If you Suspect Your Teen is Using Drugs

If you Suspect Your Teen is Using Drugs

Author: Mark Peterson
Date Created: Nov 12, 2008 - 3:21:32 AM

Troubled teens usually do not have any ambitions in life, or at least they are not strong enough to find for achieving them. Some troubled teens e xert negative influences on others. Substance abuse refers to the overindulgence in drugs and dependence of other chemicals leading to effects that are detrimental to the individual's physical and mental health, or the welfare of others.

The disorder is characterized by a pattern of continued pathological use of a medication that results in repeated adverse social consequences related to drug use, such as failure to meet work, family, or school obligations, interpersonal conflicts, or legal problems. There are on-going debates as to the exact distinctions between substance abuse and dependence, but current practice standard distinguishes between the two by defining substance dependence in terms of physiological and behavioral symptoms of substance use, and substance abuse in terms of the social consequences of substance use.

Substance abuse may lead to substance dependence. Both abuse and dependence are distinct from addictive behavior which involves a craving to continue using the substance despite the negative consequences. Dependence almost always implies abuse, but abuse frequently occurs without dependence, particularly when an individual first begins to abuse a substance. Dependence involves a biological response while substance abuse reflects a complex interaction between the individual, the abused substance and society.

Substance abuse is sometimes used as a synonym, but actually refers to the use of substances in a manner outside socio-cultural conventions. All use of illegal substances and all use of licit drugs in a manner not dictated by convention (e.g. according to physician's orders or societal norms) is abuse according to this definition, however there is no universally accepted definition of substance abuse.

• Recurrent substance use resulting in a failure to fulfill obligations at work, school, or home (e.g., repeated absences or poor work performance related to substance use; substance-related absences, suspensions or expulsions from school)

• Recurrent substance use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (e.g., driving an automobile or operating a machine when impaired by substance use)

• Recurrent substance-related legal problems (e.g., arrests for substance-related disorderly conduct

• Continued substance use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of the substance (e.g., arguments with friends about consequences of intoxication, physical fights)
  

Addiction was a term used to describe a devotion, attachment, dedication, inclination, etc. Nowadays, however, the term addiction is used to describe a recurring intense need by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences to the individual's health, mental state or social life. These compulsions can be gambling, eating disorders like overeating, and internet addiction.

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