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Drug and alcohol abuse among teens

Drug and alcohol abuse refers to patterned use of the substances without approved or supervised professional care. Due to the excessive usage or usage against the laid down rules and policies, side effects such as mood altering or psychoactive activities are noticed. Since the abuse tends to encourage criminal and antisocial behavior, the government has laid down straight laws regarding drug and alcohol abuse especially for minorities. Although it is illegal in most countries for teens to abuse drugs and alcohol, the practice is still quite common especially to teens aged less than 21 years. Most families in the United States struggle with teen alcoholism and drug misuse, and this has led to the rise of professional counseling centers and family and teen professional therapy for outpatients and inpatient. According to a recent research by Nevada (2012) alcohol and marijuana are the most abused drugs among teens in the United States.

Nevada a major the national substance abuse center has continued to carry out multiple research concerning the topic especially on areas of preventing the teens from drug abuse as well as ways of minimizing the huge number of teens abusing substances. From Nevada statistical records 28.9 percent of teens in the United States abuse alcohol while 12.5 percent abuse alcohol with other secondary drugs. The records of the year 2012 show that rather than alcohol teens heavy abuse cocaine, marijuana, heroin and meth from as early as 12 years in the United States. Though 66.2 of these teens are male female teens still abuse alcohol at very high rates. After analyzing the Nevada substance abuse statistics, it is worth noting that the results are slightly higher than those presented in the national substance abuse statistics. The difference between the two statistical records is mainly brought about by the continuous personalized research of Nevada. Nevada handles even the minute cases which patient may not go public about, it also concentrates on both the densely and low populated regions of the country while the national data is carried out by the government is focused on the densely populated areas such as towns.

Due to the rising number of teens abusing drugs and alcohol one may wonder why cognitive abilities do not assist in preventing them from irrational behaviors. The main reasons are because they may not be able to comprehend information taught to them on major ways of preventing irrational behaviors due to their busy social life styles. One reason is that cognitive functioning do not necessary influence the outcome of one activity such as drug abuse but can be noticed in other areas such as improved nutrition and exercise opportunity. Cognitive reasoning can also fail to assist in preventing drug abuse if the individual fails to embrace the existing treatment programs and other laid down developmental sessions.

However, even with the high rise of drug and alcohol abuse among teens there is still hope to the families facing the challenge or trying to prevent their teens as well as the teens themselves. There are many excellent literature educative materials that can assist. For instance, an article by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, titled “Needs Assessment” which discusses how teens and families can solve substance abuse by cognitive impairment and journal Effects of early adolescent drug use by Scheier and Botvin retrieved from which talks about the physical consequences of chronic alcohol and drug use and be of great assistance.

Bottom line, the topic sheds light on many crucial topic revolving around teen behavior and causes of failure. It assist us learn the important of cognitive strategies in early stages of one life and benefits of critical thinking.

Works Cited

Scheier, Lawrence and Botvin Gilbert. Effects of Early Adolescent Drug Use: A Develometal Structural Model: Cornell University Medical College. 2005 HYPERLINK “https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:bd-rpDSr0TQJ:www.larsri.org/docs/Effects%2520of%2520Early%2520Adolescent%2520Drug%2520Use%2520on%2520Cognitive%2520Efficacy%2520in%2520Early-Late%2520NEW.pdf+why+adolescents%E2%80%99+do+not+use+increased+cognitive+abilities,&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESijfdhuLjvSFFj51c8iFA6mDuAngwMfTOC2Wjj4KWZ42iZf54MAO0u2Ey5tW1Emea_sABs7bi2qnJPmrHmHpwdXIPBjVZvJkNT4acYBSIFGZq7J-bWYsYfMIxor6ijEuO7n5abp&sig=AHIEtbT70EDSkm4Pyb1oEpm9_8cEf3gK_A” https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:bd-rpDSr0TQJ:www.larsri.org/docs/Effects%2520of%2520Early%2520Adolescent%2520Drug%2520Use%2520on%2520Cognitive%2520Efficacy%2520in%2520Early-Late%2520NEW.pdf+why+adolescents%E2%80%99+do+not+use+increased+cognitive+abilities,&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESijfdhuLjvSFFj51c8iFA6mDuAngwMfTOC2Wjj4KWZ42iZf54MAO0u2Ey5tW1Emea_sABs7bi2qnJPmrHmHpwdXIPBjVZvJkNT4acYBSIFGZq7J-bWYsYfMIxor6ijEuO7n5abp&sig=AHIEtbT70EDSkm4Pyb1oEpm9_8cEf3gK_A

Canfield, Towle, & Gibbs, Needs Assessment: Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Nevada State Health Division.2003 retrieved from HYPERLINK “http://health.2k.state.nv.us/BADA/2003/NeedsAssessment.pdf” http://health.2k.state.nv.us/BADA/2003/NeedsAssessment.pdf