Addiction is a serious problem that knows no age. Drug and alcohol addiction among teenagers is continuously growing and the best way to stop it is to gain awareness of the risks and consequences of the said issue. For parents and educators, here are the top five teen drug abuse myths to be aware of.
- Prescription drugs are safer than street drugs.
- Alcohol and drug use is a “normal” teenage growing phase.
- Drug abuse only happens to poor people.
- You can’t be addicted if you don’t want to.
- Aftercare treatments are unnecessary.
Addiction to prescription drugs is as dangerous, if not more, as street drugs like marijuana and cocaine. Because of this misconception, many teenagers start experimenting with these drugs and usually accompanied by alcohol.
Aside from its addictive effects, these drugs have adverse effects on one’s body and may even lead to overdose and death.
Many believe that drinking alcohol and smoking pot are just a phase that teenagers go through as they grow up. Although in some cases, some people managed to stop abusing these substance; however, some people have higher addiction risk and are unable to control their addiction.
Also, it can lead to physical and emotional problems that have lasting and tragic effects on the teenager. If you suspect your teen to be abusing drugs, don’t hesitate to seek for help and get treatment right away.
Contrary to what many believe, drug addiction can happen to anyone regardless of age, sex, race and socio-economic status. The number of teens abusing drugs in public and private schools are the same.
This is another myth most people believe about teen drug abuse. However, research shows that some people have higher susceptibility towards addiction. In addition, occasional drug use leads to compulsion and eventually addiction.
Treating addiction is a constant and challenging process that requires continuous effort by everyone in order to be successful. This is why aftercare addiction treatment programs are very important.