very powerful. But to ascribe blame solely on outside influences would be not only an exaggeration, but would be saying our kids are nothing more then victims of circumstance and thus would remove them from the accountability of their own choices. Where adults tend to look outward for the answers, the kid’s explanations tend to point more towards themselves.
They tend to explain it from a more
personal choice, something inside them urging them on; wanting to fit in, a curiosity, or need for excitement. Understanding the teenage perspective holds important keys. There are many pressures teens deal with on a daily basis. When kids are asked why they began using drugs, they do not look outward to outside influences. Rather their reasons include those similar to the following responses:
- They want to fit in, to feel part of the group
- To rebel against adult authority
- To escape their problems
- To hide their feelings of inadequacy, and low self esteem
- The thrill and excitement of taking a risk
- Wanting to feel grown up
No matter what drug is involved, the disease of
addiction appears to follow a predictable course. Typically, the user begins out of some level of
curiosity. If the initial experience produces pleasurable results, the individual will more then likely move on to recreational use, such as with friends, at parties or on the weekends. As they come to enjoy the drug more and more, it is inevitable that the usage will increase, such as using during the week on a regular basis. Soon, their lives become more and more centred around getting the drug and finding opportunities to use it. It begins to interfere with relationships, school, work, and other formerly productive areas of interest in their lives. By now the
drug-dependency, the addiction, have taken control, and the individual is unable to function without the drug. If there is not a physical addiction, there is most certainly a psychological dependency upon their drug of choice. And if their drug of choice is not easily accessible, they will resort to whatever it takes to obtain that drug.
