5 Most Common Reasons Teens Use Drugs
According to a top rated drug rehab facility, teens who are into drugs are commonly referred to as bad kids. While that may be right in some cases, it’s not true for all teens. Teenagers don’t take drugs just because they want to rebel and express their feelings. Sometimes, there can be many other reasons for a teen to resort to drug-taking.
Counselors at a luxury rehab facilities will say dealing with issues like these mustn’t be one-sided. One must put themselves in the shoes of these teenagers and remember what it was like to be a teen. By doing this, you’re able to know why kids use drugs, and in the process, help stop them from taking that path.
- Depression
Teens might seem worry-free because they usually don’t deal with serious responsibilities as do adults. However, that’s not really the case. Teenagers can easily get depressed over the smallest things. It could be poor grades, lack of friends, home relationships, or bullying. Most teens don’t have a solution to these issues, so they resort to drugs instead, because these substances make them forget their problems and make them happier, though temporarily.
- Curiosity
Teens are naturally curious because they are at an age when they’re still exploring the world. Unfortunately, this exploration doesn’t always lead them to good things. Teens want to try everything, even if it means putting themselves in danger by using drugs.
- Peer Pressure
Humans are social animals and it’s important for teenagers to have a close group of friends and to be accepted. They want to belong to a certain group because they think that it makes them look “cool.” Not fitting into a group makes them feel like an outcast, a pariah, which can then lead to low self-esteem.
- Weight Loss
Female teens become very body-conscious during this stage of their lives. Though some use healthy means to stay fit, such as eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly, there are those that want to take a shortcut by using drugs. Cocaine is the most popular substance used for people who want to lose weight. It’s a desperate attempt for these teens to attract people’s attention, even if it means risking their health and wellbeing.
- Stress
The life of a teenager is downright stressful. School work, peer pressure, family pressure, the list goes on and on! This makes them want to seek artificial methods for coping with stress — for example smoking marijuana. Smoking this illegal drug relaxes their senses and makes them feel good. Unfortunately, just like any other drug, the effects are only temporary, and it also harms their health.
Conclusion
The life of a teenager isn’t easy, but that doesn’t mean they should choose to do anything they want, such as take drugs. Some just try it once because they’re “teenagers.” While there’s no harm in that, but they should be careful that it does not become a habit from which there might be no escape. Drugs don’t solve problems, they create them! Drug education for youth is a step in the right direction.