Teen Drug Abuse: Risk Factors, Prevention, and Treatment

Robert's Story: A Teenage Descent into Drug Abuse

Nineteen-year-old Robert was a perfectly "normal" child for the majority of his life. He anticipated zoo outings with his mother and was a member of his school's swim team. The youngest of four siblings, Robert was close friends with his high school classmates and enjoyed French and art classes. He never faced any problems with alcohol or drugs — he neither drank nor smoked marijuana, nor anything of that sort. His girlfriend, however, was a different case entirely. Addicted to heroin, she tempted Robert to try it; unfortunately, he did not resist. She injected him with heroin in 2009. Robert later began craving the drug, and before long he had become a quasi-addict, consuming it once every two weeks.

It is said that peer pressure plays a persuasive role in initiating teens into drug use. Whether to fit into their peer group, to appear "cool," or simply to satisfy their curiosity, teenagers are more prone to drug use if they find their friends using substances or displaying favorable attitudes toward them. Research conducted by experts from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and Cardiff University found that teenagers whose friends consume marijuana and other drugs are themselves at nearly three times the probability of consuming marijuana on a regular basis (Sack, 2012). Robert progressively became more frequent in his drug use, eventually consuming it on a daily basis.

His parents were both active addicts. His mother, who acted more like a peer than a responsible parent, gave him his first drug pills. While living with her, Robert began consistently using drugs — downing pills, drinking excessively, and smoking marijuana. His main obsession was prescription pills: Vicodin, Percocet, and many other depressants. He began struggling with depression, which, combined with his parents' verbal and physical abuse, made him increasingly unhappy. Robert began harming himself through excessive drug use, disordered eating behaviors, self-cutting, and unstable personal relationships.

Robert began acting like the stereotypical teenage drug addict, sneaking out at night and stealing, hoping to attract attention from his parents. This was ultimately pointless, as his mother was always under the influence and never noticed. Robert informed his parents of his substance abuse and tried his best to quit, but could not. By March 2009, he had returned to daily drug consumption. Together with an acquaintance, Robert obtained needles and drugs, planning a three-day "senior retreat." However, school staff discovered the plan, summoned his parents, and asked them to remove him from school. Robert was expelled just two months short of graduating.

Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Drug Abuse

Risk and protective factors can influence teenagers at different life stages. At every stage, risks arise that, through timely prevention and/or intervention, can be altered. Risks in early childhood — such as aggressive behavior — can be addressed through interventions involving family, educational institutions, and the community. These interventions focus on helping teenagers develop appropriate, positive behaviors. Negative behaviors that are not properly and promptly addressed can escalate into greater risks, including social difficulties and academic failure, both of which place children at further risk of drug abuse later in life.

There are several ways in which risk factors contribute to drug abuse. The more often children are exposed to risk, the more likely they are to resort to substance abuse. Certain risk factors carry more weight during particular life stages — for example, peer pressure is especially influential during adolescence. Similarly, certain protective factors, such as a strong bond between parent and child, can greatly reduce risk during a child's early years. A crucial preventive goal is to shift the balance between protective and risk factors so that protective factors outweigh the risks.

One of the risk factors most consistently associated with teenage drinking is perceived parental approval (Donovan, 2004). Research indicates that reported perceptions of maternal care were significantly lower among those who consumed alcohol and multiple drugs. Association with drug-using peers, as well as rejection by peers, can promote problem behavior and shape attitudes favorable to substance abuse. Teenagers who report low levels of parental monitoring are significantly more likely to engage in substance use. Conversely, close parental monitoring and positive parenting styles are well-established factors that protect against teenage alcohol and drug use (Shillington et al., 2005; Stewart, 2002).

