Concerns Regarding Substance Abuse

Substance abuse Refers to the use of chemicals to improve a mental state or

induce euphoria. This is so common among adolescents that as many as 50% of
high school seniors report having experimented with some form of drug (CDC,
2008a)

Types of Abused Substances

❏ Prescription and Over the Counter Drugs Adolescent may begin drug
experimentation by taking sedatives, pain medication, or cough syrup
containing dextromethorphan, abbreviated DXM, prescribed for another
family members or a pet. Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is a drug frequently
prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Ketamine is an
anesthetic used in veterinary medicine that is also frequently abused.
❏ Tobacco adolescent usually begin smoking because the habit conveys a
stamp of maturity; smoking may be viewed as especially desirable by those
who are having difficulty demonstrating maturity in other areas. One of the
strongest determinants of whether adolescents will begin smoking is weather
their friends smoke. Although at one time proportionately more males than
females smoked, adolescents girls now are the population most likely to
begin smoking. As cigar smoking becomes more popular with the adults,it
also is becoming more popular with adolescents.
❏ Alcohol As many as 90% of high school seniors report having used alcohol.
As many as 25% of high school students report having engaged in episodic
heavy or binge drinking. At least 10% of high school students report driving
a car or other vehicle when they had been drinking alcohol. 29% of students
report having ridden in a car or other vehicle driven by someone who had
been drinking alcohol.
Some parents are actually relieved when they realize their child’s strange
behavior on returning home from a party is accused by drunkness and not in
illegal drugs. Many adolescents are not primary alcohol abusers but are the
children of alcoholic parents.
❏ Performance-Enhancing drug abuse Adolescents take steroids to enhance
lean body mass muscular development and so improve their athletic ability
or appearance. Anabolic steroids have the side effects of euphoria and
lessened fatigue, which make them doubly appealing.
❏ Marijuana. This residue results in synaptic gaps that can delay electrical
brain waves and memory storage.
Physical and psychological effects of all forms of marijuana are euphoria
and a sense of well-being, temporary impairment of coordination or motor
activities, altered sensory perceptions, rapid mood swings, altered self
image, decreased attention span and loss of memory for recent events.
Withdrawal symptoms includes irritability, drowsiness, and cravings for
high carbs snacks. Long term side effects can include disorders such as
sinusitis, bronchitis, emphysema and perhaps lung cancer, and also lack of
sperm formation or testicular cancer in males.
❏ Amphetamines The amphetamines are a group of drugs sometimes used in
the treatment of hyperactivity and narcolepsy, among other central nervous
system disorders. They are easily manufactured in “meth labs”.
Amphetamines are called uppers or speed because they give the user a false
sense of well-being, alertness, or self-esteem.
❏ Cocaine Cocaine is one of the most popular drugs of abuse for young adults
and its use may begin in adolescents. The drug may be sniffed into the nose
(snorted), smoked, or injected intravenously. Cocaine is rarely ingested
orally but occasionally swallow it. Common street names for cocaine are
Snow and White lady. It is difficult to document how many adolescents use
cocaine, but estimates range from 3% to 9%. Psychological effects
produced are euphoria, excitement and restlessness, increased sociability,
and possible hallucinations.
Toxic symptoms are seizures, tachyarrhythmias, tachypnea, hypertension,
increased deep tendon reflexes, decreased response to stimuli, nausea,
vomiting, abdominal pain, headaches, chills and fever.
 ❏ Hallucinogens Examples of hallucinogens drugs used by adolescents are:
-Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
-Dimethyltryptamine(DMT)
-2,5-Dimethoxy-4-Methampetamine (STP)
-Phencyclidine hydrochloride (PCP)
-Methaqualone (Quaalude)
The used of LSD has increased in popularity substantially since the 1960’s,
its a drug that can be manufactured by an informed adolescents in a “kitchen
lab”.
A hallucinogen related to Mescaline, Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
(MDMA,or known as ecstasy)

❏ Opiates Opiates are drugs such as heroin, meperidine (Demerol), and

morphine. At one time, These were not typically used by adolescents
because they are expensive, but they now are gaining popularity among
teens.

Concerns Regarding Depression and Attempted Suicide

Suicide is deliberate self-injury with the intent to end one’s life. Successful
suiceide occurs more frequently in males than females, although more females
apparently attempt suicide than males (about 8:1). Adolescents suicide are
attempted most often in the spring or the fall, Reflecting school stress at these time
of year, and between 3pm and midnight, reflecting depression that increases with
dark. Suicide is so common in adolescents thatis rank third as a cause of death in
the 15-19 year old group.
In addition, Some homicides may be caused by deliberately provoking another
person in the hope of being killed. Incest, abuse, marital instability in the family,
and poor problem-solving ability.
Concern Regarding Runaways

A Runaway is commonly defined as a child between the ages of 10 and 17 years

who has been absent from home at least overnight without permission of a parent
or guardian. The frequency of running away for adolescents may be as high as one
eight. Fortunately, most do not go far or stay away long. About 1 in 20 adolescent
runaways stays away as long as 1 year; some never return home.