Drug and alcohol addiction is one of the major problems in the United States of America. However, alcohol is considered a common drink you will find nowadays at any party or event. That is why developing an addiction towards that is really easy.
On the other hand, several reasons can work together when it comes to developing a drug addiction. Whatever the reasons are, drug and alcohol addiction is indeed hampering the future and present life of teenagers in the USA.
If you get to know that anyone close to you is struggling with any type of substance abuse, it is your responsibility to help them with the necessary details. You can just assist them by giving them the address and contact details of the best addiction recovery center.
In case you want to know complete details about the drug addiction treatment program, you can visit https://www.oceanrecovery.com/los-angeles-drug-rehab/.
What Are The Reasons For Teen Drugs And Alcohol Addiction?
As we have mentioned earlier, when it comes to drugs or alcohol addiction, there are a lot of things that can work as the reasons. Here we are going to guide you with some major reasons that are attacking teens for drug and alcohol addiction.
1. Peer-pressure
Peer pressure is one of the most common things that make us do a lot of things that we actually do not want to do. You might have tried drugs or alcohol for the first time because your friends or colleagues have forced you to.
For them, it can be really casual, but eventually, you might end up developing a dependency on all those substances.
2. Performance Improvement
Many teens just want to improve their grades. When the teens are having too much pressure of performing well in academics and other activities, they start taking performance-boosting, mental support, or stimulating drugs.
These types of drugs are prone to addiction. When they are experiencing the improvement in their performance, they are becoming more dependent on the drugs and developing an addiction.
3. Self-medication And Escape
A lot of teens are suffering from anxiety and depression. They actually need some serious medical attention. However, due to several social taboos, they are not getting the chance to consult with a doctor and start taking medications on their own.
Those medicines might be helping them from escaping the tough situation but at the same time reacting with their central nervous system and becoming an addiction for them.
4. To Feel Grown Up
Teenagers always want to grow up. They hang in the middle of childhood and adulthood, which is a crucial phase. Most of them have thought that consuming alcohol and drugs is something the adults do and doing the same will make them just like the grown-ups.
Their intention was never around the drug or alcohol addiction; they do this to feel grown-up but unfortunately, develop addiction towards those substances.
5. Experimentation
Teens are really keen on everything and anything. They want to know everything right now, want to experience everything, want to try everything, and also want to do everything that is possible in this world.
Their first drink or first inhaling of any drug might be nothing but the result of their keenness and experimentation. However, they start to enjoy the feeling and become addicted to that.
6. To Feel Better
Teenage time is a little complicated. They are not any more children who enjoy taking care of them. Also, they are not fully grown up to handle everything on their own. This is the time when many individuals develop anxiety or depression issues.
At that time, they just want to feel happy and a little better. So, they take the assistance of alcohol or drugs to escape from reality and feel happy or better than usual.
7. Lack of Education
When it comes to addiction or substance abuse, most of us do not have proper knowledge, understanding, and also education. As a result, we are also unable to help our next teen generations with the information they need to know.
They might have seen their parents drinking alcohol just like any normal drink, so they start to think that it does not do any harm. They also do not know which type of medications are prone to addiction. So, due to lack of education, they are becoming so-called addicts.
8. Attention And Competition
Teenagers mostly feel out of space. They are just little grown-up kids. They want to be the very best and the center of attention to everyone. That is why they also thrive on doing something different that will keep them apart from the rest of the crowd.
Due to this thrive and to top, in the competition, they develop addiction towards alcohol and drugs. So, it is best not to force your teen to be at the top of their activities and academics.
9. Popular Media Influence
Social media platforms really have some serious effects on our minds. Teens are no exception to that. Apart from social media, there are also some other media forms, which are influencing teenagers to dig into substance abuse.
Several movies are made about alcohol and drug intaking. Being a teen, they are also keen on everything, so they want to experience the same things they have seen in different forms of media, social media, and movies.
10. Rebellion
Different rebellious teens go for different types of substances on the basis of their personalities. Most angry teenagers choose alcohol as it provides them the opportunity to behave aggressively.
On the other hand, some teenagers are more interested in taking prescription drugs, as it lets them party high in the party.
What Experts Have To Say
From the above discussion, you should have developed a proper understanding of why teenagers are more prone to become “addiction patients.” That is why you have to be very attentive towards them.
Apart from all these reasons, genetics also play a huge role in developing addiction towards any particular substance. So, if your family already has any history of substance abuse, you have to be more careful with your teen children.