Substance+Abuse+in+Adolescence

**Created by Eileen Corson, Alicia Flores & James Hafley **
__Substance Abuse in Adolescence__
 * ===Are you a teen who occasionally smokes or drinks or do you know someone who does? Do you feel pressure to fit in with your classmates?===
 * ===Are you a parent who is uncertain whether your teen has tried or is at risk to experiment with tobacco, alcohol, marijuana or prescription drugs?===
 * ===Do you think that substance abuse is restricted to a specific race, class or sex?===

If you can answer "yes" to any of these questions, this site is for you!

Substance abuse is deadly. media type="youtube" key="WBkJnI3Y-Ps" height="315" width="420"

Substance use most commonly begins at the age of 12 or 13 - at first with legal substances (tobacco and alcohol) then expanding to include prescription drugs, marijuana and illicit substances such as ecstasy, heroin, and LSD.

Why do adolescents begin to use alcohol or tobacco?
(Monti, 2001, p. 88)
 * insecurity
 * self-doubt
 * desire for social acceptance
 * coping with stress

Consequences of Substance Use: >
 * Compromises academic performance.
 * poor grades - concentration problems, lack of motivation
 * poor attendance
 * at risk of dropping out
 * Impairs social functioning
 * reduced relationship cohesion
 * less harmony and affection
 * impaired driving
 * unplanned or unsafe sex
 * Health Problems
 * Depending on the substance, health issue can stretch from depression to heart failure.

Commonly Used Substances and Their Effects



(Alcohol is a powerful sedative that acts on the brain, affects behavior and perception, and can cause dependence or addiction.) (Marijuana impairs our ability to control bodily movements, to learn and remember things, to tackle complex problems and ideas, and to make sound judgements.) (Prescription drug use can cause euphoria by affecting certain pleasure-related regions of the brain.) (Illicit drugs can cause difficulty in recognizing reality, communicating with other people, and thinking rationally.)
 * Tobacco**:
 * depression
 * heart disease, respiratory diseases, cancer
 * Alcohol**:
 * depression
 * antisocial personality disorder
 * suicidal thoughts
 * Marijuana**:
 * depression
 * suicidal thoughts
 * hallucinations
 * paranoia
 * Prescription Drugs**:
 * mood disturbances
 * anxiety
 * hallucinations
 * suicide
 * Illicit Drugs**:
 * Heroin
 * Cocaine
 * LSD

(Keegan, 2008, p. 74) (Martel, 2008, p. 364)

**Risk Factors for Teen Substance Abuse** >
 * Substance abuse does not discriminate between different social classes, religion, or race. There are, however, some factors that make teens more susceptible to using alcohol, tobacco, etc., (Anderson, 2011, p.51).
 * family history of substance abuse
 * depression
 * low self-esteem
 * aggressive behavior
 * feelings of social rejection
 * lack of parental supervision
 * drug availability



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The adolescent brain is susceptible to substance abuse and dependence. Although an occasional drink or cigarette may seem harmless, occasional use can easily become habit. According to Keegan (2008), "With habitual use, drugs begin to trigger changes in brain chemistry that lead to addiction" (p. 10).

Abuse of prescription drugs can affect anyone, any age, any race as shown in the following video. media type="youtube" key="Q-QHTLW4OOo" height="315" width="560" A number of people from all kinds of backgrounds experiment with drugs and alcohol (Keegan, 2008, p.33).



//This book provides the reader with one man's first hand experience with substance use, dependance, addiction and recovery. Keegan tells of his life growing up in a loving home and what led him to take his first drink at the onset of adolescence. His commentary is paired with explanations by Dr. Howard R. Moss as to why the adolescent brain reacts the way that it does to given substances.//

History of Substance Abuse media type="custom" key="14269958"

1960's were a time of increased alcohol and illicit drug use (marijuana, stimulants, and hallucinogens). 1970's
 * Discovery of LSD
 * Increased use of stronger drugs
 * Societal message of "Tune in, Turn on and Drop Out" -encouraged teens to tune in to what is happening, turn on to drugs and drop out of any societal expectations for your future.
 * Abuse of amphetamines. Initially used during WWII to relieve fatigue in servicemen.
 * Used by many Americans to control weight gain.
 * Speed (a methamphetamine) use is high.

