3 Reasons Teenagers Use Drugs

3 Reasons Teenagers Use Drugs

In today's post we are going to discuss 3 reasons why teens use drugs. Now there's probably a million different reasons teens use drugs, and some teens may use drugs for a variety of reasons but here are three of the most common reasons teens use drugs.

3 Reasons Teens Use Drugs

Self Medicating

This isn't unique to teens, even adults self medicate. People use drugs to deal with depression, because they feel lonely, and for a million other reasons. Teens self medicate for the same reasons. If your kid is using drugs, or if you feel they are struggling with depression or other issues bring them to see a counselor or psychiatrist. 

While it does seem doctors today are over medicating everybody, you should be cautious about putting your teenager on drugs, especially while their minds and bodies are still growing, however if they have a legitimate issue they should be treated. 

Call For Attention / Help

Many times teens act out for attention. If you're a single parent or if you work a lot and are not giving your child the attention they need. If you don't show an interest in their life, if you don't attent their sporting events, etc they may feel neglected or like you don't love them. They may act out because when you get suspended from school or get in trouble in some way, that may be the only way to truly get your attention. Even though it's not positive attention, it is attention.

Because It Makes You Cool

Now in reality, getting in trouble, getting suspended from school, getting involved with drugs, it's not cool it's ruining your life. But as a young, and oftentimes dumb teenager, getting in trouble sometimes makes you the "bad boy" or at the very least gets you noticed or gets you some type of attention. 

Again, the good type of attenion would be getting attention for some academic achievement or for doing well in sports. Though it's not that type of attention, it's still attention for getting arrested, or getting in a fight, or talking back to a teacher.

As a teenager I was never the most popular kid in school, but at the same time I wasn't picked on or anything like that either, I was just your average kid. That said I remember when I first started hanging out with a "bad crowd", when I first started smoking pot, when I first started selling a little bit of weed, I noticed that people knew my name, they knew who I was. Girls started paying attention to me. More guys, all be it not the good ones, but more guys wanted to be my friends as well. Getting in trouble brought me popularity, girls, notoriety, and friends, which as stupid as it sounds as a teenager is pretty attractive. 

Wrap Up

Obviously we can't lump all teens who use drugs into one of these three reasons. There are other reasons teens use drugs as well, however these are three of the more common reasons that teens use drugs. 

What do you think? What are some other reasons teens use drugs?