MARKETING // EDUCATION // LIFESTYLE // BUSINESS // DESIGN
Adolescents Are Prone to AddictionsComing from the Latin word “adolescere” (grow up, ripen, grow into maturity), adolescence is a rather painful stage in youth development during which teenagers become adults. It usually lasts from the ages of twelve to eighteen and involves several transformations:
To cope with this stressful change, many adolescents resort to all kinds of addictions, of which the most popular ones are alcohol and tobacco. Sometimes, when the stress becomes too much to bear, they begin to take drugs, which results in lasting psychological and physiological problems. So, what should parents do to safeguard their kids from such dangers? Are there any effective solutions to help them make this tumultuous period as risk-free as possible? Adolescence is a Period of ChangesDuring this transformative stage, adolescents are subject to biological changes that make them be highly impulsive and want to discover new sensations in various ways:
Coupled with a surge in hormone production, intake of narcotics can cause functional disruptions in neural systems and leads to the development of long-term dependencies. The adolescent’s psychology and personality undergo some fundamental changes too. They become increasingly unable to control themselves, are anxious, depressed, and defensive. The cognitive changes in the adolescent's brain affect their ability to acquire and use information, make decisions, and control themselves. Adolescence causes young people to reconsider their role in society. They become very sensitive to injustices, such as poverty, homelessness or racism, and dream about universal fairness. Typical AddictionsA number of recent studies have found that teenagers consume a lot more addictive substances than they did ten years ago. They do that to escape the reality of everyday life, as well as alleviate anxiety and overcome insomnia. Topping the list of addictive products teenagers use regularly are tobacco and alcohol. They are closely followed by cannabis, a mildly hallucinogenic drug, which is believed to cause little physical addiction and is, therefore, quite popular with adolescents. 42% of teenagers use other narcotic substances, which include:
Some of those substances are taken by 1 to 3% of young people on a more or less regular basis. In addition to the mentioned products, many adolescents (mostly girls) consume medications to lose weight, alleviate their anxieties, and fight sleep disorders. There are also substance-free addictions, which include dependency on social media, video games, and pornography. Around 64% of young people are now afflicted by this addiction, as opposed to 6.8% in 1997. This massive increase can be explained by easy access to the Internet, as well as plenty of sites and video games available there. Gambling (e.g., lotteries, casinos, and raffles) doesn’t figure prominently on the list of major addictions and can, therefore, be considered the least dangerous. Causes of AddictionsAddiction vulnerability in adolescents can be explained by two major factors: the search for new sensations and the need to deal with distressing and depressive thoughts. Being emotionally unstable, young people tend to make use of various mind-expanding substances, which bring them instant relief and help to overcome their uncertainty, shyness, and insecurity. Thus, any addiction in young people can be a sign of psychological discomfort and their body’s inability to cope with those problems using innate defense mechanisms. Let’s illustrate it by using the example of cannabis. On average, young people consume 5 to 15 grams of marijuana per month, while in the case of therapeutic consumption, a monthly dosage can be anywhere between 20 to 60 grams. Abusing cannabis can lead to:
In the case of addictive consumption (i.e., up to 200g per month), the drug may produce an anesthetic effect, masking symptoms of serious mental illnesses and even psychiatric pathologies, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. Therapeutic Aspects: How to Deal With a TeenagerIt is absolutely necessary to create a relationship of trust between a parent and a teenager. Otherwise, the young person will refuse to cooperate. It is important for the adolescent to feel that they are partners, and not victims, in the relationship. An adult should stimulate positive thinkings in teenagers to help them overcome the lack of self-esteem.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |