teen health website

One current problem facing many youths today in the United States is Teen Drug Addiction. Within the last couple of years, youths in America have had encounters with drugs such as ecstasy, speed (meth, crystal), coke, heroin, inhalants, and alcohol (YES! Alcohol is considered to be a drug.)

What is a drug? A drug is any substance that can modify one or more of your bodily functions. Drugs change the chemicals we have naturally in our brains! Alterations made by these chemicals, cause drastic changes in how we react to various situations. It changes our emotions, our feeling, and our ability to tell right from wrong. The reason why drugs have such a negative reaction to our bodies is because the chemicals that are located in our brain control all of our emotions.

Without realizing it, many teens start to become addicted to the various narcotic substances they use. It only takes one use for your body to become dependent on drugs. If you ask many teens if the have an addiction they may usually say NO! The reason why someone gets addicted to a drug or overuse drugs is because the more frequently that a person uses a drug, the more that the brain would eventually need. There is a lot of controversy relating to addiction. Some scientists believe that an addiction is genetic, saying that you can get a gene from one of you parents. Other arguments say that an addiction can depend on a person’s family life and their surrounds. Both arguments are good but when a teen decides to use a drug they are making a big gamble on their lives.

Within the United States, the number one drug problem amongst adolescents is alcohol. In an article written by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, the Chairperson announced in February of 2003 that there was an “ underage drinking epidemic.” Children under the age of 21 consumed 25% of the alcohol in the United States. In studies conducted by the researchers at Columbia, teen drinking is the number one source of adult alcoholism. This is because young adults are more prone to the effect of a drug than an adult. The speed at which someone becomes addicted to a drug depends on the person’s age. The younger someone starts to use drugs the more likely they are going to be addicted to the drugs.

Since teen alcoholism a problem that faces many youths in the United States, where can they go to help. Located throughout the United States is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary worldwide fellowship of men and women who meet together to attain and maintain sobriety. In order to become a member you just have to have the desire to stop drinking. You have to take the initiative to stop drinking on your own, but you can recommend this program to anyone who you think has a problem with alcohol.