1980's
 * Decrease in public tolerance of illegal drug use
 * Late 80's bring use of homemade drugs (crack cocaine)

1990's
 * President George Bush declares war on drugs.
 * High use of cocaine - mainly because of North America's close proximity to South America where cocaine is produced.
 * Late '90's saw a peak in teen smoking.

21st century
 * Increase in marijuana use among teens.
 * Increase in ecstasy use among teens.
 * Decrease in methamphetamine use among teens.
 * Decrease in cocaine use among teens.
 * Increased used in prescription drugs abuse.



//This book examines drug courts in the Juvenile Justice System, American drug policy, and describes the role of drug courts and how they operate - their mission. The chapters on Identifying Adolescent Substance Abuse demonstrate how knowledge of the how the adolescent brain develops is crucial in order to create a system that can effectively identify teen substance abusers and get them the help that the so desperately need - jail is not always the answer.//

(Jekel, 1987, p.46) (www.drugabuse.gov)

Media Messages, Peer Perceptions and Parental Responses (Schulte, 2010, p.375-81)

While parents may instruct teens not to use tobacco, alcohol or other substances, the messages are oftentimes diluted by what teens see and hear in the media, community, in their own homes and among their peers. These messages glorify relaxing with a cigarette, getting drunk or high to socialize or have fun, and encourage reliance on a drug to cur any sense of physical or emotional discomfort.

Teens have a tendency to have inflated perceptions of their peers substance use. This perception has been shown to actually increase teen substance use in order to fit it or demonstrate what one believes to be "normal" behaviors.

The following graph demonstrates the relationship between what a teen thinks is cool and what a teen feels other teens think is cool. This information was obtained from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. The graph was constructed by the creators of this wiki to represent the data within the journal.

Warning Signs, Parental Strategies and Treatment
 * Warning signs**:
 * loss of interest in favorite activity -sports, hobbies, etc.
 * hostile or uncooperative attitude
 * change in appearance
 * new friendships
 * change in school performance
 * change in eating habits
 * visits pro-drug websites
 * secrecy about actions or possessions
 * an unexplained disappearance of household money


 * Strategies**
 * Communicate with your child.
 * Ask your teen's views and listen to his opinions.
 * Discuss reasons not to use drugs
 * Plan ways to resist peer pressure.
 * Discuss your own drug use with your teen - if applicable.
 * Know your child's friends. Bourdeau (2011) explains that knowing the friends of one's child can give parents a relatively accurate picture of the temptations their child faces when with his friends and how he is most likely to respond to those temptations. Keep track of any changes in your child's social circle.
 * Establish rules and consequences. Agree on these rules ahead of time and enforce them consistently!
 * Keep an eye on prescription drugs. Take an inventory of all prescription and over the counter medications in your home and keep them our of easily accessible places.
 * Provide support. Offer encouragement when your teen succeeds - at school and home.
 * Set a good example.

There are many types of treatment programs. One must examine his own needs to determine the best treatment option for himself. One size does not fit all!
 * Treatment**
 * Not all treatments are created equal.

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This book is a more technical examination of substance use and treatment in a developmental framework. It is a great source for those seeking to understand intervene at the crucial juncture of adolescence and adulthood. One warning, this is not a good read for adolescents themselves and some parents may find it too technically based; however, reading past the technical language, one will find useful information.

