Adolescent drug use

Many parents wonder why their kids turn to drug use. This writer believes that a kid first starts experimenting with drugs to achieve the following: euphoria, boredom, rebellion, entertainment, curiosity, peer pressure and stress reduction. Now, the kid will continue this behavior if it minimizes or maximizes pleasure and satisfaction. What happens next is something all of you parents probably see first hand in your child's behavior. The child will begin to substitute their drug use for other healthy activities or hobbies they once did. In essence the unmet need becomes the drug use, which spirals to drug abuse which can end up as drug dependence. Yes your kid may abuse drugs do to a biochemical predisposition, but in this writer's experience, more kids seem to abuse drugs do to poor self-image, escape, impulsivity, and suffering from a family dysfunction or some type of physical/sexual abuse. The child sees few perceived options to deal with their current self, and look to find comfort with using peers. Respectfully, these using peers can share the same addictive personality trait as your child or are struggling with their own self image to. When your child is self-medicating daily, they increase antisocial behavior, block completion of normal developmental tasks, and sometimes lead to the development of a deviant lifestyle. The child begins to take risks, which may include stealing things around your home, stealing from others or stealing from the community. Frequent adolescent drug abusers often appear as withdrawn, alienated, and generally unhappy. The kid is unable to invest energy into developing healthy interpersonal relationships, completing school or work, and generally set positive future goals. If this is going on in your household, it is important to seek intervention, and begin to understand your child's needs. It is important to be sensitive and educational for your child. The prevention program should include the child's school, and any other collaboration with mental health services that is needed, including the family support. Positive prevention plans are one's that are designed to build skills, mentor, and allow your child to be a active participant in addiction education. The child has the capacity to work on their self, learn how to balance their feelings and goals, while finding their higher power. The child can learn to have fun again, before the drug induced behavior took over their lives. Stay in your health, stay in the moment.