Adolescence

//Peer pressure// is influence from members of one's peer group. This pressure is thought to be the strongest contributing factor of drug and alcohol abuse in teens and it happens all over the globe. Teenagers usually know when something is bad for them, however they often choose to do bad activities because they feel that they need to do so in order to be liked, fit in and be accepted. They are afraid they will be looked down upon or made fun of if they do not do what their friends were doing. Drinking and taking illicit substances are a part of this pressure, and these drugs consume many teenagers’ lives as they are going through changes and learning how to make decisions for themselves.

Alcohol is the most commonly used/abused substance in a teenager’s life. "Around 58% of students in Ontario have drank alcohol underage. This underage drinking is usually done when teenagers are at parties with their friends and peer pressure sinks in, teens feel the need to drink to fit in." (Teen Challenge Canada, 2013).

Drinking can have a large influence in a teenagers life, drinking in combination with driving is more than likely to result in fatalities. Since teenagers can legally drive on their own by the age of 17, it makes it easier for teenagers to make the mistake of drinking and driving because their judgement is impaired. "Around 1,900 deaths occur each year from motor vehicle crashes involving teenagers getting behind the wheel while they are intoxicated." (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2004).

There are two types of drinking “Binge Drinking” and “Social Drinking.” Binge drinking is the consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time, while social drinking is drinking on special occasions of just to relax. "Many teenagers, mostly at the ages of 17 to 19, tend to binge drink." (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2004).

Drug use most commonly starts with teenagers during their high school years and it can potentially change a teenager’s life forever. "Risk factors (in order of importance) associate with Marijuana use by adolescents include having friends who use substances, engaging in antisocial activities, perceiving that substance use is prevalent at your school, knowing adults who use substances, having a positive atttitue towards marijuana use." (Hart, 2012) Throughout high school worldwide, teenagers have been influenced through their friends and the media that they should use drugs and alcohol in order to fit into their society. Teenagers see other students going out to abuse drugs and alcohol at parties which makes them feel that they need to do the same in order to fit in with their friends. "Drugs like marijuana and cocaine are the most commonly used drugs with, 4.4% of students in Ontario using cocaine and around 25% of students using marijuana." (Teen Challenge Canada, 2013). Marijuana is usually viewed in our society as a gateway drug because of the minimal effects a teenager experiences from using it, which could lead teens to turn to other drugs like cocaine or heroin to get a “better high."

In order for us, as Social Service Workers, to make sure that these teenagers are not making the wrong decisions, we need to make sure the teenagers have the right knowledge of the dangers of using drugs and alcohol. SSW's also need to make sure that the teenagers have appropriate right role models. For example, if a teenager were to come into a SSW office to explain that they are having drug and alcohol problems we would need to explain and educate the teenager about the dangerous life changing effects the drugs and alcohol could have on them. Also, we could refer the teenager to a mentoring program to get them away from the bad influences they have been around.