Symptoms and stages of teenage drug addiction. Drug addiction among teenagers

For any parent, the news that his... Why is the problem of drug addiction so acute in society? Because every year there are more and more drug addicts. And the saddest thing is that among them are increasingly teenagers. There is a need to prevent teenage drug addiction, which cannot be done without knowing the causes of its occurrence.

Drugs are a bad hobby that destroys both physiological and mental process drug addict. A person gets sick due to constant exposure to his body, his immunity decreases. Often among drug addicts there are people with serious contagious diseases that are easily transmitted through the tools used when using drugs. Healthy man not only consumes a substance that promotes inflammation in the oral, nasal cavities, esophagus, respiratory organs, etc., but also becomes a victim of infection.

Thus, diseases such as syphilis, hepatitis C, respiratory diseases, sexually transmitted pathologies, etc. are common among drug addicts.

The majority of drug addicts are teenagers. For drug dealers, young boys and girls are the most desirable clients, since they are very easy to get hooked on drugs and force them to continually purchase them. This is the problem of everything, so it is discussed in the online magazine site.

What is teenage drug addiction?

Teenage drug addiction refers to the harmful addiction of girls and boys to drugs. It is noted that 20% of girls and 56% of boys have tried drugs at least once in their lives. And if a teenager does not have any interests and has problems in life, then the effect of the drugs taken becomes the only entertainment.

Teenage drug addiction is a problem for the individual, family and society as a whole. These three components are involved in making a person become a drug addict. And this means that preventive measures must occur at all three levels.

The most dangerous thing about this hobby is that among modern teenagers, drug use is a kind of attribute of pastime. Drugs can already be compared to cigarettes or alcohol, which are used in any situation:

When there is nothing to do.
When you meet with friends.
When are holidays celebrated?
When you go on a date.

Already in many cafes you can use hookah. Although this is equivalent to the habit of smoking, it already shows that soon taking drugs will become acceptable.

A teenager is a drug addict - this is primarily the problem of his parents. And many mothers and fathers here are fiercely struggling with the situation that has arisen. Why?

Due to the destructive effect of drugs on the body and psyche of adolescents.
Because drugs make a person addicted.
Due to the development of a teenager's habit of stealing, begging for money or lying to get his dose.

Thus, the addict is destroyed not only at the physiological level, but also at the moral level.

Causes of teenage drug addiction

Teenage drug addiction has the same reasons that cause teenage alcoholism, early sexual intercourse and smoking addiction. Adolescence is a person's transition from carefree childhood into adulthood, where it is necessary to bear responsibility. In this, psychologists see many factors that lead to addictions:

The teenager has not yet gotten rid of his childhood habits. You don't need to make any effort to enjoy it. You need to rejoice in what brings joy without conscious and volitional participation. If in childhood the warm sun brought joy, then in adolescence You can experience pleasure after taking drugs without any effort.
The teenager has not yet understood what it means to be an adult. He sees that adult uncles and aunts smoke, drink, take drugs, and repeats them. By imitating the bad, the teenager himself begins to become bad.

The influence of the media and friends should not be ruled out yet. In means mass media all the time we're talking about about drugs. Even if drugs are condemned, a teenager still becomes interested in trying them in order to understand why so much attention is directed to them.

If it is customary to use drugs among friends, then the teenager is unlikely to be able to resist their opinion. He will also smoke or sniff something “for company” in order to “be cool” and not be branded a “loser.”

Another important reason for the development of drug addiction is the family situation. What kind of relationship does a teenager have with his parents? How trusting is their relationship? What kind of education was used and continues to be used in relation to the teenager? What did the parents teach the child? How much attention, support and understanding is given to him now that he is an adult and constantly makes mistakes? These and many other factors can either prevent or push a child to use drugs. The more cold, indifferent or authoritarian, protective, prohibitive the parents are, the more likely the child is to become addicted to drugs.

