Alcohol Abuse Advice

Teenage Substance Abuse

While teenage substance abuse has continued to decline for the past twenty years, 1 in 3 adolescents continue to abuse drugs every year.

In the United States alone more than 1.1 million teenagers meet the diagnostic criteria for drug dependency, and more than 1 million teens are receiving treatment for alcohol dependency.

In 2007, the University of Michigan did a survey of  8th, 10th, and 12th grade students, asking if they had used any illicit drugs at least once in the past year. The results were:

* 13 percent of 8th graders
* 28 percent of 10th graders
* 36 percent of 12th graders

Abused substances asked about in the survey included tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, opiates, stimulants, cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants, steroids, prescription drugs, and club drugs like ecstasy.

The study also found that teenagers at the highest risk for substance abuse are those who have low self-esteem, feel alienated, feel depressed, and those with a prior history of substance abuse in their family.

If you suspect your teenager is abusing drugs or alcohol, look for these symptoms:

* Slurring of speech
* Poor coordination
* Memory problems
* Difficulty concentrating

However, parents should understand that a teen is not necessarily going to be in the presence of his or her family immediately after abusing drugs or alcohol. Yet, teenage substance abuse will still show some very pronounced symptoms, including:

* increased secretiveness
* shoplifting
* sudden personality changes
* increased temper or aggressiveness
* lack of interest in hobbies
* drop in grades
* change in friends
* reluctance to let parents talk to friends
* nervousness
* poor grooming
* loss of pride in personal appearance
* long sleeved shirts, baggy clothing
* weight loss
* borrowing money
* stealing money

If you suspect your child is abusing drugs, talk to them about it.

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