The Long-Term Effects of Teenage Drug Usage

Drug usage among teenagers has become one of the common problems in society that needs urgent addressing. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, 2014 statistics indicated that approximately 6,000 teenagers were diagnosed with heroin use while 21,000 had used the drug. In 2015, approximately 5,000 teenagers were using the drug. Drug usage has long-term effects on teenagers, which can be managed through the help of a detox doctor. Let’s review these effects.

Mental Health Implications

Adolescence drug use can have mental health implications. For example, teenage alcohol users are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety than non-alcohol-using teens. Such mental implications play an important role in leading teenagers to addiction because they take drugs to curb the mental implications.

Physical Health Issues

Adolescents who abuse drugs can experience many negative side effects, including poor concentration, heart disease, respiratory problems, and hepatitis C or HIV infections. In addition to the mental health implications, drug use can also affect physical health. Drug use impairs an individual’s thinking, which could result in teenagers engaging in activities that negatively affect their physical health. DUIs are among the leading causes of accidents among adolescents.

Changes in Brain Development

The teenage brain is still developing, and drugs can harm this development. Adolescents who have already developed an addiction are at a much higher risk than other teens of suffering from long-term brain damage inflicted by addiction. If a detox doctor doesn’t control the drug usage, the brain damage caused could be irreversible.

High-Risk Behaviors

The long-term effects of adolescent drug usage hurt teenagers and their families. Teenagers who take drugs are likely to engage in other high-risk behaviors, such as reckless sexual activities, which can result in teenage pregnancies and infections. Drug use also increases the teenager’s chances of misusing other illicit controlled substances, such as cocaine or hallucinogens. Drug abuse during adolescence can lead to lower grades and poor performance in school. Adolescents who are already at risk of school failure are more likely to continue using drugs.

Do you know a teenager battling drug usage side effects? Your child may be battling anxiety and depression, or they may be unable to focus on schoolwork. Contact our detox doctor to help your adolescent deal with the effects of drug addiction.