Substance abuse is a problem that affects every sector of the population, regardless of gender, culture, background, financial status or age. Children as young as 12, as well as the elderly, can abuse drugs. Adolescent drug use is especially troubling, as it can easily become a life-altering habit.
Types
Many types of legal and illegal substances are misused by adolescents, according to the National Institutes of Health. Although the NIH says that drugs such as marijuana, alcohol, tobacco and prescription narcotics are most commonly abused by this age group, other substances such as cocaine, methampetamine, heroin, and hallucinogens are abused at a lesser rate among adolescents.
Trends
Since 1975, the National Institute on Drug Abuse has monitored drug abuse among adolescents. The 2009 NIDA survey observed both positive and negative trends in adolescent drug use. On the positive side, the use of drugs such as cigarettes, methamphetamine, alcohol, cocaine and hallucinogens had decreased. The use of marijuana, smokeless tobacco and pharmaceutical narcotics, such as Vicodin and OxyContin, however, had increased.
Identification
Signs of drug abuse may include an unusual smoky smell on clothing, red and glazed eyes, loss of memory, a change in appearance and grooming or scars on the arms around blood vessels, according to Adolescent Focus Services. Other signs are emotional and activity-related, such as a drop in school attendance and grades, a sudden change of friends or isolation, a withdrawal from family activities, secretiveness, disappearing money or belongings and increased lying. These signs do not guarantee a substance abuse problem but may be cause for alarm.
Treatment
There are many treatment options for adolescents with substance-abuse problems. Common options include detox centers, residential treatment, out-patient treatment, support groups, behavioral counseling and in some cases pharmaceutical intervention with drugs designed to help decrease cravings or provide negative consequences for abuse, such as naltrexone, disulfiram, varenicline and bupropion.
Prevention
If you are the parent, you can take several preventative measures. First is setting a good example when your child is young. Teach your child about substance abuse and its effects at an early age, as well as the consequences that come with using. Develop a trusting relationship with your child that allows her to come to you at any time. Monitor your child's activities, especially as she transition into adolescence. The National Institute on Drug Abuse also recommends intervening quickly at any sign of possible drug use, such as aggressive behavior or poor performance at school. Counseling may be necessary.