Personality disorders, which include improper child upbringing, should be attributed to the reasons for the development of drug addiction among adolescents. A teenager may have various mental disorders (physical underdevelopment, etc.), which will provoke deviant behavior in him. If among the main character traits there is easy suggestibility and subordination to the opinions of others, then such a child will quickly become addicted to drugs.

It should be borne in mind that many drug addicts come from dysfunctional families:

Where the parents themselves drank heavily or took drugs.
Where parents constantly used physical force against each other and their children.
Where there were many children (brothers and sisters) and the future drug addict was not given due attention and was not given proper education.
Where parents used violent acts in relation to the child.
Where parents were very cold or overprotective of their child.

There must be a lot of problems in the relationship between a drug addict and his parents that cannot be resolved, which is why the child seeks his solace in drugs.

Important factors in the formation of drug addiction include methods. Every person has to adapt to society. What qualities and skills he develops in himself depends on the circle of friends with whom he was able to establish common language, their principles and outlook on life. How can a child adapt to society in order to feel calm, a member of a group? If those around him take drugs, which is one of the ways of adaptation, then the child will also become a drug addict.

Lack of knowledge and understanding of what is happening. If parents have not taken care to give a clear and precise picture of what happens to a person who uses drugs, then the child tries them without fear or doubt. If there is no fear of causing yourself more harm than benefit, then at least attempts are made to try drugs.

The problem of drug addiction among teenagers

It is very difficult to combat the emergence of drug addiction among teenagers. Even the most successful and adequate parents may experience a situation where their child indulges in drugs. Here the problem is seen in stereotypes among teenagers, which is not corrected by society.

As long as teenagers consider drugs as an attribute of an independent, adult life, as well as a way to demonstrate their own coolness, it will be difficult to rid them of the addiction. It should be noted that changing the teenager’s environment can help improve the situation. After all, there are other children who are absolutely not interested and are even against drugs.

Why can't society leave drug addicts alone and constantly struggles to cure them? The fact is that the behavior of drug addicts in society is always destructive. One can cynically say that if drug addicts did not harm others and did not become participants in tragedies, then no one would touch them.

Society is no less interested than the family in eliminating a person’s drug addiction. This can be explained simply by the fact that narcotic dependent person cannot be a useful member of society. Often such a person earns money by committing thefts, crimes or deception, and not by getting a job where they give out wages once a month.

Members of his family often suffer from the actions of a drug addict. If you young man already have children, they are often born with various defects in physiological development, and also copy the behavior of their parents, considering drug addiction to be a normal phenomenon.

Sick children who themselves become drug addicts are additional expenses for the state, which could spend this money on something else.

Drug addiction can be called a cancer of the nation, which can die out if cancer cells begin to involve healthy cells and tissues in their activities.

Prevention of drug addiction among teenagers

It is better to prevent the development of drug addiction than to eliminate it later. For this it is necessary to develop effective ways prevention of drug addiction among teenagers. The most common ways are:

Conducting educational lessons at school.
Creating anti-drug communities.
Creation of clinics for the treatment of drug addicts.

However, parents should primarily be involved in the prevention of drug addiction even in preschool age your child. It is necessary to improve, teach ways to adapt to the world around us, skills to resist the opinions of other people (friends), and communication skills.

In other words, a child, even before adolescence, must acquire all the skills and knowledge that he can use when faced with an offer to take drugs and show himself to be “cool.” What is needed here is an adequate assessment of oneself and a developed sense of self-esteem, and thrift for one’s own health.

Bottom line

You can give up and let people be who they become. Society will not disappear just because of a few drug addicts. However, the absence of any action to correct the situation may lead to the degradation of the entire society in the future. After all, if the first drug addicts appeared, it means that there are conditions in which other people may find themselves who will also soon become drug addicts.

