The adolescence stage is a period in which teenagers experience dramatic changes in their intellectual and physical growth. It is during this time the body prepares for a transition into adulthood. This explains why the teen years are very delicate. Exposure to the use of drugs results in tremendous negative effects on the growth and development of teenagers. Teenage hood is characterized by a lot of peer pressure and teens' desire to please other people. As a result, teens would thus indulge in activities like drug use to prove they are fearless. Teenagers are risk-takers who barely understand the consequences that particular risks have on their cognitive and social development.
Drug use effect on cognitive development
The use of drugs by teens has negative effects on their cognitive development. During adolescence, many changes occur in the body. The brain also develops in order to adopt ways in which it can work more effectively. For example, the brain eliminates particular synapses and connections that are unnecessary ("teen brain: Still under construction," 2011, p. 3). Therefore the introduction of drugs disrupts the normal operation and development of the brain. The result of drug abuse in teens is poor performance in school, skipping extracurricular activities, and also a risk of dropping from school.
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The abuse of drugs by teenagers highly disrupts the functioning of the brain which is one of the most integral parts of a human's body. Drug intake leads to an increase in the reward-related types of chemicals such as dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that causes feelings of relaxation, euphoria, and also stress relief. The main purpose of dopamine is to enable an individual to practice survival-related behavior such as eat, sleep and create friendships. Drugs interfere with the natural function of dopamine. The high amount of dopamine in the brain makes teens feel content with their lives and gives a false feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment. Dopamine during repeated drug use stops being a natural survival mechanism and its misuse leads to drug addiction.
Drug abuse affects the normal development of a teenage brain. It leads to interference with the neurotransmitters thus damage the connections present in the brain. It also leads to difficulty in memory. Drug abuse also inhibits the development of certain abilities such as critical thinking, and problem-solving. The learning potential of teenagers is also highly disrupted and this may cause a loss of learning opportunities (Harms, 2013, p. 12). As the brain of a teen is in the process to fully develop, abuse of drugs inhibits teens to achieve their highest cognitive abilities and potential. They also develop problems on how to deal with anxiety, depression, and stress that result from abuse of drugs. The teen brain is more susceptible to damage than the adult brain as it is yet to fully develop.
Drug use effect on teen’s sociological growth
Social development entails the improvement of individuals in society in order to attain their maximum potential. Teenager's social development stage is of great significance as it shows their level of independence and process of maturity. During adolescence, parents and members of society notice change in how adolescents interact with family, peers, and friends. Positive social development entails developing healthy relationships, being more independent, and associating with positive identities (Vaughn et al., 2015, p. 7). The use of drugs by teenagers disrupts a positive social development process. This is because instead of teens creating healthy relationships with their parents and friends they isolate themselves. They do not find the need to be happy with friends and family as drugs give them the desired pleasure.
Moreover, drug abuse by teens may result in addiction that can lead to the development of negative behavior. Addiction is a severe case that makes a teenager only focus on how to get the drugs. They can thus associate themselves with stealing and crimes to raise the money they need to satisfy their urge for drugs ("Teens, drugs & violence: A special report," 2007, p. 11). Parents and friends in these scenarios would love to help them and advise them to stop these habits. The conflict that follows the disagreements makes teenagers aggressive and defensive. This is why many homeless teenagers are either chased by their parents or chose to leave after their parents attempt to help them quit drug abuse.
Drug abuse by teenagers also causes the development of low self-esteem. As a result, teenagers stay away from their peers and other members of society. It is also associated with failure in academics and such teens would want to avoid any social interactions with other members of the society. Drug abuse affects teenager's social life in a big way. It makes teens get to the negative side of the law. As a result, they prefer to avoid any social interactions. They often develop anxiety, stress, and drug-related disorders that hinder their active participation in social development (Hyde & Setaro, 2003, p. 12). The teenage period is very delicate as so many emotional changes occur and the incorporation of drug abuse in this period worsens the situation. Normally, adolescents can have mood swings and increased conflicts with family and peers; the use of drugs worsens the situation and may even lead to irrational decisions such as running away or committing suicide.
Drug use effect on growth
In addition to the cognitive and sociological effects of drug use by teenagers, it also causes impairment in general growth. Research in the United States shows that 10% of the alcohol produced is consumed by teens between twelve to twenty years (Scheier & Hansen, 2014, p. 4). As a result, teens experience delayed puberty, damaged reproductive system, liver damage, and low mineral density in their bones. Despite these negative physical effects, other drugs such as tobacco and nicotine lead to damage of vital body organs, lung cancer, and a faulty breathing system. The body of a teenager experiences a challenge in dealing with the negative effects of drugs thus results to slow physical growth. Health problems that result from drug abuse lead to a slow growth rate. The physical risks of drugs may be very fatal to a point of teens getting into either a coma and experiencing heart or lung failure. These physical growth problems as a result of drug abuse thus hinder the welfare of teenagers to have a healthy body and mind.
Conclusion
Adolescence is a period of vulnerability as teens try to cope with psychosocial and social challenges. It is the role of parents, members of society, and the government to protect teenagers from the effects of drugs. Parents should ensure close supervision of their children to help them undergo the adolescent stage in the healthiest way possible. The community and government should strive to eradicate the drug sellers who influence teenagers in using harmful substances. Education and counseling in regard to the effects of drugs should be emphasized at this stage. The World Health Organization is also actively involved in research and devising ways to protect teenagers from drug abuse. The adolescent stage makes teenagers feel like taking any risks that come their way, therefore, it is the obligation of all society members to protect them from harm that results from drug abuse.
References
Harms, E. (2013). Drugs and youth: The challenge of today . Elsevier.
Hyde, M. O., & Setaro, J. F. (2003). Drugs 101: An overview for teens . Twenty-First Century Books.
Scheier, L. M., & Hansen, W. B. (2014). Parenting and teen drug use: The most recent findings from research, prevention, and treatment . Oxford University Press.
Teens, drugs & violence: A special report. (2007). PsycEXTRA Dataset . https://doi.org/10.1037/e661602007-001
The teen brain: Still under construction. (2011). PsycEXTRA Dataset . https://doi.org/10.1037/e618532011-001
Vaughn, M. G., Lombe, M., & Tripodi, S. (2015). Six. The social ecology of adolescent alcohol and drug use. Adolescents in Public Housing . https://doi.org/10.7312/nebb14858-008
