TEEN DRUG ABUSE

What is drug abuse?
As defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, drug dependence is a negative pattern of using a substance that leads to a number of problems, which may include needing more of a drug to get intoxicated (tolerance), difficulties that occur when the effects of the drug wear off (withdrawal), using more of a substance or for longer time than intended, and other life problems because of their use of a drug or drugs. Five stages of drug use have been identified. The first stage is described as access to drugs but no use thereof. In that stage, minimizing the risk factors that make a teenager more vulnerable to using drugs are an issue. The second stage of drug use ranges from experimentation or occasional use to regular weekly use of substances. The third stage is characterized by youth progressing to further increasing the frequency of using one or more drugs on a regular basis. This stage may also include the teenager either buying, stealing, or drug dealing to get drugs. In the fourth stage, adolescents have established regular usage, have become preoccupied with getting intoxicated ("high"), and have developed problems in their social, educational, vocational, or family life as a result of using the substance. The final and most serious fifth stage of drug use is defined by the youth only feeling "normal" when they are using. During this stage, risk-taking behaviours like stealing, drug dealing, engaging in physical fights, unprotected sex, or driving while intoxicated increase and they become most vulnerable to having suicidal or homicidal thoughts.

What are the causes and risk factors of teen drug use?
Family risk factors for teenagers engaging in drug abuse include low parent supervision or communication, family conflicts, inconsistent or severe parental discipline, and family history of alcohol or drug abuse. Individual risk factors include any history of physical or sexual victimization, learning or emotional problems, difficulty managing impulses, emotional instability, thrill-seeking behaviors, and perceiving the risk of using drugs to be low.

What are the dangerous effects of drug use in teens?
Just a few of the many dangerous effects of drug use in adolescents include:
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Drugs of any kind decreases teens' ability to pay attention.

as well as to engage in sexual activity at all. What are the symptoms of drug abuse in teens? Some of the most common symptoms of drug abuse in teenagers include lying. Any of these problems can result in death. syringes. clitoral enlargement in girls and women. stunted growth. and changes in friends. and items that can be used as tourniquets for drugs that are injected. heart attack or stroke from stimulants. mood swings. as well as baldness. mirrors for drugs that are snorted. heart attacks. solvent smell of inhalants. breaking curfew. Given the complexity of those symptoms and how much they depend upon the specific drug being . • • Depending on how the body takes in and processes each kind of drug. and pipes for drugs that are smoked. mood swings. depression. having items in their possession that are connected to drug use (paraphernalia). becoming verbally or physically abusive toward others. strokes. or hallucinations (for example. making excuses. multiple pill bottles for substances that are in pill form. Anabolic steroids have been associated with impotence in boys and men. stealing. acne and infections. and needles. rolling papers. the smell of drugs (for example. • Juveniles who use drugs are more likely to have unprotected sex. Examples of this include permanent brain damage associated with inhalants. halted breathing from sedatives. marijuana smell) on them. Either of those illnesses can result in death by suicide or homicide. staying in their room. like anxiety. cancer.• The younger a person is when they begin using drugs the more likely they are to develop a substance-abuse problem and the more likely they are to relapse into drug abuse when trying to quit. loved ones can look for the physical symptoms of drug intoxication and withdrawal. Examples of paraphernalia include matches. In addition to those more behavioural symptoms. including HIV/AIDS in both sexes. hearing or seeing things). liver disease. substances of abuse can affect virtually every one of the body's systems. sex with a stranger. • Substance use can cause or mask other emotional problems.

