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Addiction in Adolescence
The beginning of the teenage years is some of the most challenging stages of the
developmental period. Early adolescence is faced with life-altering decisions (Wong et al.,
2021). Puberty is a stage of life in which hormones cause physical changes in the body for both
girls and boys. After puberty, adolescence begins to have cognitive and social development
changes. During those two stages of development, adolescents’ decision-making skills become
more advanced, while rebellion, detachment, and parent-child conflict arise (Wong et al., 2021).
Adolescents detach from their parents and become attached to their peers. At this age, they tend
to hang with groups of similar interests and try to be more like their peers. This in turns
contributes to the “identity crisis” adolescents experience trying to figure out who they are.
Counselors often counsel teens regarding eating disorders, peer pressure, self-injury, depression,
bullying, and addiction.
Addiction in adolescents occurs due to risk-taking behavior or childhood environment.
The more risk factors an adolescent has in their home life the more likely they will engage in
risk-taking behaviors (Dunn et al., 2011). Teens often experiment with drugs and then stop, but
for some teens stopping can be difficult. Addiction is when an individual cannot stop despite
experiencing negative consequences (Jones, 2022). Alcohol is the most abused substance, while
nicotine and prescription medication abuse are increasing. There are major effects of addiction in
adolescents. One effect is experiencing drug dependence. This is when the body sends a
chemical known as dopamine which causes cravings (Jones, 2022). Additionally, abuse of
substances can cause brain development issues. This can create concentration and memory loss.
Local news stories report alcohol, cannabis, or other drugs are common among adolescents and
teen addiction is increasing (Abuse, 2022). In the city of Houston, parents of teens with
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substance abuse disorders gather and share their experiences. Brett a father of an athlete and
straight-A student, shared that his son’s attitude changed from being engaged to someone who
didn’t care about any of those things (Lashway, 2021). By sharing experiences, parents realized
they might have missed some signs and through recovery, the teens realized they were not alone.
Interventions, Rehabilitation, and Spirituality
Screening teens for drug use is very important for early intervention (NIDA, 2022). Then,
recognizing your teen has a problem is the first step to helping your child recover from substance
abuse. Brett, a parent from the local news stated his counselor told him his son had an addiction
problem and that’s when he realized his son needed help. Sometime teens will require
professional help. Outpatient clinics, twelve-step programs, inpatient mental health or substance
use units, medication, and therapy all offer treatment and counseling for teens that are battling
addiction. Another intervention CNN provides is an evidence-based prevention strategy that
emphasizes the importance of just talking to their teens about drugs and alcohol (2021). In fact,
parental support and positive relationships proved to be an asset in preventing and helping teens
deal with substance abuse (Dunn et al. 2010).
To help teens prevent substance abuse parents can model responsible behaviors for their
teens, stay involved in their activities, meet their friends and parents, and protect them from
prescription drugs (Jones, 2022). On the other hand, having healthy spiritual development may
counteract or prevent substance abuse. Scripture on addiction gives believers motivation and
courage even when they feel they are weak and alone. A versus any believer battling addiction
can reference is 1 Corinthians 10:13 which states, “No temptation has overtaken you except what
is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can
bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it”
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(Biblestudytools, n.d.). Teens that get lost or addicted can call upon God and their parents to help
get them through a really hard time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, adolescence is a challenging part of human development due to physical,
social, and cognitive changes. Teens often pull away from their parents and become close to their
peers. Teens battle a variety of issues as they grow and one of the major factors in substance
abuse is peer pressure. Some teens can experiment with drugs and stop, while others cannot and
become addicted. News articles have reported an increase in teen drug usage locally, while
nationally there seems to be a decrease. This could be a result of parents talking with their
adolescents about drugs and spiritual guidance. Additionally, parents can seek out professional
help and have positive relationships to help combat teen addiction.
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References
1 Corinthians 10:13-14 - No temptation has overtaken you except what is com...D(n.d.).
Biblestudytools.com. https://www.biblestudytools.com/1-corinthians/passage/?
q=1+corinthians+10:13-14
Abuse, N. I. on D. (2022).DDrug use severity in adolescence affects substance use disorder risk
in adulthood. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-
releases/2022/04/drug-use-severity-in-adolescence-affects-substance-use-disorder-risk-
in-adulthood
Chein,DJ.DAlbert,DD.,DO’Brien,DL,DUckert,DK., &DSteinberg,DL.D(2010).DPeers increase adolescent
risk taking by enhancing activity in the brain’s reward circuitry.DDevelopmental
Science,D14(2),D1–10.
CNN, D. M. (2021).DSubstance use among teens dropped significantly in 2021, survey finds.
CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/15/health/substance-use-down-among-teens-
wellness/index.html
Dunn,DM. S.,DKitts,DC.,DLewis,DS.,DGoodrow,DB., &DScherzer,DG. D.D(2011).DEffects of youth assets
on adolescent alcohol, tobacco, marijuana use, and sexual behavior.DJournal of Alcohol
and Drug Education,D55(3),D23–40.
Jones, B. (2022). Teenage Drug Addiction: A Complete Guide.DVerywellhealth.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/teenage-drug-addiction-5213002
Lashway, Z. (2021).DNumber of teens dealing with addiction increasing. KPRC.
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/12/01/number-of-teens-dealing-with-
addiction-increasing/
Wong, D. W., Hall, K. R., Justice, C. A., & Hernandez, L. W. (2021).DCounseling individuals
through the lifespan. Sage.
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