Drug abuse risks also increase substantially during life transitions. For adults, events such as divorce or job loss can trigger substance abuse; for teenagers, risky transitions include moving or changing schools. When children move from elementary to middle school, they encounter new academic and social challenges, and are often exposed to cigarettes, alcohol, and other substances for the first time. On entering high school, teenagers may find greater access to drugs, observe substance use among older students, and encounter social situations where drug use is normalized. Developmental tendencies — such as risk-taking and the desire to try new things — can increase a teenager's likelihood of experimenting with drugs. Some may yield to peer encouragement; others may mistakenly believe that substances like steroids will enhance athletic performance or appearance, or that alcohol or MDMA ("Molly" or ecstasy) will ease social anxiety. Many teenagers also abuse prescription ADHD medications such as Adderall to help with weight loss or studying (NIDA, 2014).

After his expulsion, Robert was hired into his father's business to keep him occupied while his parents searched for ways to help him. They came across Hope Academy, a high school for recovery. Robert quit drug use again and was optimistic about enrolling at Hope Academy, immediately connecting with the school staff. The expectations there, however, were different from what he was accustomed to — the focus was not only on academic performance but also on sobriety. Robert continued to struggle with addiction and relapsed during that year. The academy's staff encouraged Robert to tour the Treatment Center; he stayed in its adolescent section for the following six weeks.

Prevention Programs

Robert participated in two targeted prevention programs while at Hope Academy: Project TND and Project SUCCESS. Project SUCCESS (Schools Using Coordinated Community Efforts to Strengthen Students) is a targeted intervention designed specifically for youth with high-risk factors. The program employs specialized experts in schools to provide early intervention and substance abuse prevention services. It aims to both prevent and reduce substance abuse among multi-problem, high-risk high school students. The program operates by forging partnerships between prevention agencies and alternative schools. Trained counselors specializing in substance-using adolescents — called Project SUCCESS Counselors (PSCs) — are placed in alternative schools to offer early intervention and prevention services that reduce risk factors and boost protective factors related to substance abuse. The program has demonstrated effectiveness for both adolescent boys and girls across grades 9 through 12, and across students of different ethnic backgrounds (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2009).

Project Toward No Drug Abuse (Project TND) is another interactive targeted intervention program, aimed at helping high school youth aged 14 to 19 resist substance abuse. This school-based program consists of twelve lessons of 40–50 minutes each, covering social skills education, decision-making, and motivational activities. Lessons are delivered through role-playing, games, group discussions, student worksheets, and videos over a period of four weeks. Originally developed for high-risk adolescents in alternative schools and comprising nine lessons, the program uses a motivation–skills–decision-making model. It addresses topics such as active listening, effective communication, coping skills, self-control, tobacco cessation, and stress management to counter drug-use risk factors for older teenagers. Evaluations of the program have shown significant reductions in alcohol and drug abuse. Studies conducted with typical high school youth also demonstrated significant decreases in alcohol and hard drug use among students in the intervention group, measured at one-year follow-up (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2009).

During his time at Hope Academy, Robert experienced multiple relapses, the most serious of which occurred over Christmas vacation. Typically, when Robert relapsed, his drug use would be limited to one or two occasions. During this particular break, however, he consumed drugs daily. Rather than conceal his condition, Robert informed the Hope Academy staff of his relapse, recognizing it was the right thing to do. This honesty marked a turning point. From that point on, Robert found it increasingly easier to maintain sobriety. Hope Academy provides high school students with an environment conducive to recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, while also promoting academic success and lifelong recovery. The school further supports students pursuing higher education or careers by offering college planning services.

Conclusion

Since the 1st of January, Robert has successfully been sober. He credits the success of his treatment partly to the staff at Hope Academy and partly to the lessons he received at school. He specifically mentions Dr. "Sig" Zielke, a staff member at Hope Academy, for helping him work through several personal issues — Robert said that he had finally found someone he could talk to outside of his parents or a therapist. One of the most important lessons Robert learned was a commitment to honesty, not only with himself but with others. Most crucially, he learned to be truthful with himself and to stop deceiving himself about his condition. Robert graduated from Hope Academy on May 28, 2010, and subsequently enrolled at Ivy Technical Community College. He aims to graduate in mortuary sciences, and — having learned to take each day as it comes — indicates he will gladly follow that plan.

References

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