Adolescent drug addiction is the formation of dependence on psychotropic drugs in minors (12–18 years old). Narcologists and psychologists argue that young people are naturally predisposed to develop an interest in illegal substances, and problems in the family or bad company are only catalysts. Drug use by adolescents has its own characteristics - addiction develops faster, the risk of overdose is too high, irreversible consequences arise, including a slowdown in development and the formation of psychopathological diseases.

Statistics

According to a Goskomstat survey, at the end of 2017, 13.5% of young people in Russia regularly use drugs. This is more than 54 million people. Experts assure that this is not the worst statistics yet, since 10 years ago the figures were even higher (the same as with alcoholism and the desire to smoke cigarettes).

	Number of teenagers*
	With alcohol addiction	With tobacco addiction	With drug addiction




* all three addictions are interconnected: 76% of teenagers simultaneously abuse drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.

Despite the fact that the total number of young drug addicts is gradually decreasing, there are two big problems associated with the use of psychotropic drugs in adolescence. Firstly, it decreases middle age when young people try drugs: in 1993 it was 18 years old. Nowadays, on average, young drug addicts start using at the age of 13–14 years.

The second sad trend: cases of use by children are becoming more frequent. hard drugs(including heroin). This contributes to the increase in deaths among teenagers due to overdose.

Of course, drug addiction among young people is not only a problem in our country. The worst situation is in Indonesia, India, and the Middle East, where more than 40% of people aged 12 to 18 use various psychoactive drugs. In the USA, the number of juvenile drug addicts is 19% of total number teenagers

What motivates teenagers to take drugs?

Boys and girls are naturally inclined to show interest in drugs. As child psychologists explain, the reason for this phenomenon lies in the following:

Natural curiosity: All children are attracted to the opportunity to try something that they are not allowed to do.
Drugs are associated with growing up, so teenagers try them out of a desire to prove that they are already accomplished individuals and have the right to free choice.
Children do not have a developed sense of self-preservation; they do not think about the future, but live with momentary sensations. They use drugs without understanding the dangers.

The influence of the listed psychological factors applies to both disadvantaged children and young people growing up in wealthy and happy families. This only encourages you to take drugs for the first time and learn from your own example how they work. But in order for a teenager to regularly use psychotropic drugs, external prerequisites must still be in effect:

Teenagers start taking drugs in company where it is considered normal. This is how they strive to make friends.
Drugs are used as a way to escape problems (drug addiction is widespread among young people growing up in problematic families or having conflicts with peers).
The teenager is turned on by his parents who are drug addicts (including unknowingly).
There is no preventive educational work with the child; he is not aware of what consequences await him from such a bad habit.

“76% of teenagers with drug addiction grow up in a deviant environment - where crime is considered the norm, and material security families are below average. The lack of funds to raise children and the degradation of parents lead to the fact that boys and girls find themselves “thrown out onto the streets.” Among street children, drug addicts occur in 84% of cases.”

Nikolenko I. V., representative of the commission on juvenile affairs

Signs

It is difficult to identify drug addiction due to the secrecy of adolescents, because not a single boy or girl will share with their parents that they are trying psychoactive substances. The task of parents is to closely monitor changes in the behavior and appearance of their child. Here are the first signs of drug use:

Mood swings, causeless and sudden - from aggression to excessive love of life.
Activity that is atypical for a given teenager or, conversely, “withdrawal.”
In a state of drug intoxication, the pupils of the eyes are unnaturally wide or narrow, and the gaze is empty.
Distorted speech, gait, coordination. Strange gestures appear (too nervous or, conversely, inhibited).
Getting worse appearance, the face and body become covered with ulcers, hair falls out, and teeth deteriorate.
Sleep patterns are disrupted (insomnia alternates with drowsiness) and nutrition (appetite is either brutal or disappears completely).

When injecting, there will be puncture wounds on the skin. When inhaling the powder, traces of the drug remain on the nose. Due to the use of putty, the lips and gums become covered with ulcers.