Nicotine addiction is often medically addressed by medications that replace nicotine in the form of patches. since many substances of abuse can affect bodily functions (for example. and nicotine addiction. Buproprion. heart rate. and family) of each . Some medications are available to specifically counteract the effects of drugs. and even suicidal and homicidal behaviours. For example. Fluids are often administered to those who have become dehydrated. In addition to close medical monitoring. levo-alpha acetyl methanol (LAAM). The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) recommends that treatment of substance abuse: be readily available when the addicted person is ready to enrol. be tailored to the complex. opioid. legal. loves ones are advised to have their family member evaluated medically and/or psychiatrically if substance abuse is suspected for any reason. mental health. assaultive behavior. non-intoxicating opiates that treat opiate addiction by preventing symptoms of withdrawal from heroin and other opiates. and cooling blankets are given to those whose temperatures have become dangerously high. What is the treatment of drug intoxication? Supporting the substance-abuse sufferer medically is the approach to managing most drug intoxications. breathing rate). Methadone. multiple and changing needs (for example medical. or nasal spray. What are treatments for drug addiction? There are few medications that are considered effective in treating drug addiction. gum. which was originally found to be an effective antidepressant. Naltrexone blocks the effects of opiates and is therefore useful in both treatment of overdose of opiates and in longer-term treatment. has been found to decrease patients' cravings for nicotine.abused. since drugs are associated with everything from impaired judgment to severe aggression. Effective medication treatment for other addictions is primarily limited to address addiction to opiates and nicotine. blood pressure. Please read the Alcohol and Teens article for information about the medications that manage alcohol addiction. Those are currently limited to the treatment of alcohol. naltrexone is used to counteract the effects of opioid intoxication. social. doctors usually have the individual assessed psychiatrically. Blood pressure medications may be administered to patients who are suffering from high blood pressure associated with stimulant intoxication and with withdrawal from depressants. and buprenorphine hydrochloride are non-sedating. as may occur with Ecstasy.

Motivational enhancement therapy encourages the teen to increase their desire to participate in therapy. Individualized drug counselling specifically emphasizes short-term behavioural goals in an attempt to help the individual reduce or stop the use of drugs altogether. group therapy. preventative measures are used. professionals recommend that the youth be thoroughly educated about the effects and risks of drugs. How can parents prevent drug use? Clear communication by parents about the negative physical. For youths in the first stage of drug use.individual. and multifamily educational intervention (MFE). since infrequent use can progress to the more serious stages of use if not addressed. limiting access to drugs. individual. There are numerous individual treatments for drug addiction in teens. Twelve-step programs like Narcotics Anonymous are individualized drugcounselling methods. and consider the use of medication treatment when appropriate and include random drug testing. and functional effects of drugs. Family interventions for drug addiction that tend to be effective for teens include multidimensional family therapy (MDFT). and that the user be referred for brief counseling. and family issues is often used in treating substance abuse in teens. and/or family support group. Therefore. receive fair but firm limits on the use of substances. as well as optimal parental supervision and expression regarding expectations is often recommended. emotional. Longer-term residential treatment of three to five months that addresses peer relationships. Urge control is an approach to changing patterns that lead to drug use. Relapse prevention uses methods for recognizing and amending problem behaviours. Therefore. Some such programs include drug testing. Teens that have progressed to the more advanced stages of drug addiction are typically treated intensively. where they have not yet used drugs. The approach to those who have experimented with drugs is not minimized by mental-health professionals. and familial interventions already described above. Social control involves family members and other significant others of the addict in treatment. addressing any risk factors of the youth or family. MDFT has been found to be quite effective. Stimulus control refers to a treatment method that teaches the person to stay away from situations that are associated with substance abuse and to replace those situations with activities that are contrary to using drugs. using a combination of the medication. a self-help group. educational problems. as well as about their expectations .

and over-the-counter medications that are kept in the home to amounts that can be closely monitored and accounted for has also been found to decrease substance abuse by teens. and with whom adolescents socialize. Native and Asian Americans). . Alcohol.regarding drug use have been found to significantly decrease substance abuse in teens. prescription. Moreover. Among ethnic minorities in the United States (for example African Americans. Teen participation in extracurricular activities has therefore been revealed as an important measure in preventing substance abuse in this age group. immediately after school and prior to parents coming home from work. Adequate parental supervision has also been found to be a deterrent to drug use in youth.m. Specifically. Family focused abuse-prevention programs have produced reductions in adolescent drug abuse.. Limiting the amount of alcohol. cleaning solutions (inhalants). as well as limiting their children's access to substances that can be abused have been associated with less teenage drug use. Hispanic. use has been found to occur most often between the hours of 3 and 6 p. incorporation of a cultural component to drug abuse prevention programs may enhance the effectiveness of those programs. where. those who strongly identify with their communities and cultures have been found to be less likely to experience risk factors for using drugs compared to their peers who are less connected to their communities and cultures. parents knowing how. Therefore. teens 15 to 16 years old who use religion to cope with stress tend to use drugs significantly less often than their peers who do not use religion to cope. and other drug.