FACT SHEET 5
DRUG USE IN ADOLESCENCE
Adolescents experiment with drugs or continue taking them for several reasons, including the following:
To fit in: Many teens use drugs “because others are doing it”—or they think others are doing it—and they fear not being accepted in a social circle that includes drug-using peers.
To feel good: Abused drugs interact with the neurochemistry of the brain to produce feelings of pleasure. The intensity of this euphoria differs by the type of drug and how it is used.
To feel better: Some adolescents suffer from depression, social anxiety, stress-related disorders, or physical pain. Using drugs may be an attempt to lessen these feelings of distress. Stress especially plays a significant role in starting and continuing drug use as well as returning to drug use (relapsing) for those recovering from an addiction.
To do better: Ours is a very competitive society in which the pressure to perform athletically and academically can be intense. Some adolescents may turn to certain drugs like illegal or prescription stimulants because they think those substances will enhance or improve their performance.
To experiment: Adolescents are often motivated to seek new experiences, particularly those they perceive as thrilling or daring.
DRUGS (OTHER THAN TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL) MOST COMMONLY ABUSED BY HIGH-SCHOOL SENIORS
*The top drug used in this category is Adderall (used by 7.4 percent).
†The top drugs used in this category are Vicodin (5.3 percent) and OxyContin (3.6 percent).
Source: Monitoring the Future: National Results on Adolescent Drug Use: Summary of Key Findings, 2013.
Alcohol and tobacco are the drugs adolescents most commonly abuse, followed by marijuana. The next most popular substances differ among age groups. Young adolescents tend to favor inhalant substances (such as breathing the fumes of household cleaners, glues, or pens; see “The Dangers of Inhalants” on the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s website, www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/inhalants). Older teens are more likely to use synthetic marijuana (“K2” or “Spice”) and prescription medications—particularly opioid pain relievers like Vicodin and stimulants like Adderall. In fact, the Monitoring the Future (2012) survey of adolescent drug use and attitudes revealed that prescription and over-the-counter medications account for a majority of the drugs most commonly abused by high-school seniors.
Signs of Drug Use in Adolescents
If adolescents start behaving differently for no apparent reason—such as acting withdrawn, frequently tired or depressed, or hostile—it could be a sign that they are developing a drug-related problem. Parents and others may overlook such signs, believing them to be a normal part of puberty. Other signs include any of the following:
A change in peer group
Carelessness with grooming
Decline in academic performance
Missing classes or skipping school
Loss of interest in favorite activities
Changes in eating or sleeping habits
Deteriorating relationships with family members and friends
At the same time, a wide range of genetic and environmental influences that promote strong psychosocial development and resilience (positive self image, communication skills, emotional intelligence) may work to balance or counteract risk factors. Therefore, it ultimately is hard to predict who will develop substance-use disorders and who won’t.
Parents’ Role in Getting Treatment
Parents tend to underestimate the risks or seriousness of drug use. The symptoms listed here suggest a problem that may already have become serious and should be evaluated to determine the underlying cause—which could be a substance-abuse problem or another mental-health or medical disorder. Parents who are unsure whether their children are abusing drugs can enlist the help of a primary-care physician, school guidance counselor, or drug-abuse treatment provider.
Parents seeking treatment for an adolescent child are encouraged to see the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s booklet Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment: Know What to Ask (available at the institute’s website, www.drugabuse.gov) and the Treatment Referral Resources section of this guide.
Relationship of Other Mental-Health Conditions to Substance Use by Adolescents
Drug use in adolescents frequently overlaps with other mental-health problems. For example, a teen with a substance-use disorder is more likely to have a mood, anxiety, learning, or behavioral disorder, too. Sometimes drugs can complicate the process of accurately diagnosing these other problems. The influence can go in both directions: adolescents may begin taking drugs to deal with depression or anxiety, for example, or frequent drug use may cause or precipitate those disorders.
Adolescents entering drug-abuse treatment should undergo a comprehensive mental-health screening to determine if other disorders are present. Effectively treating a substance-use disorder requires addressing drug abuse and other mental-health problems simultaneously.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Frequently Asked Questions,” in Principles of Adolescent Substance Use Disorder Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (NIH Publication No. 14-7953, January 2014), http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-adolescent-substance-use-disorder-treatment-research-based-guide/frequently-asked-questions.