In addition to external symptoms, changing the lifestyle of adolescents helps to recognize drug addiction. Dependent children's performance at school always deteriorates, and interest in studies and previous hobbies disappears. A dangerous sign is deviant behavior (steals money from the family budget, gets into fights). The appearance of material problems (money waste that the child cannot explain) is typical.

Attention: it is impossible to determine drug addiction with 100% accuracy using the listed signs alone. Similar symptoms may indicate various diseases (for example, hormonal disorders or mental disorders). Before attacking a child, you should try to talk to him in a friendly manner and persuade him to see a doctor.

Stages of teenage drug addiction

Addiction to drugs in young citizens follows the same pattern as in adults. At the first stage, the child simply takes the drug “for company” - out of curiosity or because of pressure in the teenage environment (the notorious “are you weak?”). Dependence does not always occur after the first doses.

The second stage - positive attitudes associated with drugs begin to take hold in the child’s head (“I was accepted into the company,” “I felt good,” “I forgot about my problems”). This is a sign of development psychological dependence. It feels like it’s no longer possible to improve your mood or communicate with peers without doping. The third stage is physical addiction. Taking drugs no longer brings pleasure, but without a new dose, painful symptoms arise.

The peculiarity of drug addiction in adolescents is that children do not feel the danger from drugs. They tend to take drugs unnecessarily many times a day (they do not feel normal), which leads to the accelerated development of addiction.

Popular drugs among teenagers

Among young people, the choice of drugs is not based on what is “fashionable” or on the awareness of harm. In 90% of cases, drugs are selected based on the principle of “what can be obtained.”
The most popular substance among children is cannabis (marijuana, hemp) - according to the State Statistics Committee, 59.8% of young drug addicts are addicted to it. More than 14% use salts (smoking mixtures, mixes). Opiates (including heroin) are used by 11.2%. Among other psychotropic tablets and powders common among drug-addicted children, it is worth highlighting: inhalants (glue, etc.) – 5.7%; cocaine – 3.2%; hallucinogens – 3.1%.

IN recent years“Dirty drugs” like shpak are becoming widespread among teenagers. They are made from lime, bird droppings and tobacco. The products smell terrible, strongly corrode the skin and mucous membranes, but are popular among minor drug addicts due to their low price (the cost of one dose is less than 30 rubles).

Treatment: what to do if a teenager takes drugs

The first thing parents who notice signs of drug use should do is try to talk calmly (without threats, accusations, or blackmail). It is necessary to explain what consequences a bad habit has. Even if a child listens to loved ones and agrees to fight his addiction, it is better not to engage in treatment at home, but to seek help from specialists with extensive experience working with minors. The clinic will include:

Diagnostics - the doctor will find out what substances were taken and what consequences it had for the body.
Detoxification and taking symptomatic medications to relieve withdrawal symptoms.
Psychological therapy to identify the reasons for turning to drugs, finding ways to get out of a difficult situation.
Treatment of diseases internal organs caused by the use of toxic substances.
Social rehabilitation, teaching the child normal communication with peers, encouraging him to study and have a hobby.

The course of treatment includes not only work with the teenager himself, but also conversations with his relatives. Psychologists teach parents to recognize and correct existing problems and explain how to communicate with their child so that he does not return to drugs.

Consequences

Drugs cause harm to the body of a person of any age, but for children and adolescents, psychotropic substances pose a danger also because they do not allow the body and psyche to fully develop. This may have delayed effects even after treatment is completed.

The specificity of young drug addicts in the formation of such complications as slow growth, low intellectual development, hormonal imbalances. If there is a predisposition to mental illness, then it manifests itself already in the first years of abuse of intoxicating drugs.

It is worth noting that the prognosis for full recovery in adolescents is two times lower than in adults. For comparison, here are the statistics: more than 42% of adult drug addicts with the 2nd and 3rd stages of addiction do not use drugs for 5 years after treatment and rehabilitation. For minor drug addicts, this figure is only 26%.