Other Scholarly References //This article focuses on parents gaining knowledge of their child's friendships and using such knowledge to gain insight into the child's substance use or risk of substance use. Six strategies are highlighted for use in parental monitoring that can be used to gain knowledge about an adolescent's whereabouts, their friends and their activities: child self-disclosure, listening/observing, solicitation, learning from spouse, learning from siblings, and learning from others. The belief is that by knowing the friends of one's child, the parent is able to gain insight into the behaviors and activities of their own child - particularly when the child is spending time with his friends. The strategies used varied between parents sex, race, cultural background and social status. The most commonly used strategy was self-disclosure through communication. Consistently, however, parents underestimated the substance use of their own child.// //This article explores the relationships between psychological distress and sleep disturbance in adolescents. It also examines the effects of parental involvement; specifically of adolescents who have a history of substance abuse. The lower the parental involvement, the higher the psychological distress of the adolescent; the higher the psychological distress, the lower the amount of sleep. Such distress may often lead to substance abuse.//



//Anderson and Brown attempt to identify the most common drinking situations for young adolescents as well as determine predictors of their drinking - primarily in grades seven and eight. The study finds that middle school students most often drink in small groups of three to four at their own home or that of a friend. Adolescent drinkers tend to be heavy episodic drinkers. Furthermore, those students who engaged in heavy drinking by the age of 13 have lower rates of college completion. A high number of middle school drinkers drink alone; these adolescents are at greater risk for later alcohol dependence. Of course, friends greatly influence the choices of an adolescent. The more friends that an adolescent has who drink, the more likely he is to drink In fact, an adolescent reporting that a greater number of friends consumed alcohol, and having friends who drank to intoxication, predicted more extreme forms of alcohol use.//

//This portion of a larger journal explains that 20% of drug-related suicides are amongst males between the ages of 12-17. This article explains that this number is at its peak during the month of December.//

//This article focuses on adolescent relationships and how they influence substance abuse in the context of parental monitoring. Using a sample of North Italian and French Canadian adolescents over a 1-year longitudinal study, researchers concluded that the lower the parental monitoring, the higher the social use of substances amongst teens. This article stresses the importance of adults rules and the use of these rules to monitor adolescents.//

//This article traces the relationships between temperament traits, ADHD, and substance abuse. The article supposes that maladaptive traits would increase hyperactivity/inattention, hyperactivity/inattention would increase the risk for disruptive behaviors, and the disruptive behaviors would lead to adolescent substance abuse. This was a longitudinal study of 674 children (486 boys) beginning at the age of three.//



//This article explores the perceptions that adolescents have of their friends substance use and/or abuse and how to design interventions to address such. The views that an adolescent has of his friends substance use directly affects the frequency and quantity of substance use of the said adolescent. (If a teen perceives his friends or acquaintances as being heavy drinkers, then he is likely to consume similar quantities of alcohol to align with what he perceives to be the norm.) Consistently, adolescents possess inflated perceptions of their friends substance use. By correcting these perceptions, through intervention, substance use (alcohol or other) by the adolescent will decrease. Furthermore, the substance use of said friends will likely decrease as well.//

Useful Websites

[|NIDA for teens: The Science Behind Drug Abuse] [|The Partnership at Drugfree.org] [|Narconon] [|National Institute on Drug Abuse]

Help is available at these local agencies
Dockside 2625 S. Michigan Avenue South Bend, IN 46614 (574) 299-8595

Dockside, which serves as a foster care agency and works directly with the Juvenile Justice Center (JJC), offers the following services to teens and adults who are experiencing issues with substance abuse:


 * Initial assessment conducted by a licensed therapist
 * 2 featured programs for recovery
 * SEVEN Challenges
 * This evidence-based program is designed to help adolescents and young adult substance abusers to motivate a decision and commitment to change. It helps young people understand what it entails to give up a drug using life style and prepares them for success when they commit to such a change. The program is developmentally appropriate, research based, culturally sensitive and holistic.
 * COSAT (Court Ordered Substance Abuse Treatment)
 * Individual counseling provided at home
 * Flexible payment options for parents, schools, and other agencies

For more information regarding the SEVEN challenges and COSAT programs along with other services provided by Dockside, contact case manager Trish Vanskyhawk.

