Teenage Drug Abuse
Any parent knows that teenage drug abuse is not an imagined problem in our society, but instead a very real, very dangerous and quite far spread activity among teens. Unfortunately, parents sometimes like to delude themselves with the fantasies that a good, private school, active participation in the church or synagogue’s youth group program, strict curfews, and parental generosity will somehow inoculate their growing child from the dangers that lurk amongst peer groups, pushers, and the dark of the dance club. Sadly, teenage drug abuse is a commonplace occurrence, and parents as well as caregivers need to be alert to the signs thereof, even in the most innocent of settings.
Interestingly, it is not only the parents who may put a lot of credence into the myths of teenage drug abuse; it is also the children themselves who do so! How else could one explain the frequently heard statements of “well, it’s not like I’m smoking crack” in the wake of a drug bust that revealed some of the ecstasy drug in junior’s sock drawer. Another favorite is “well so-and-so smokes pot, and he (or she) gets straight A’s!” The power of these myths lies in their deceptive comparisons. While crack and ecstasy may not be alike, they each have dangers unique to them, and very real, no matter if one appears worse than the other. Similarly, while little Susie may be able to smoke pot and still get good grades, this may only be a temporary situation for little Susie, and thus little Becky will do well not to compare herself to Susie who may be hanging on by the skin of her teeth.
Teenage drug abuse will continue to claim many victims, but quite possibly the most important step in helping a teen to avoid becoming another statistic is simply by not allowing rationalizing into the mindset of the growing child. There is also teen drug rehab which can help you get your children back on the right track. Instead, children should be taught from the earliest years to take responsibility for their own actions, and thus many of the drug myths so prevalent in today’s teenage society will not find any more takers. This approach will not eradicate teenage drug abuse but it will slam shut one more avenue by which teens and their pushers have been able to delude themselves into using substances.
Disclaimer: Cliff Schaffer does not personally endorse or support any of the comments made within the writings of this article. |
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