Every parent wants the best for their child. Watching their child struggle with drug addiction is terrifying and stressful, to say the least. The first step to helping a teenager with drug addiction is educating yourself on the disease of addiction.

What Does It Look Like?

Drug abuse amongst teenagers is not an uncommon thing. Statistics show that nearly fifty percent of teenagers have used illegal drugs before they finish high school. The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS) states that between 2016 and 2020 drug use in eighth-graders increased by 61 percent.

Not every case of drug abuse leads to drug addiction, however, the use of drugs earlier in life is proven to increase the chances of addiction later in life. What drives teenagers to use drugs varies on a case-by-case basis. Many teenagers will feel pressure to drink or use drugs at parties to be accepted by their peers. Some teenagers will turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with stress, depression, or other mental health struggles. Others seek drugs and alcohol to provide them with an escape from themselves, or their lives.

All it can take is one drink or drug for an addiction to spark. They will continue to use their substance of choice to achieve the euphoric feeling drugs and alcohol provide. This increases tolerance to their substance of choice, and over time they will need more of it to achieve the same feeling as when they first started. This can lead them to try other, more dangerous drugs to get the feeling they are searching for.

Signs of drug abuse and addiction will always differ in each person. However, there are many common signs that can point to the use of drugs in teenagers. Some of these signs include but are not limited to:

• Lying
• Decreased performance in school
• Loss of interest in hobbies
• Uncharacteristic behavior
• Drug paraphernalia
• Drowsiness
• Bloodshot or puffy eyes
• Isolation from family
• Staying out late frequently and/or sneaking out
• Depression

Commonly Abused Substances

Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance among teenagers. In a study done by the NCDAS in 2020, they found that 61.1% of teenagers have abused alcohol by the time they graduate high school. Underage drinking is dangerous and can easily lead to a dependence on alcohol. The NCDAS states that nearly 3% of seniors in high school drink alcohol daily.

The most popular way to consume alcohol among teenagers is binge drinking. Binge drinking is when many drinks are consumed in a short period of time. Specifically defined as four to five drinks in under two hours. Many teenagers will consume a considerable amount more than this. The goal of binge drinking is to get drunk quickly and feel the effects of alcohol to their maximum. Binge drinking easily leads to blacking out. A blackout is when memory loss occurs due to intoxication. During a blackout people can make risky choices they would not typically make due to impaired judgment. This can include:

• Driving drunk
• Unsafe sexual behavior
• Injuries
• Reckless behavior
• Violence

Marijuana is the second most commonly abused substance among teenagers. The NCDAS reports that 43.7 % of twelve-to-seventeen-year old’s have tried marijuana in their lifetime. They also found that around 80% of them are more likely to smoke marijuana than a cigarette.  With regular use, marijuana can cause permanent damage to the brain of a teenager. Regular use of marijuana can reduce coordination and cause difficulty in problem-solving and learning ability. Studies show marijuana use can increase the chance of developing schizophrenia and other mental health disorders.

Marijuana is considered a ‘gateway drug’ because it is often the first drug most adolescents are introduced to. After using marijuana long enough to develop a tolerance, many teenagers will seek out other drugs to get a more intense high. Other drugs that are abused by teenagers are:

• Cocaine
• Hallucinogens
• MDMA
• Prescription Drugs
• Opioids
• Inhalants