Teenage is one of the most crucial periods in one’s life. A lot of exploration and experimentation happens during teenage. During the period, one’s life, personality, and habits are shaped by the surrounding people. If one is lucky enough to have companions with good influence, they can lead them to the right track. If not, they may lead them to a miserable life and introduce them to life-destructing habits like drug and alcohol abuse.
It helps a lot for a teen to have supportive and communicative parents. Some problems begin when parents do not care about important events in their kid’s lives and keep missing them. All the more, here are the reasons why drinking and taking drugs are never a solution to your teenage problems:
Having problems at school
Teens can get under a lot of pressure to pass exams and succeed in school. This is especially so when they are having difficulties certain subjects. These may frustrate them and make them resort to drinking and taking drugs.
However, getting into these activities instead of studying harder may just worsen their performance in school. When parents do not know what the kids are going through, their performance in school continues to deteriorate. When the situation further evolves, it will be difficult for them to get through college and even harder for them to support themselves later on in life.
Trouble with teachers and parents
Taking drugs and drinking alcohol can change one’s personality. It prevents one from having a sound mind. Teens who engage in these bad habits are often seen to be easily angry, withdrawn, and depressed. Their relationships with teachers in school and parents at home are strained.
Getting into trouble with the law
Teens who are into drug addiction and alcoholism not only have strained relationships with the people they love but also get into trouble with the law. Due to addiction, they may steal to have the means to get the drugs. People who influenced them to get into substance abuse can lead them further to engage in vandalism, violence, and unprotected intercourse.
Mental and physical health issues
Drugs have various effects on the body. The contents of these drugs are strong enough to cause damage to the user’s brain. The manifestations of the damage include seizures, memory loss, and coma. Drugs also cause health problems such as irregular heart rate and liver and kidney failure. Teens who engage in substance addiction may end up with an accidental drug overdose and even death.
Alcoholism and drug addiction
A teenager who is addicted to drugs has a high possibility of being carried an addict as an adult. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 90% of drinking, smoking, and drug addicts began their habit in high school.