Chemical Dependency: Reasons Why Adolescents Abuse Chemicals

There is no simple reason pertaining to why adolescents use recreational chemicals, however there are five basic resons as to why adolescents abuse chemicals: to feel grown up, to fit into a certain peer group, to feel good and relax, to satisfy curiosity regarding effects of the drugs and to rebel against authority and take risk. There are specific elements that might influence adolescent use of substances of which include; One,  conduct disorder (CD)/ oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). CD and ODD are, “two forms of mental illness that first appear in childhood and adolescence”. This highers the risk for an individual’s subsequent development of a substance use disorder. Two, adolescent affective disorders. One of the risk factors for adolescent Substance use disorder that has been identified is depression. Even though the dynamics of depression are different for for males and females, both might tend to self medicate emotional distress. In addition due to adolescents associating emotional distress and substance abuse, those who suffer from depression and anxiety which are affective disorders should be viewed as high risk for substance use disorder.

Three, peer group influences on adolescent substance use patterns. In relation to adolescents, peer groups may influence individuals either positively or negatively. Even though genetics influences whether there is a likelihood that an individual may develop a substance disorder peers strongly influence the beginning of chemical abuse in adolescents.  Similarly in Kenya many young individuals are pulled into drug use by the people they socialize with and thus peer influence is seen as one of the causes of drug abuse among the Kenyan youth. Four, personal values and their influence on adolescent chemical use patterns. An individual’s values protects him/her as an adolescent from pressure to use alcohol or drugs.  There is a negative correlation between such forces as scholastic performance, church attendance, the individual’s beliefs about the importance of academic achievement, and adolescent substance use behaviors. However, since correlation does not mean causality it is unclear whether these forces help to prevent adolescents from abusing drugs. Five, the impact of parent-child relationships on adolescent chemical use patterns. Children often learn by observing their parents’ behavior. There is a strong relationship between parental substance use behaviors, especially during childhood, and those seen when the child enters adolescence. This has been found to be true for adolescent alcohol/substance use patterns during adolescence.

Children whose parents spend a sufficient amount of time interacting with them are less likely to abuse drugs and adolescents whose parents are more emotionally supportive and families are intact are also less likely to abuse drugs. Similarly in Kenya, “lack of parental care due to working situations of the mother or both parents and the disintegration of joint family system have tended to encourage the vice. In addition parental control is another factor that influences whether or not an adolescent uses chemical substances. Adolescents who live in homes in which house rules are enforced and there exists high levels of parental monitoring tend to have lower levels of substance use disorders. coinciding with this, in the Kenyan context some youth live far away from their parents due to school or work hence lack of parental supervision tends to encourage substance use. Six, victimization history. Adolescents who have been a victim of physical or sexual abuse might use drugs or alcohol to self-medicate their feelings of shame and fear and those who become aware of their homosexual urges might use drugs and or alcohol to self-medicate feelings of guilt and inadequacy drugs. Last but not least, Rebellion. Adolescents are prohibited from drinking alcohol thus many tend to to make it a goal to drink. Considering that it is illegal adolescents who drink heavily are seen as daring by their peers. There is no one specific reason as to why Adolescents abuse chemicals, rather it is the interplay between the various factors mentioned above such as parent-child relationship among others that may influence whether or not the individual uses chemical substances.