Teen Drug On Use

January 17, 2019 Abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs is expensive to our Community, exacting more than $740 billion annually in costs related to drug crimes, lost productivity and health care. Even though there are many more problems that come with the abuse of drugs especially for teens such as addiction, depression, and withdrawals. Having to battle these problems takes a lot of work but there are many solutions that could help being behavioral therapy, medication, and rehabilitation. Furthermore experimentation can lead to substance abuse and addiction the effects of this drug abuse on teens can lead to serious problems now and well into adulthood.

You will find that addiction does not take very long for its effects to start. “Teens who tried cigarettes got hooked within weeks of starting – a surprising result that contradicts the common wisdom that it takes years to become addicted” (Fox). This quote shows that addiction started earlier than expected from years to within weeks. “It only took an average of three weeks for a teenage girl to become addicted to tobacco, even if she smoked only occasionally, the study found.

Half of all boys who got hooked were firmly addicted within six months” (Fox).  From Fox, we understand that addiction can happen sooner depending on the person ranging from weeks to years even if it’s just occasionally that they smoked. “Of the 332 who tried cigarettes or other forms of tobacco, 40 percent showed some sign of addiction, including irritability, difficulty quitting and trouble concentrating without a cigarette” (Fox).

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Basically, Fox is saying that almost half the people who tried forms of tobacco showed some signs of addiction. In conclusion, addiction can start at any time and can continue to affect someone’s life until they get the help that is needed. Of course, another problem that is caused by or causes the abuse of drugs is depression. “Teens driven by unshakable depression may do desperate things to try to escape their dark moods” (Wysong). In other words Whysong believes that teens turn to drugs as an escape from their depression. “One in every eight teens suffers from clinical depression, according to the Center for Mental Health Services.” (Wysong). From Wysong, we see that out of every 8 teens 1 has clinical depression.“However, self-destructive behaviors, such as ‘cutting,’ can sometimes spring from an underlying depression.

So can drug or alcohol addiction or eating disorders.” (Wysong). This quote shows that sometimes cutting oneself can and drug addictions can be caused depression. Therefore, abuse of drugs can be a cause for or can be caused by depression. Often times, when an addict tries to cleanse themselves of an addiction they fail because of withdrawals from not having the drug. “Chemically dependent adolescents may experience more severe withdrawal and dependence symptoms than do adults, maybe because of differences in duration, intensity and style of their alcohol and drug use patterns” (Letter).

From Letter, we see that teens who are dependent on drugs have more severe withdrawals than adults caused by the amount of usage. “The adolescents were all multiple substance users with a lifetime average of 4.27 drugs used in addition to alcohol.” (Letter). In other words Letter believes that teens using multiple drugs their lifetime becomes shorter.“Heavy alcohol and cigarette use were found to exaggerate withdrawal symptoms of other drugs.” (Letter). This quote shows that withdrawal symptoms can be magnified by alcohol and cigarettes. Finally, addict that get withdrawals have a harder time getting cleansed from their addiction because they will have the urge to use that drug.

No one will argue that it is hard to get over an addiction but one way that can help get over that addiction easier is Cognitive behavior therapy. “Cognitive behavior therapy not only recognizes but leverages, the mental capacity of an adult and is very effective in bringing individual therapy into junction with a pharmaceutical or group treatment platform” (WIRE). In other words WIRE believes that pharmaceutical or group treatment could help drug addicts. “Empirical evidence suggests that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the best resources for fostering long term recovery in a patient suffering from addiction” (WIRE). In other words WIRE believes that cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the best resources.

“Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is highly effective in treating addiction, because it recognizes that there is an intellectual learning process that underlies addiction” (WIRE). This quote show cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in treating addiction. Overall, Cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in treating addictions and making to where you don’t have to struggle on your own. Oftentimes, medication is seen in a negative way for treating addiction but has actually helped many people get over their addictions. “Paczkowski said he wants to counter the stigma surrounding people who use medication to aid their addiction recovery, adding that he believes medication-assisted recovery should be more accepted among the broader drug recovery community” (Marczynski).

This quote shows that medication to aid in their recovery should be accepted. “The medication’s main purpose is to lessen withdrawal symptoms, allowing users to stabilize themselves mentally and emotionally in order to focus on recovery” (Marczynski). In other words Marczynski believes that medication is supposed to lessen withdrawal symptoms.“Negative perceptions follow not just recovering drug addicts, but also their friends and families, making it difficult to have open, honest discussions about the issue and about what can be done to help” (Marczynski). From Marczynski, we see that families and friends make it difficult to have discussion about the issues. In conclusion, medication can save many drug addicts but it is seen in a negative light due to it being drugs.

Actually an addict has another solution they can use and that solution is rehabilitation. “Beating an addiction is tough, but scientists are creating an arsenal of weapons, from pills and vaccines to innovative counseling” (Geoffrey). From Geoffrey, we see that scientists are finding new and more efficient ways to help drug addiction. “The risk of relapse is so high–roughly half of all patients fall off the wagon within a year of detoxification–that many health-care professionals consider treatment a waste of time” (Geoffrey). In other words the chance of a cleansed drug addict becoming a drug addict again is high. “But with medication and intensive, long-term support, even the most inveterate abuser can succeed” (Geoffrey). From Geoffrey, we found that with medication that people that found it hard to stop abusing drugs succeeded. Thus rehabilitation could be an option for long-term support for addicts or abusers.

In conclusion, experimentation can lead to substance abuse and addiction the effects of this drug abuse on teens can lead to serious consequences now and well into adulthood. It is a social problem because it is generated in patterns of family relationship dynamics. Contrary to what mainstream recovery claims substance abuse is not a disease. It is a form of emotional escape. Drug addiction is a complex medical problem with negative consequences that can affect almost every part of a person’s life and informing people about the importance of drug abuse to save others from destroying themselves.