Understanding the Mind of an Addicted Teen (Why Teens Use Drugs)

Teens addicted to drugs or alcohol are unfortunately not immune from the normal risk factors of addiction. However, these factors can play a part and have influence but this is not the same as being the cause. For instance, risk factors for addiction include:  

• Biology: your teen’s decision to pick up the drug may have been influenced on a genetic level. People’s genes make up nearly half of a person’s risk of addiction. Other factors that play a role in the likelihood of addiction include gender, ethnicity, and the presence of other mental disorders. 
• Environment: There are a variety of environmental factors that can contribute to addiction risk. An individual’s environment includes everything from friends and family to their economic status and overall quality of life. Other factors like abuse, peer pressure, stress, early exposure to drugs, and parental influence can play a large role in the individual’s decision to use drugs or develop an addiction. 

In addition, another major factor is development. The genetic and environmental influences often happen at critical points of your child’s development. However, this is a major influence in addiction risk because their brains are far from mature at this point. This is why young people are particularly affected by drug use because once they take the drug it is far more likely to progress into an addiction. Young people lack proper development in crucial areas of the brain that are responsible for self-control and decision making.  Furthermore, this is why their influences hold a lot of importance because teens already have a predisposition for risky behaviors. As you continue to learn why teens use drugs understand that these factors play a role, and without shame, take this knowledge and apply it where you can in your home.