Teen Angst

Helping adolescents deal with anger and other emotions effectively.

by Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, MS, LPC

Is Your Teen Using Drugs?

Teen Drug Use (Illicit and Prescribed)

Published on September 12, 2010 by Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, M.S., L.P.C. in Teen Angst

Today's teens are faced with many challenges from peer pressure, social acceptance, and wanting to grow up too quickly. Some of these challenges lead to drug experimentation either illicit (illegal) or prescription. According to the 2009 National Youth Risk Survey, on any given day, more than 4,000 teens will try a drug for the first time. Approximately 3,500 will smoke a cigarette, and 7,000 will drink their first alcoholic beverage while more than 2,000 will take a prescription drug without a physician's prescription. The majority of all this experimentation happens during the months of summer when teens have a lot more unsupervised and unstructured time on their hands.

So, by the time some teens return to school, they're already using a substance which poses a problem academically. Teens who use drugs have poorer concentration, poorer grades, truancy issues, and more behavioral problems than thier peers who don't use drugs. Drugs have a significant detrimental impact on ability to learn and retain information. With the adolescent brain still in development repeated drug use may have long term serious effects.

Find a Therapist

Search for a mental health professional near you.

Find Local:

While the research is showing that drug use among teens is beginning to stabilize, we still have some hurdles to clear and drug use trends are not showing promising results. For example, polls show that teens report that Marijuana use is not a big deal. This changing mind set can result in an increase in teen cannabis use in the future, not a trend we want to see emerge. Also, we are noticing a spike in the use of Pharmaceutical drugs in teens. The Center for Disease Control released a recent report stating that approximately 1 in 5 teens are abusing prescription drugs, that's 20% of our teen population. This is why a lot of states are creating Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force Agencies to develop drug awareness programs, distribute pamphlets and brochures and increase awareness about this growing trend in drug use. So what can we do?

As parents, educators and community leaders, we have a large impact on our youth's decision to use drugs. We are the number one deterrent as to whether or not our teens choose to use or refuse drugs. We need to be vigilant in teaching our teens the dangers associated with drug use and experimentation. The Partnership for a Drug Free America states that about 50% of teens who learn about the risk associated with drugs at home are less likely to use drugs. We are reaching only half of them, so let's keep the number climbing.

Parents, research supports that your examples, your words and your values are key in whether or not your child will fall victim to drug's. That's why it's important that you talk to your teen about the dangers of drugs, choosing the right friends, go ahead and set rules and boundaries at home and discipline consistently if your teen challenges you. Get to know your teen's friends as well as their parents. Make sure that the values your teens friends have follow the same values that you've instilled in your child. It's not easy raising an adolescent but the research is very clear - you do make a difference in your child's life and they're listening to you!

It's also important that you are informed. Know the signs of drug use. If you suspect that your teen is experimenting with drugs have him or her tested immediately. Don't second guess yourself. Time is of the essence and early detection is the key to prevention. Drug test can be purchased for home use or done professionally. If the test turns out positive seek professional help and set up random drug screenings. Below are some of the signs of drug use followed by some additional resources.

Know the Signs:

1. Poor Grades

2. Skipping School

3. Poor Hygiene

4. Change in Friends

5. Significant Mood Changes

6. Lying and Increased Secrecy and Suspicious Behavior

7. Pulling Away from the Family

8. Increased Defiance

9. Evidence of Drug Paraphernalia

10. Isolation - Spending More Time Alone and in Their Room

Resources:

Quiz - Is Your Teen Using Drugs?

http://parentingteens.about.com/library/sp/quiz/druguse/bldrugscreentest.htm

Office of National Drug Control Policy's Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign

www.theantidrug

Above The Influence

www.abovetheinfluence.com

Partnership for a Drug-Free America

www.drugfree.org/Parent/Home

www.timetotalk.org

Home Drug Test and Home Health Test

http://www.homehealthtesting.com/

Let's join our forces together (Parents, Schools, Community) and keep Drugs away from our kids!

References:

1. Center for Disease Control. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance - United States, 2009. MMWR June 4, 2010; 59 (No. SS-5): 1-142. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss5905.pdf

2. Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Executive Office of the President, www.WhiteHouseDrugPolicy.gov. August 2010 Fact Sheet.

3. Partnership for a Drug Free America; http://www.drugfree.org/Files/Full_Report_2008.