#36. Causes and Solutions for Teen Drug Issues
Sadly, one of the common problems associated with teenagers is that of drugs. They have become a duo that seems to be inseparable and this is a worrisome issue not just for the parents but for the whole of society which is at the risk of a big problem as well. Many programs are now being run to counter this problem and the results are quite mixed. In fact no one can say that they are seeing a major improvement.
Not very long ago the general impression was that the drug problem was only associated with teenagers of the lower classes. Drug addicts were thought to be people who were stuck in the tangles of poverty and therefore, their parents were not really bothered or could not really do much about what their teens were up to. However, all of this is the story of the past. In more recent times the situation has changed a lot. Children from very rich families attending all those fancy schools are into the drug problem as well. Therefore, the economic situation is no longer the deciding factor.
The main problem has to do with the friends that the kids have. Many of them get hooked on drugs because this is what they see their friends doing. Peer pressure is a very dangerous thing and something that can have dire consequences as well. This does not mean that you should not let your kids make friends or let them do what most of the people around their age group are doing. What needs to be done is that parents should develop such a relationship with their kids that they won’t opt for hiding things or take the situations that they are facing to others and then be guided in the wrong direction.
Bullying is a major factor that contributes to teenage drug use. Kids start taking drugs when they don’t want to share their problems with their parents. This leads to them keeping their frustrations inside them and the result is that they become very stressed out. As everyone knows, at that stage of life an outlet is surely needed to make sure that one is not suffering from any long term problems. The result is then that teens start off with drugs to look for the peace and solutions that they can’t find elsewhere.
It is important that parents maintain an in-depth relation with their kids to avoid all factors leading to the problem of drug use.