teen drug addiction facts
Why teenagers try drugs? Teenagers are very serious about their lifestyles. They like hanging out with friends, attending parties and concerts, planning night stays, and anything to do with their friends really. Amidst all this, experiment with drugs and alcohol is a common phenomenon and a millennial problem nowadays. Teenagers often fall prey to peer pressure and give in to appear cool.

However, they are not aware of the consequences of their actions. Teenager drinking alcohol or smoking weed from a young age may create several lifelong problems as they grow older. Teens become so habitual that parents can’t even know that their child has smoke weed or not. Alcohol and tobacco consumption from a young age may have several negative effects of drugs on the teenage brain. It is very important to educate kids on drugs and how to quit cocaine for good, to make teenagers realize the ill effects of drug abuse at an early age and not fall prey to teen drug addiction; others develop a dependency on them.

It’s very common that a teen who has experimented with drugs will gradually move on to consuming more dangerous drugs. It is important for parents to know what drugs are most frequently used by adolescents so that they can take the right actions on time. This article discusses some teenage drug addiction facts that will help you to know about your child’s addiction and get them the best teenage drug addiction treatment, such as our adolescent intensive outpatient program. 

Some Teenage Drug Addiction Facts That You Might Not Have Known About Drug Abuse

1. Most of the students in college admit to indulging in teenage drug use. Drug abuse in adolescents and college students are quite common. According to teenage drug abuse statistics studies conducted in 2016, approximately 45% of male and 42% of female students smoke weed or consume alcohol as a source of recreation.
There are several reasons students are likely to indulge in drug abuse, like peer pressure or social influence. Some students also resort to consuming drugs to deal with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, trauma, etc. Sometimes, the tremendous academic and performance pressure causes teens to use drugs as an escape mechanism. Studies have also revealed that teens get about smoking and drinking from television shows, music, and movies. Many adolescents visiting parties and concerts drink or smoke to appear cool and fit in.
2. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration conducted a substance abuse treatment program on a certain number of adults and found out that approximately 74% of them started smoking before they turned 17. Not only this, but those who started drinking when they were younger than 11 years old also developed multiple addictions. Substance use at any age can lead to fatality.
3. Mental health experts and professionals have established a direct connection between drug abuse and depression. Teens who consume alcohol or tobacco regularly are more likely to fall prey to different mental health issues and there is our mental health treatment program for teens dealing with such issues. They grow vulnerable emotionally. However, the levels of depression vary depending on the variety and quantity of substances ingested.

4. Teen drug abuse has long-term effects on the health of individuals. Most teenagers who start consuming alcohol or weed from a young age do not recognize the health risks associated with it. Regular consumption of marijuana can have several long-term health effects, this is why parents quickly seek out teen marijuana use disorder treatment.

Such teenagers experience frequent mood changes. They face trouble in school and their problem-solving skills deteriorate gradually. There might also be respiratory troubles like lung infection, coughing, etc. Apart from that, paranoia and hallucinations are quite common in teens who smoke weed daily. They often get suicidal. Marijuana also takes a toll on the IQ of teens and ultimately can result in marijuana addiction.

5. Binge drinking and teen alcohol use pose some serious threats and challenges to Los Angeles teenagers. Binge drinking refers to the act of consuming multiple bottles of alcohol at a time, which leads to becoming extremely drunk. There are many risks associated with binge drinking, some of the most common being alcohol poisoning, injuries caused by falling or drowning, having unprotected sex that might lead to sexually transmitted diseases, indulging in violence, brain, liver, and heart damage, and even suicidal thoughts. We offer an industry-leading Los Angeles teen alcohol addiction treatment program, which will provide structure and therapy for your teen struggling with alcohol issues.

6. Teen drug abuse doesn’t always have to be related to alcohol or tobacco consumption. Many parents don’t know that their teen is struggling with drugs. Sometimes, teenagers may take medicines not prescribed to them and derive the pleasure of intoxication from that medication. While some take unprescribed medicine to boost their energy levels, others merely take it because it makes them feel good. Once they become addicted, they simply cannot evade the habit. Drug abuse has done no good for anyone. We at Key Healthcare offer the best substance abuse treatment for teens. Consumption of un-prescribed medicines can have many negative effects on individuals’ bodies, which can prove fatal in some situations.

Some Common Drugs That Teenagers Consume

  1. Tobacco Products: These are the most common kind of drugs that teenagers resort to. Products like cigars, cigarettes, and chewing tobacco are also easily accessible to them through family members, older friends, or teens stealing themselves.
  2. Cannabinoids: More commonly known as herb, pot, weed, cannabis, or marijuana. Cannabis can create a very bad effect on teenagers brain and body. Since the legalization of marijuana in many states, the ability to purchase it has increased and made it much more available to teens. Teen marijuana addiction has skyrocketed as the social norm becomes “cool” to smoke weed.
Some other commonly used drugs are depressants, stimulants, and narcotics. All of these tend to have a soothing effect on an individual’s nerves and give them a buzz of intoxication. However, their ill effects are highly dangerous.
There are different stages of drug abuse. It begins with a single sip of alcohol, or the first time taking one hit, and can culminate into an unmanageable issue. Teenagers who start drinking and smoking from a young age are usually unaware of the health risks that tag along. Societal declines in the family structure are causing more alcohol consumption among adults. Exposure to this type of behavior makes the teens think it is okay. They are more exposed without realizing the long-term consequences of the action. Drug abuse results from multiple reasons like family history, social factors, stress, or simply trying to escape from the pressures of everyday life.

How to Stop Teenage Drug Addiction?

The withdrawal of teen drug addiction may have a serious impact on the adolescent. Therefore, if you or your teen needs drug addiction help “quitting” or teen therapy in general, call us for a free confidential consultation.

Our experts at Key Healthcare will guide you through the process, and provide support to make sure that you or your teen gets to live a healthy life. Our procedures are supervised by a fully accredited team of medical professionals. We offer an industry-leading Los Angeles Teen Treatment Program where we focus on structure, mentorship, and helping the teen follow and develop passions. The earlier you tackle your teen’s trouble, the better it will be for your family in the long run. We’re here to help!