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Teenage Parenting – Reasons teens take drugs
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Despite the fact that many parents strive for a positive parenting style, there are unfortunately influences and forces that work against parents, making the job of effective parenting nearly impossible.
In a previous article I addressed some of the risk factors that may contribute to your teen taking drugs, those factors being, individual, peer, home, school and community. In this article I would like to address some of the reasons teens take drugs.
Whilst there are literally hundreds if not thousands of reasons that teens are attracted to and use drugs there are 10 common reasons that you need to be aware of. Perhaps being knowledgeable about these reasons may assist you in helping your child avoid becoming a victim of drug and alcohol abuse.
Ø Children, teens in particular suffer a lot of stress at school. This stress if not recognized by the parent can lead to depression.
Ø Low self esteem is common amongst adolescents/teens. A child with low self esteem is easy prey and become targets to peer pressure.
Ø Teens don’t like to feel left out, they seek acceptance from their peers and if their friends think it is cool to use drugs or alcohol then they may be lured into drug use for their desire for social acceptance.
Ø During adolescence children seek to find their own identity, it’s a time when children want to separate from their parent’s identity, to separate they need to try new things. Drugs and alcohol have a certain taboo against them and the child’s curiosity gets the better of them as they earn to find out how taking drugs and/or alcohol will make them feel.
Ø Hearing from their peers who take drugs how drugs takes them to a place of happiness and care freedom, where problems at home, on school just disappear.
Ø Children who are not involved in any sport, clubs or part time work can get very bored. Being bored they get restless and seek stimulation and hence look for thrill seeking experiences. Drugs and alcohol become very appealing to children who have too much idle time.
Ø Believe it or not drugs are relatively easy to come by, especially prescription pills and over the counter medication. Perhaps you have these in your medicine cabinet; this in itself is a temptation for children to try. Once they start of this type of substance with extended use teens can develop a psychological and physical dependence on drugs.
Ø Children crave for attention. There are two types of children that get attention, the very good or the bad. The reality is ‘bad kids’ get more attention that ‘good kids’, so at times being a ‘bad kid’ is a very tempting option. If a child gives up on himself/herself by way of performance in school, sport or their social life they may feel that risk taking is the only area in which they can achieve some recognition.
Ø Because addiction is a disease, like other diseases it has a strong genetic component. Therefore it is possible for a teen to be predisposed to addiction.
If this is the case then there is a chance that the disease rears its head when the child experiences certain emotional and environmental factors.
Regardless of the reason your teen has for drug use, or alcohol the behaviour is risky and carries serious consequences by way of health and committing a criminal offense. If you suspect or become aware that you teen is taking drugs you need to take action and seek some professional assistance from a clinic who specialize in teen substance abuse treatment.
It’s important to look for signs and symptoms to read more on how to identify if your child may be taking drugs ‘click here’