CAUSES OF DRUG ADDICTION IN TEENS AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES

- by ABDUSALAM M. UBA

Student Pharmacist

Kano, Nigeria
  +917754040516

No single factor can predict whether or not a person will become addicted to drugs. Risk for addiction is influenced by a person's biology, social environment, and age or stage of development. The more risk factors an individual has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. For example:

1)      Biology:  The genes that people are born with -- in combination with environmental influences -- account for about half of their addiction vulnerability. Additionally, gender, ethnicity, and the presence of other mental disorders may influence risk for drug abuse and addiction.

What causes drug addiction?

2)      Environment: A teen's environment includes many different influences -- from family and friends to socioeconomic status and quality of life, in general. Factors such as peer pressure , physical and sexual abuse, stress, and parental involvement can greatly influence the course of drug abuse and addiction in a teen's life.

3)      Development: Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a teen's life to affect addiction vulnerability, and adolescents experience a double challenge. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it is to progress to more serious abuse. And because adolescents' brains are still developing in the areas that govern decision making, judgment, and self-control, they are especially prone to risk-taking behaviors, including trying drugs of abuse.

4)      Psychological Causes of Drug Addiction: While biological causes of drug addiction have been suggested, many people still believe psychological factors comprise the bulk of what causes drug addiction. Some of the psychological causes of drug addiction appear to stem from trauma, often when the drug addict is young. Sexual or physical abuse, neglect, or chaos in the home can all lead to psychological stress, which people attempt to "self-medicate" (decrease the stress's pain through drug use). This self-medication becomes a cause of drug addiction. Other psychological causes of drug addiction include:

·         A mental illness such as depression

·         Inability to connect with others, lack of friends

·         Poor performance at work or school

·         Poor stress coping skills.

PREVENTION OF DRUG ABUSE
The two biggest things that officials say impact teen drug use prevention are Education and Parental involvement.


1) Educating Teens on Drug Risks:
The teenage brain is in a state of rapid development, which can lead to erratic behavior. Research suggests the human brain isn’t completely mature until 25 years old, and the most dramatic changes in growth happen during adolescence. Because of this, teens aren’t always mentally equipped to make the best decisions about their health and future.

2) Family Involvement in Teen Lives:
The biggest impact on teenage substance use is parental influence. Teens who grow up with parents who talk to them about the dangers of binge drinking and drug abuse are far less likely to
develop a dependence on drugs.
             
CREDITS:

1) Murugesh, N. (2008). A Concise Textbook of Pharmacology. Mudurai-625006, India. Sathya Publishers.

2)http://www.webmd.com