Drug and Alcohol Use and Abuse
Adolescents and young adults use and become dependent on drugs and alcohol for many reasons. Each troubled teen and troubled young adult has their own story and a road that eventually lead them to the use and/or abuse of drugs and alcohol. One common thread most teens and young adults share when they begin using and eventually become dependent on alcohol and drugs is the emotional and physical affects dependency causes. No matter what the reasons are for an individual's participation in the use of alcohol or drugs, once that door has been open there is a much greater risk that he/she will become dependent of the substance. It doesn't matter how long it takes them to get there, addiction affects self-esteem, relationships and eventually every aspect of the addict's life until they receive help.
The Negative Effects of Drug and Alcohol
Almost every system in the body can be negatively affected by excessive or chronic alcohol and drug consumption. Alcohol can cause cancer, liver disease, heart attacks and brain damage, to name a few. Because many alcoholics and drug addicts also smoke, the health risks are further compounded. High doses of many drugs, or impure or more dangerous substitutes for these drugs, can cause immediate life-threatening health problems such as heart attack, respiratory failure, and coma. Combining drugs with each other or with alcohol is especially dangerous.
Because the brains and bodies of adolescents and young adults are still developing, drinking alcohol and using illicit drugs can have serious consequences. Binge drinking and substance abuse can have long-lasting effects that may not be evident until much later in adulthood. Several kinds of treatment are available for drug and alcohol use and abuse. The two main categories are behavioral and pharmacological.
The most popular of the two is the behavioral approach. In behavioral treatments, an expert in drug treatment teaches these teenagers and young adults how to function without drugs. They are then provided with the knowledge and guidance they will need to handle cravings, avoid situations that could lead to alcohol or drug use, and how to prevent or handle a relapse.