuroImage: Clinical, 5, 420-437.  Substance Abuse Among Teenagers Essay Paper

Substance abuse among teenagers, even for substances considered less harmful such as alcohol and cigarettes should be a major concern because adolescents may end up becoming addicted to these substances and gradually graduate to hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin.  Adolescents seem to be abusing drugs when compared to other age groups and substance use among this population group may complicate all aspects of life for the adolescents. Therefore, it is important for parents and teenagers as well to acknowledge the risks and dangers associated with drug use and implement the necessary measures to prevent substance abuse among adolescents.

However, as you mentioned both parents and adolescents have different perceptions when it comes to substance use. Apart from the emotional, social and hormonal changes, other factors that may lead adolescents into abusing drugs include lack of knowledge regarding the risks associated with the drugs. Parents are adults who have been in the world for long to witness the risks and dangers associated with drugs, unlike the adolescents (Dilek et al, 2018).

In my opinion, I think it is important for parents, teachers and the government to collaborate to ensure that adolescents receive the much-needed information regarding the risks and dangers of substance use and at the same time implement the feasible preventative measures. In addition, it is important to address the root cause of substance abuse among adolescents, for example counselling adolescents who have been abused, addressing dysfunction within families, improving socio-economic status of families, and helping homeless children because these factors increase the likelihood of adolescents engaging in substance use (Das et al, 2016).

References

Das J, Salam R, Arshad A, Yaron F & Bhutta Z. (2016). Interventions for Adolescent Substance Abuse: An Overview of Systematic Reviews. J Adolesc Health. 59(4), S61–S75.

Dilek O, Aydan K, Ayşin E et al. (2018). Evaluation of Risk Factors Affecting Substance Use among Tenth-Grade Students. BioMed Research International. 1(2018), 1-11.  Substance Abuse Among Teenagers Essay Paper