What Causes Teens to Engage in Substance Abuse?

Teen substance abuse continues to be a huge problem for society, parents and our young adults. There are many things that may cause a youth to turn to drugs and alcohol. Some of the things that may lead a teen down that path are outlined below.

Peer pressure.

This driver for teen substance abuse has been present for generations. Kids often succumb to peer pressure to try drugs or to get drunk. As was the case when your parents were teens and when you were in high school, many kids feel that they must drink or do drugs to fit in with the cool crowd. Some things really never do change.

Experimentation and rebellion.

Teens like to try out new things, especially those that their parents have adamantly warned them against. As drinking and drugs fall into that category, those teens who want to rebel are often quick to try both. What better way to go against the grain of their parents' rules?

Some teens are more interested in experimenting with drugs, in particular, to see what they are like. They have heard about them and seen kids do them in the movies. Their curiosity may drive them to take that first drink.

Boredom.

Many kids from small towns seem to be the wildest. It seems they started drinking earlier than almost anyone else. If you ask these teens why they were so wild, many will answer, "There was nothing else to do but get in trouble."

Boredom is a key cause of substance abuse. Kids get together in an empty parking lot or at someone's house and decide to party.

Absentee parents.

Many kids these days spend a lot of time on their own. Their parents may be working long hours. Or, they may be doing other things. Regardless, when the parents are absent on a frequent basis, their kids have more freedom and less accountability. Both of these factors provide an opportunity for kids to drink or do drugs. And, when the opportunity is there, teens will often take advantage of it.

Way to numb themselves.

Teens are angst-ridden, no doubt. Some of them turn to drinking and drugging as a way to numb pain. This is often the case for those kids who grow up in abusive homes. They want to escape their realities, and this is one way they choose to cope.

Depression and anxiety.

Mental illness exists in varying degrees, and it is a tough thing. Often, people who suffer from depression and anxiety like the effect that drugs and drinking have on their minds. They may find that these substances temporarily lift their moods.

In conclusion, these are a few things that can cause a teen to turn to substance abuse. Whatever the cause, though, the path of drinking and doing drugs can take a very nasty turn if it gets out of control.