Another important aspect: under the influence of drugs, adolescents are prone to suicide (half of all suicides among minors are committed while intoxicated). Alas, after completion of treatment, this problem persists, since in the first years after rehabilitation, a young drug addict is susceptible to depression (due to hormonal instability, expressed in increased vulnerability and emotionality).

Prevention

The best way to avoid teen drug addiction is to take preventive measures. This also applies to law enforcement agencies, both teachers and parents. To prevent the use of illegal drugs, a child must be surrounded by attention and care in the family, his time must be as organized as possible (statistically, the more hobbies a young person has, the less likely he is to be involved in drug use).

Information about the benefits has a great influence healthy image life and about the dangers of psychotropic drugs (without unnecessary dramatization, teaching and aggression). In addition to propaganda, it is useful to offer anonymous help to adolescents (such as hotlines and helplines) so that children can discuss relationships with family and peers. This will reduce the influence of factors that often push minor person to drugs.

Finally, we note that it is impossible to scold a teenager caught using drugs (this will provoke aggression), but it is also prohibited to turn a blind eye to the problem. Youth drug addiction cannot be treated according to the principle of “getting mad and quitting on your own” - the cost of lost time can be the life of a child!

One of the most common fears of modern parents is to find out that the child has long and firmly been dependent on narcotic substances. However, there is always a way out; in no case should this problem be ignored. We provide quality and effective treatment drug addiction in adolescents.

Have you noticed that your child's behavior has changed as he grows up? Have you seen injection marks on your arms or legs? These are the most common signs of drug addiction in adolescents, which can be identified visually.

Initial consultation with drug addicts and loved ones

We offer an initial consultation, during which an experienced psychologist and a narcologist will conduct an initial conversation with a young drug addict, with close relatives, to identify the problem and further plan of action.

Exactly at this initial period It is necessary to very carefully start a conversation with a teenager, identify the reason that prompted him to start taking drugs, and understand his internal experiences. And most importantly, stimulate the desire to begin treatment for drug addiction.

Diagnosis of drug addiction in a teenager

Drug addiction is a very complex disease that requires careful diagnosis. First of all, your child will be fully examined (all necessary tests will be taken, an ultrasound examination will be performed, etc.).

With the help of special laboratory tests in our clinic in Moscow, you can find out specifically from which narcotic drugs the teenager has developed an addiction (cannabinoids, spice, psychostimulants, opiates, etc.), as well as its degree.

The examination will also identify concomitant diseases that could develop as a result of chronic intoxication of the body. In addition, our psychologists will work with your child to identify the reasons that triggered drug addiction. Youth drug addiction problems can have many different causes, which are important to eliminate for successful treatment.

Individual treatment for adolescent drug addiction

Treatment of teenage drug addiction is not an easy but surmountable path. To successfully overcome drug addiction for each patient, we exclusively develop individual plan treatment.

A comprehensive drug treatment, which is aimed at relieving signs of intoxication (if necessary), as well as maintaining a young body and resuming its normal functioning.

An integral part of treatment is the work of a psychologist with a teenager. Because completely overcoming drug addiction is almost impossible without working on the patient’s consciousness. Psychologists at our clinic in Moscow do their best to correct the behavior of a teenager, thus eliminating the root causes of drug addiction.

Rehabilitation is an important part of maintaining success

Youth drug addiction is often characterized by relapses and relapses. In order to forget about drug-related problems forever, an important role is assigned not only to direct treatment, but also to the rehabilitation stage.

Our clinic also develops special rehabilitation programs for teenagers, after which teenagers in 90% of cases do not have the desire to return to drug use.

We work for the benefit of our patients. Hundreds of teenagers have already passed through our clinic and were able to successfully cope with the problem of drug addiction. Give your child a chance to recover, contact our clinic!

