Why Go For Adolescent Substance Abuse Evaluation
By Annabelle Holman
The rate at which teens are venturing into substance abuse today is quite alarming. Substance abuse among adolescents occurs between the ages of 12 years to 18 years. Some of these youths may or may not progress to be drug abusers or addicts but drug use is a very risky behavior. The negative consequences that follow can be quite devastating. This really calls for adolescent substance abuse evaluation among affected youths to reverse and treat the conditions in the addicted adolescents.
Teenage life stage comes with many changes and problems that if poorly monitored by parents and school counselors, it may progress to harmful vices in the society. Many parents are faced with difficulties in parenting teenagers who in most times never heed their parent advices. There may be heated arguments and fights when dealing with teenagers who are having hormonal changes and physical changes, which make them, feel mature.
The teens become disobedient, fall into arguments and even to the extreme of fighting their parents. Performance at school is affected, and their friendship relationships change too. An adolescent will fall into peer pressure at school in the competition to fit into the senior dominating groups of students. If they happen to fall into negative peer pressure groups, they may be lured into bad habits such as, drugs use, early sexual relationships, fights, bullying, and criminal activities.
Adolescents who abuse drugs start smoking and drinking alcohol. They then progress into using marijuana and other inhalants. If not monitored and reversed, as they grow into adulthood, they get connections with drug dealers in the society who sell them dangerous drugs such as heroin and cocaine. These drugs affect school and relationships especially family relationships.
In the first instances, failing exams and poor concentration at school are common. Some involve themselves in breaking school rules and are suspended. Others become absentees and later drop out of school. Those who do not get help try out more bad things such as early sexual involvement putting them at risks of acquiring diseases such as HIV AIDS. Others suffer brain damage due to cannabis and cocaine use.
Mental health problems like depression, withdrawal dysfunctions, apathy, and psychosocial problems are other effects. They also face stigmatization and alienation by their peers. The family is also affected. Fights, quarrels, swearing, threats can jeopardize aspects of family life and affect parents and other siblings who become stressed. The youths steal money to purchase drugs where they can be arrested.
Causes of substances abuse among teens are insufficient parental supervision and monitoring, lack of communication and interaction between parents and kids, and family conflicts. Others include parental alcoholism and drug use, and lastly poorly communicated rules and expectations against drug use. In addition, youths may have psychological distress and peers who use substances, may lure them into drug users and addicts at a later stage.
Medical evaluation can be of great help especially if done early. It entails test by licensed medical professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, and physicians. They conduct different tests and interviews on the affected teens then create a summary of the findings and come up with the best therapy possible. Therapy may be in form of drugs, counselling or even rehabilitation.
Teenage life stage comes with many changes and problems that if poorly monitored by parents and school counselors, it may progress to harmful vices in the society. Many parents are faced with difficulties in parenting teenagers who in most times never heed their parent advices. There may be heated arguments and fights when dealing with teenagers who are having hormonal changes and physical changes, which make them, feel mature.
The teens become disobedient, fall into arguments and even to the extreme of fighting their parents. Performance at school is affected, and their friendship relationships change too. An adolescent will fall into peer pressure at school in the competition to fit into the senior dominating groups of students. If they happen to fall into negative peer pressure groups, they may be lured into bad habits such as, drugs use, early sexual relationships, fights, bullying, and criminal activities.
Adolescents who abuse drugs start smoking and drinking alcohol. They then progress into using marijuana and other inhalants. If not monitored and reversed, as they grow into adulthood, they get connections with drug dealers in the society who sell them dangerous drugs such as heroin and cocaine. These drugs affect school and relationships especially family relationships.
In the first instances, failing exams and poor concentration at school are common. Some involve themselves in breaking school rules and are suspended. Others become absentees and later drop out of school. Those who do not get help try out more bad things such as early sexual involvement putting them at risks of acquiring diseases such as HIV AIDS. Others suffer brain damage due to cannabis and cocaine use.
Mental health problems like depression, withdrawal dysfunctions, apathy, and psychosocial problems are other effects. They also face stigmatization and alienation by their peers. The family is also affected. Fights, quarrels, swearing, threats can jeopardize aspects of family life and affect parents and other siblings who become stressed. The youths steal money to purchase drugs where they can be arrested.
Causes of substances abuse among teens are insufficient parental supervision and monitoring, lack of communication and interaction between parents and kids, and family conflicts. Others include parental alcoholism and drug use, and lastly poorly communicated rules and expectations against drug use. In addition, youths may have psychological distress and peers who use substances, may lure them into drug users and addicts at a later stage.
Medical evaluation can be of great help especially if done early. It entails test by licensed medical professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, and physicians. They conduct different tests and interviews on the affected teens then create a summary of the findings and come up with the best therapy possible. Therapy may be in form of drugs, counselling or even rehabilitation.