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Why Do Young People Use Drugs?

Raising Drug Free Kids

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Why Do Young People Use Drugs?

It may be easier to help your children stay away from alcohol and other drugs if you understand why young people use them.

They use alcohol and other drugs for many of the same reasons adults use alcohol and prescription drugs.

Here are the most common reasons young people use drugs:

Peer Pressure
Young people may give in to pressure from their peers to try drugs. They may use a drug to feel like a part of the crowd, or to act grown up.

Pleasure
Many young people say they take drugs to feel good.

Curiosity or Experimentation
At first, adolescents may be tempted to try a drug to find out for them selves what it is like. Usually people who use a drug for this reason do not continue to use for long periods of time.

Boredom
If they lack outside activities and interests after school, young people may want to try something different.

Self-esteem
Young people, as well as adults, often use drugs to try to feel more confident about themselves. Drugs seem to make them feel more important and in control.

Coping with Stress
Many young people do not yet have good problem-solving skills. Some of them use drugs to help cope with problems at school, in the family, and with social relationships.

Escapism
Drugs appear to make things better than they really are. Problems don't seem as real or important. This effect is short term.

Social Culture
Alcohol is part of our culture. Licensed restaurants assume you will want something from the bar before dinner, as do friends who invite you to their house. The message that alcohol goes hand in hand with social activities is constantly given to young people.

Rebellion
Since most adults do not approve of alcohol or drug use by young people, they may use drugs to rebel against parents or teachers.

What Can You Do To Help?

Peel Partners For A Drug-Free Community Encourages You To:

• Know as much as you can. Learn the facts about alcohol and other drugs.
• Be open to others concerns. Encourage them to discuss alcohol and other drugs openly with you.
• Let them know you do not approve of the use of illegal drugs.
• Act as a positive role model in the home and the community

Therefore:

• do not drink and drive
• do not mix drinking with other activities

As Parents You Can Help Your Child By:

• Getting to know your child's friends and their families, if possible. Encourage your children to bring their friends home.
• Ask your children to let you know where they are, and let them know where you are.
• Set rules in your home and be consistent. Set the consequences for breaking the rules ahead of time.
• Show your children how they can be responsible hosts when giving a party by:
  • not allowing party crashers, drugs, or illegal use of alcohol (underage drinking, etc.)
  • limiting the party to a specific area of your house
  • not allowing guests to come and go
  • making sure a parent or other adult is present in the house

Signs and Symptoms of Drug Use:

You may begin to suspect that someone you know is using drugs if they are acting differently. A change in behavior may not indicate that they are using drugs. However, a sudden serious change of character may be a sign that a person is using drugs.

Changes in Mood:

• less caring and less involved at home
• cranky or more difficult to get along with
• moody
• secretive and uncooperative
• withdrawn, depressed

Physical Changes:

• weight loss
• bloodshot eyes
• trouble talking or walking
• difficulty sleeping

Changes in Behavior:

• skip school
• significant drop in grades
• difficulty in managing money (you may notice money is missing)
• change in friends, and not be willing to bring them home or talk about them
• trouble concentrating and paying attention
• spend more time in the person's room or away from home
• change of interests and hobbies

Objects/Equipment used to take drugs:

• cigarette papers (for rolling joints)
• roach clips (for smoking joints)
• hash pipes (for smoking hash)
• glass water pipes (for smoking hash or crack)
• syringes (for injecting drugs)
• small scales (for weighing drugs)
• pills, powders, or other substances that you can't identify

Object/Equipment used to cover up drug use:

• eye drops (to reduce blood shot eyes caused by smoking pot)
• mouth wash (to cover up breath odours)
• incense (to cover up smell of smoking drugs, such as pot, hash in house)

Talking To Your Adolescent About Drug Use 

If you suspect your child is using alcohol/drugs:

Be open and honest about your feelings.
Try not to let your anger or fear get in the way. Calm down before thinking about the best way to respond. Don't confront your adolescent when either one of you is "high" or drunk.

Choose the right time.
Try to talk privately with your adolescent during a quiet part of the day when you won't be interrupted.

Focus on the behaviors:
Begin by telling your adolescent that something is on your mind which concerns you. Mention your specific concerns (e.g. changes, or objects noted above in "SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DRUG USE"). Name calling, scolding, blaming and threatening can create bad feelings.

When a serious problem arises, it is important to try to respect each other. -Don't be afraid to set standards and follow through.

Take a firm stand regarding drug use.
Often our adolescents wish that we would say "NO" clearly and firmly. Set rules in your home and follow through with the consequences.

For the time being doesn't ask "why".
If your adolescents admit to using drugs, it will not help to ask why. It is very possible that your adolescent does not know; they may have many reasons.

If your adolescent does not admit to drug use, don't push the issue for now. By having this discussion, you have already let the child know that you are concerned and that you are willing to talk about drugs.

However, you can use this time to make sure your values and the house rules are well known.

Ask for help.
Don't be afraid to get outside help. There are many confidential resources available to parents. Please see our listings of Treatment and Family Agencies for a guide on where to find help.

Job Description For Parents:

The primary goal in parenting is to prepare children for dealing with "The Real World". Methods used to prepare them for the REAL WORLD must always be evaluated in terms of how well they meet their children's deepest needs such as self-esteem, self-respect, self-reliance, satisfying relationships with others.

Setting Limits:

Parents set and their adolescents test them -criteria for setting limits:

• they must be clear
• they must be appropriate
• they must be enforceable

Setting Consequences:

• All actions have consequences.

Providing a Safe Home Environment:

• Emotionally secure and physically safe

Job Description for Children:

Major areas for which children are responsible:

• their feelings
• their behavior
• their school performance
• their social life
• consequences from outside the home
• their future