Cost of treatment services

Service	Price
Drug addiction treatment	1300 rub./day
Rehabilitation of drug addicts	from 35,000 rub. month
Rehabilitation center in Thailand	from 5000 rub./day
VIP class drug addiction treatment (VIP services)	from 2500 rub./day
Relieving withdrawal symptoms (withdrawal syndrome)	3000 rub.
IV drip at home	3000 rub.
Drug addiction treatment clinic	1300 rub.
Services of a narcologist (Psychologist)	3000 rub.
Compulsory treatment of drug addiction (Motivational brigade)	from 10,000 rub.
Treatment of drug addiction in a hospital	1300 rub./day
Ubod (Detoxification)	25,000 rub.

Teenage drug addiction is the “scourge” of our time. Treatment of drug addiction in adolescents is very difficult, since the consequences are worse, and they also lack motivation. Therefore, rehabilitation is very difficult.

Causes of teenage drug addiction

Drug addiction in adolescence is very common today.

And its main reasons are the following factors:

poor upbringing, lack of parental attention.
family problems.
protests against family rules and charters
Mental instability, uncertainty, fears

More precisely, the reasons are personality deviations and psychological disorders of the teenager. In this case, he cannot or does not know how to realize himself correctly and therefore seeks thrills through drugs. It is teenagers who are most susceptible to psychological disorders, since during this period hormonal changes in the body occur.

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Lack of psychological maturity is the main cause of drug addiction in adolescents, and as a result there are no life guidelines, weakness of will, etc. It can be noted that teenagers often strive to have fun, but do not take into account the possible consequences.

Adolescents who live in unfavorable conditions, that is, if the family abuses alcohol or drugs, if the family is incomplete or deformed (there is a stepfather or stepmother), if there is no mutual understanding between the parents.

No less important reasons drug addiction among teenagers can be called the teenager’s getting into antisocial groups, and subsequently the desire to imitate the “cooler” members of the team in order to increase their status or make an impression.

Note:

As a rule, the development of drug addiction occurs due to insufficient parental control.

But there are often cases when children from favorable families also start using drugs. This can happen due to excessive control, a desire for independence, so to speak, or even curiosity or boredom. Also, often children are not busy with anything, have no hobbies, and that is why they end up in the wrong company.

Protest is another common reason started using drugs. A protest reaction is typical for teenagers; it can occur when parents are indifferent, humiliation, punishment, which affects the child’s self-esteem, and also when parents put a ban on something significant for the child. Quite often, children begin to use drugs due to excessive parental demands. That is, when outstanding success is required, impossible tasks are set, etc. In this case, the child simply begins to run away from home and seek understanding on the street.

Narcologists note that a severe form of drug addiction develops in adolescents who have psychological or biological abnormalities, and adolescents who have not developed a pronounced addiction began to use due to the influence of a social factor.
We know how to help your child!

Features of teenage drug addiction

A child in adolescence is already turning into an adult, but during this period he is characterized by rebellion, the struggle for independence, the need for new experiences, etc. That is, the problem of teenage drug addiction is unformed individuals, and that is why they are difficult to treat. Drug addicts are more mature age They have already felt their bottom and can realize their problem.

Today, the main problem of teenage drug addiction is not even that children end up in bad company, but that drug use is fashionable today. This is a kind of way to show their “coolness,” since it is at this age that children strive to appear older.

Teenagers have not yet gained enough life experience to understand the gravity of their situation. And these " rose-colored glasses“does not allow them to see all the danger. For example, today drugs such as spice and salt are very common among young people. They maim and kill thousands of lives. And for teenagers who are easily influenced, these drugs seem harmless.

Note:

Parents must respond in a timely manner to changes in the child’s behavior; even a short stay in an antisocial company can change the teenager radically.

It is important that parents recognize the problem of their minor child in time. Often adults behave incorrectly and begin to blame everyone in the world, but not themselves. The school is bad, the company is dysfunctional, and the child himself is difficult.

Treatment

Treatment of adolescent drug addiction must be comprehensive and continuous. But given age, therapy should be individual, since it is important to take into account personal characteristics teenager, type of drug, etc.

