PARANTING IMFORMATION

There are many different reasons why a young person may take drugs, including To fit in. Young people may do drugs because they want to be accepted by friends or peers who are doing drugs. To feel good. Abused drugs can produce feelings of pleasure. To feel better. Some young people suffer from depression, anxiety, stress-related disorders, and physical pain. They may do drugs to try to get some relief. To do better in academics or sports. Some young people may take stimulants for studying or anabolic steroids to improve their athletic performance. To experiment. Young people often want to try new experiences, especially ones that they think are thrilling or daring. Which young people are at risk for drug use? Different factors may raise a young person's risk for drug use, including. Stressful early life experiences, such child abuse, child sexual abuse, and other forms of trauma Genetics Prenatal exposure to alcohol or other drugs Lack of parental supervision or monitoring Havin...

  Young people's brains are growing and developing until they are their mid-20's. This is especially true of the prefrontal cortex, which is used to make decisions. Taking drugs when young can interfere with developmental processes occurring in the brain. It can also affect their decision-making. They may be more likely to do risky things, such as unsafe sex and dangerous driving. The earlier young people start using drugs, the greater their chances of continuing to use them and become addicted later in life.Taking drugs when you are young can contribute to the development of adult health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and sleep disorders. Which drugs most commonly used by young people? The drugs that are most commonly used by young people are alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. Recently, more young people have started vaping tobacco and marijuana. There is still a lot we don't know about the dangers of vaping. Some people have unexpectedly gotten very ...

  Drug use, or misuse, includes Using illegal substances, such as Anabolic steroids Club drugs Cocaine Heroin Inhalants Marijuana Methamphetamines Misusing prescription medicines, including opioids. This means taking the medicines in a different way than the health care provider prescribed. This includes Taking a medicine that was prescribed for someone else Taking a larger dose than you are supposed to Using the medicine in a different way than you are supposed to. For example, instead of swallowing your tablets, you might crush and then snort or inject them. Using the medicine for another purpose, such as getting high Misusing over-the-counter medicines, including using them for another purpose and using them in a different way than you are supposed to.

Yes. People who get treatment and stick with it can stop using drugs. They can change their lives so they don't go back to taking drugs. But they have to try hard and follow the treatment program for a long time. Recovery from addiction means you have to stop using drugs AND learn new ways of thinking, feeling, and dealing with problems. It’s best not to use in the first place. If you do get addicted, it’ll be a long and difficult road. After you've stopped using the drug, you still have a lot to do: You have to relearn how to live without using drugs. You have to work on the problems your drug use caused with your family, your job, your friends, and your money. You have to stay away from people you used drugs with and places where you used. You have to learn what makes you want to take drugs again (your triggers), so you can avoid or work on those things. You may also need treatment for problems that led to your drug use, such as depression, anxiety, or other mental health p...

  What is a trigger? A trigger is anything that makes you feel the urge to go back to using drugs. It can be a place, person, thing, smell, feeling, picture, or memory that reminds you of taking a drug and getting high. A trigger can be something stressful that you want to escape from. It can even be something that makes you feel happy. People fighting addiction need to stay away from the people and triggers that can make them start using drugs again, just like people with breathing problems need to avoid smoke and dust. People who have stayed sober for a while, either because they were in jail or in treatment, should know that they are at a high risk of overdose if they relapse and take the same amount of drug they used to. Their cravings may not have decreased, but their tolerance has, meaning their body can’t handle high doses of the drug anymore. Without immediate treatment, overdose often leads to death. This is why you often hear about people dying of an overdose soon after...

   What is drug addiction? Drug addiction is when you can’t stop taking the drug even if you want to. The urge is too strong to control, even if you know the drug is causing harm. The addiction can become more important than the need to eat or sleep. The urge to get and use the drug can fill every moment of your life. The addiction replaces all the things you used to enjoy. A person who is addicted might do almost anything—lie, steal, or hurt people—to keep taking the drug. This can lead to problems with your family and friends, and can even lead to arrest and jail. You can get addicted to illegal drugs as well as prescription drugs if you misuse them. Drug addiction is a chronic disease. That means it stays with you for a long time, even if you stop using for a while. It doesn't go away like a cold. A person with an addiction can get treatment, but quitting for good can be very hard. Can I just use willpower to stop using drugs? At first, taking drugs is usually your choice...

  If someone is using drugs, you might notice changes in how the person looks or acts. Here are some of those signs, but it's important to remember that depression or another problem could be causing these changes. Somebody using drugs might: lose interest in school change friends (to hang out with kids who use drugs) become moody, negative, cranky, or worried all the time ask to be left alone a lot have trouble concentrating sleep a lot (maybe even in class) get in fights have red or puffy eyes lose or gain weight cough a lot have a runny nose all of the time What Can I Do to Help? If you think someone is using drugs, the best thing to do is to tell an adult that you trust. This could be a parent, other relative, teacher, coach, or school counselor. The person might need professional help to stop using drugs. A grownup can help the person find the treatment needed to stop using drugs. Another way kids can help kids is by choosing not to try or use drugs. It's a good way for ...