10 Facts About Teen Substance Use

The use of drugs and other harmful substances will never be a favorable behavior and often leads to much worse decisions, behaviors, and consequences. With that said, teen drug use is even worse, given the fact that teenagers and adolescents are still growing and developing. 

Unfortunately, teenage drug use and teen addiction rates are on the rise and it’s having a negative impact on their ability to live a healthy life. In more severe cases, it might even lead to a loss of life – which is the worst case scenario for any teenager, their family, and their friends. 

While adolescents continue to use, misuse, and abuse drugs, organizations all around the world are working day and night to ensure those teenagers get the treatment they need and deserve. With the right guidance and direction, these teenagers can once again live a healthy lifestyle. 

Why Are Teens Prone to Addiction Issues?

We mentioned above how a teenage brain and overall body is still growing and developing. This – among other things – plays a major role in why teens are so prone to addiction issues. More specifically, the prefrontal cortical regions of the brain are under heavy growth and development.

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for a lot of our behaviors, decision-making, and self-control. Even worse, these regions are deeply connected to the reward centers in the brain, which make us feel good when we do certain things. This makes it easy for a teenager to become addicted. 

When you combine this with the overall curiosity, peer-pressure, parental influence, and the many other changes teenagers are experiencing during this time, teenagers are bound to try drugs at some point. And when they try them, there’s a greater chance of abuse and addiction.

How Does Addiction Impact Teens?

Drug addiction is almost always devastating to a teenager’s life – including the lives of their family and friends. It impacts the teenager’s ability to live a happy, healthy, and rewarding life in more ways than just one. Without treatment, this negative impact will only continue to worsen. 

Here are just some of the ways teen drug use and rising teen addiction rates can impact a teen’s life:

• Academics – poor grades, skipping school frequently, and even dropping out of school. 
• Physical Health – injuries due to risky behavior, increased risk of disease and disability, potential overdose, and declining physical appearance.
• Mental Health – depression, anxiety, excess stress, personality disorders, suicide, and other physiological dysfunctions. 
• Social Health – strained relationships with friends and family, isolation, distancing, being secretive to hide their addiction, and feeling lonely. 

Keywords: facts about teen substance use, teen drug use, teen addiction rates

Meta Description: Most people know that teenagers use, misuse, and abuse drugs, but these 10 facts about teen substance use show just how bad the problem is getting today. 

Teen drug addiction is, unfortunately, a major problem in this country. While teen years and adolescence are times in a person’s life categorized by changes, certain behavioral changes may signify a significant problem. If you notice any of these changes in your teenage son or daughter, don’t ignore them. Even if they’re not asking for help, it’s almost always a sign that they need help. As their parent or guardian, it’s up to you to ensure they get the help they need. 

10 Facts About Teen Substance Use

Although many people know teen addiction rates are on the rise, most are unaware of just how bad the epidemic is getting. In fact, many people would be surprised to learn some of the shocking facts about teen substance use in the world today – even just in the United States!

With that said, let’s take a closer look at ten frightening statistics and facts about teen substance use:

1. The most commonly abused drugs among the teenage population include marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol.
2. Nearly two-thirds of all teenagers will have tried alcohol by the time they enter 12th grade. 
3. Nearly half of all high schoolers (those in grades 9-12) have tried marijuana at least once. 
4. Nearly 40% of all high school students (grades 9-12) have smoked cigarettes at least once. 
5. Nearly 20% of all 12th graders (seniors) have taken a prescription drug without a prescription or a need to take it. 
6. Teenagers consume roughly 10% of the total amount of alcohol consumed in the United States, despite it being illegal for teenagers. 
7. A majority of all teenage deaths related to drug use involves opioids like heroin or synthetic opioids like fentanyl. 
8. Most teens are unaware of what’s in the drugs they’re taking, especially since drug dealers often lace drugs with other drugs to make them more addictive. 
9. Nearly 1,000 teenagers die every year as a result of drug overdose, whether it be intentional or unintentional. 
10. Teen drug use is more prevalent among males than females, but it’s a major problem for both genders. 

Is your teenage daughter or son struggling with drug addiction? Don’t worry, Thrive Teen is here to help. Our Santa Monica teen treatment program is designed to help teenagers overcome their addiction, as well as treating any teen mental health disorders that are often at the root causes of drug use. This allows teens to make better life decisions, and begin a new chapter in their life that sets them up for success. 
To learn more about our program or speak with a representative about getting your teenager started in our program, contact us today – we can’t wait to help you and your family recover!