Detoxification

Detoxification is the first stage of treatment; it involves cleansing the body of toxic substances that have accumulated during drug use. Cleaning is carried out by specialized centers; this always happens in a hospital.
The duration of therapy can vary from 3 to 10 days, depending on what drug and how long it was taken.

Rehabilitation

After detoxification, the next stage of treatment is a stay in a rehabilitation center. You need to choose a center that practices, as it is the most effective today. Under this program, psychologists work with teenagers to help them understand their addiction. Working with teenagers is much more difficult than working with adults.

Next, it is important to change the addict’s thinking, it is important special approach, since many of those who use have not yet seen a full life, and do not know how good it can be. Psychologists help a teenager find new hobbies, skills, habits, etc. That is, they help to see positive aspects sober life.

If work with adult addicts is aimed at restoring the spiritual and moral aspects of the personality, then in the case of teenagers we need to help them find these areas.

The duration of rehabilitation must be at least 6 months. Since, according to statistics, in this case, 87% of rehabilitators remain clean.
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Social adaptation

The treatment program begins immediately after returning from the rehabilitation center. At the same time, a narcologist continues to work with the teenager. An addict needs to overcome fears, become more confident, integrate into society, and even learn to make friends.

It is very difficult for adolescent drug addicts to adapt. This is where visiting a Narcotics Anonymous group can help. At such meetings, the addict will meet other addicts who will tell their story and share their experience. It will be very useful for a teenager to meet people who have already long time do not use drugs, and at the same time they are happy, their life is rich and interesting. Since teenagers are impressionable, such meetings will provide additional motivation.

Attention!

The information in the article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute instructions for use. Consult your healthcare provider.

What are the main reasons for the increase in drug addiction among adolescents and children? In our country, the trend of drug abuse among teenagers has now reached alarming proportions. Just a few years ago, it was rare to find a 16-year-old drug addict. But today, 30% of drug addicts seeking medical help are teenagers and children.

Gradually, taking drugs in teenage groups among modern youth has become commonplace and even a tradition. Normal children are perceived by such companies as “black sheep”. Teenage drug addiction has reached epidemic proportions in Russia. According to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, youth and adolescents make up 70% of all drug users. Boys use drugs 2–2.5 times more often than girls.

Modern youth subculture drug intoxication began to be considered as a taken-for-granted attribute of pastime. Some teenagers and young men read scientific works and fiction books that describe experiences under the influence of intoxicating and psychoactive substances. In this vulnerable adolescence, any information about mystical spiritual experiences and experiences with LSD, peyote, psilocycin, mescaline is perceived by high school students and teenagers as a direct guide to action. But taking drugs in any form is not justified. Senior students from universities are also susceptible to drug addiction, despite their full awareness of the dangers of drugs and the dangers of conducting drug experiments.

The statistics of drug addiction among adolescents highlight the first outbreak of drug addiction in the world in the 20s of the 20th century. In Russia at that time, cocaine was massively consumed by street children. At the end of the 20th century, children from wealthy families were also involved in drug addiction. And today, narcotic substances are very accessible, even distributed via the Internet. IN lately It’s good that it’s no longer possible to buy potent medications in pharmacies without a prescription.

Causes of drug addiction in teenagers

Drug addiction among teenagers is common because the teenager himself is not yet a formed personality, is emotionally unstable, and is very curious. Every teenager wants adulthood, independence, and authority in the eyes of their peers. And this creates vulnerability in the growing person.

The onset of drug use in adolescents, as a rule, occurs in the company of friends, in a club, or at a disco. Curiosity and reluctance to lag behind the group pushes the child to take a fatal step. The systematic nature of drug poisoning translates stupid curiosity and looking up to avid drug addicts into the abyss of drug addiction and, as a result, a stumbled teenager becomes acquainted with the phenomenon drug withdrawal, fragile euphoria and primitive “high” pass and a collision occurs with harsh reality forehead to forehead.