Summit Counseling Services 928 East Wayne St. South Bend, IN 46617 574-234-1990

Summit Counseling Services offers substance abuse therapy treatment to teenagers. The majority of patients that attend Summit are court ordered. Summit works directly with the Juvenile Justice Center (JJC) and offers the following services:


 * Initial assessment by a licensed therapist
 * 2 90 minute weekly sessions (Mondays and Wednesdays)
 * 12 week enrollment (24 sessions)
 * Featured program for recovery
 * COSAT (Court Ordered Substance Abuse Treatment)
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Individual counseling on site and at home

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">For more information regarding Summit Counseling Services, contact director Nancy Bryant at 574-286-0030

Oaklawn Elkhart, Indiana 46517 Phone: (574) 533-1234 Toll free: 800-282-0809 Fax: (574) 537-2697
 * 2600 Oakland Avenue**

South Bend, Indiana 46617 Phone: (574) 283-1234 Toll free: 877-412-0481 Fax: (574) 288-5047
 * 415 East Madison Street**

Adolescent Substance Abuse Program - ASAP
 * ASAP offers a supportive, safe setting where participants interact with staff and each other, expressing feelings and experiences. The average length of stay in ASAP is eight weeks, but may vary according to a teen’s individual goals and treatment plan.
 * ASAP is designed for adolescents whose drug use or alcohol abuse is interfering with personal safety, achievements, and healthy family communication. Issues underlying substance abuse are explored and addressed through group, individual and family counseling. The goal of ASAP is to provide an intensive group experience that both educates youth and assists them in examining their substance abuse issues.
 * Family Night (Thursday) is an integral part of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program. Working together, families identify roles, expectations, and negative patterns while exploring the overwhelming effects of behavior problems and/or substance abuse on the family system.

=Works Cited=

Anderson, Kristen G. & Brown, Sandra A. (2011). Middle School Drinking: Who, Where and When. // Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse //, 20 (1), 48-62.

Bourdeau, Beth; Miller, B., Duke, M., Ames, G //. // (2011) // . // Parental Strategies for Knowledge of Adolescents' Friends: Distinct from Monitoring? // Journal of Child & Family Studies //, 20 (6), 814-821.

Butts, Jeffrey A. & Roman, John. (2004). //Juvenile Drug Courts and Teen Substance Abuse.// Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute Press.

CASA //. // (2011) //  . Adolescent substance use: America's #1 public health problem. // Retrieved from http://www.casacolumbia.org

Cousins, Jennifer C., Bootzin, R., Stevens, S., Ruiz, B., & Haynes, P. (2007). Parental Involvement, Psychological Distress, and Sleep: A Preliminary Examination in Sleep-Disturbed Adolescents with a History of Substance Abuse. Journal of Family Psychology, 21 (1), 104-113.

Drug-related suicide attempts spike for male teens in December. (2011). //DATA: The Brown University Digest of Addiction Theory & Application//, //30//(3), 5.

Jekel, J.F & Allen, D.F. (1987). Trends in Drug Abuse in the Mid-1980's. //Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine//, 60 (1), 45–52.

Keegan, K. (2008). //Chasing the High: A Firsthand Account of One Young Person's Experience with Substance Abuse//. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Kiesner, Jeff, Poulin, F., & Dishion, T. (2010). Adolescent Substance Use with Friends: Moderating and Mediating Effects of Parental Monitoring and Peer Activity Contexts. // Merrill-Palmer Quarterly //, 56 (4), 529-556.

Martel, Michelle M., Pierce, L., Nigg, J., Jester, J., Adams, K., Puttler, L., Buu, A., Fitzgerald, H., Zucker, R. (2009). Temperament Pathways to Childhood Disruptive Behavior and Adolescent Substance Abuse: Testing a Cascade Model. // Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology //, 37 (3), 363-373.

Monti, Peter M., Colby, S. & O'Leary, T. (2001). //Adolescents, Alcohol, and Substance Abuse: Reaching Teens Through Brief Interventions//. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Schulte, Marya T., Monreal, T., Kia-Keating, M., Brown, S //. // Influencing Adolescent Social Perceptions of Alcohol Use to Facilitate Change through a School-Based Intervention. // Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse //, 2010, 19, 5, p372-390.