In most cases, drug addiction in adolescence is rooted in the teenager's personal problems, lack of worthwhile life goals and life satisfaction. This is how the desire to enjoy life is replaced naturally to artificially induce pleasant experiences, which are replaced by a flurry of harmful side effects.

The cause of drug addiction in adolescents and children lies in artificial production pleasure. Having experienced a “high”, a teenager strives to repeat pleasant impressions. Before you know it, the child becomes addicted to drugs. And now drug use is carried out not only for pleasure, but also to avoid and suppress aches in the joints and muscles - symptoms of withdrawal. Friendship with those with drug experience makes drugs available and replaces childhood friends, family, and school.

The cause of teenage drug addiction is often an attempt by a teenager to assert himself among a normal group of peers. The desire to be its leader or at least a recognized authority figure dictates the teenager to demonstrate his bad habits– smoking, drinking, taking drugs as a symbol of adulthood.

Signs of drug addiction in teenagers

The prerequisites for the emerging problem of drug addiction among adolescents lie in the early use of tobacco - even from the age of six. If there is a fact of nicotine consumption, then you should be on guard; as the child grows up, he will inevitably be drawn to taking more potent drugs.

Some types of drugs cause drug addiction after a single dose. This is for tobacco! The first signs of drug use in a teenager appear a week after they start taking them. School performance immediately declines, classes are skipped, money and other valuables disappear. The teenager is away from home most of the time; his new acquaintances do not inspire confidence in either his parents or neighbors. The behavior of a young drug addict changes: the mood is extremely unstable, outbursts of irritation are replaced by cheerfulness, the sleep and wakefulness patterns are disrupted. He retires. From eating habits - when not to eat at all, and when to pounce on food.

Physical signs of drug addiction in a teenager:

Narrow or wide pupils, regardless of lighting.
Speech is slow and slurred.
Movement coordination disorder.
Pronounced pallor of the skin.
Depressed mood and decreased memory.

These changes in behavior and condition in a teenager are alarming! Beware the consequences of teenage drug addiction!

If you notice something in a teenager, don’t rush, don’t get hysterical, think it through and talk to him seriously. Having a serious conversation does not mean being rude and humiliating to the child. A serious conversation is strictly on topic, without evasions or deviations. Find out if your child has tried drugs, what drugs, and why. What did he want to achieve with this? Talk about the consequences and harms of drug use. Contact a narcologist for advice and recommendations. Eat good doctors, clinics, rehabilitation centers.

Prevention of drug addiction among adolescents

Drug addiction, alcoholism and tobacco smoking today have spread to younger ages, regardless of gender. Girls and girls also strive for self-affirmation and adulthood with false and in harmful ways. Children from wealthy families are also at risk for drug addiction.

A holistic strategy is needed to ensure that a teenager does not replace reality with an artificial narcotic perception. Prevention of not only bad, but also dangerous habits - drug addiction in adolescents begins with a personal parental example. An undesirable behavior pattern in a child is formed when parents drink and smoke. He will copy it, willingly or unwillingly.

Most people perceive alcohol and drugs as a way to disconnect from external and internal stressors. But we need to put it into the teenager’s perception useful methods relaxation and restoration of mental resources and the body. You need to prove that life is full of healthy enthusiasm, interest, hobbies and life prospects. Drugs are most dangerous illusion, capable of swallowing millions of human lives without a trace.

The influence of teachers, educators, and the media plays a huge role in the prevention of teenage drug addiction. Ordinary lectures, of course, cannot sufficiently impress modern youth. But viewing is more effective documentary film, where all the horrors from the life of drug addicts are clearly presented. Young people must come to the understanding that drug addiction among teenagers is a disease, failure, and the extinction of all humanity. It is much easier to prevent drug addiction than to get rid of it.

It is possible to protect a child from drugs through relationships built on mutual trust, openness and complete sincerity. Show him the prospects of a life in which there is no place for drugs.