Most adolescents go through this time maintaining healthy lifestyles and relationships. But there are some, because of family situations, and impulsive behavior that is a characteristic of this stage of development that turn to alcohol and drug abuse which can lead to addiction (Brooks, 2014). Drug abuse and addiction can lead to serious problems physically and emotionally for the young person. This essay will explore the difference between abuse and addiction in adolescence, the causes, the neural effects of abuse and addiction and the effect of religiosity and spirituality as a protective factor. Abuse or Addiction Drug abuse is defined by Dryden-Edwards (2014) as a destructive pattern of repeatedly using a substance that leads to significant problem or distress in major areas of life such as relationships and employment.
Drug Addiction in Adolescence Abstract “Drug addiction is a dependence on an illegal drug or medication” (Merriam-Webster’s, 2000). Once one was addicted, it becomes the focus in that individual's life. The purpose for this paper was to learn and understand the positive and negative outcomes involving drug addiction in the lives of adolescence. Drug addiction in Adolescence was a continuing problem across the United States. There were many reasons an adolescent will try and even abuse different types of drugs and possibly alcohol; some of them included peer pressure, boredom, and curiosity and/or family problems such as parents going through a divorce.
Violent behaviors among adolescents are dangerous and can ultimately lead to injury or even death. Moreover, adolescents and children who encounter or observe violent behaviors might undergo emotional trauma. It is noteworthy that the primary contributors and victims of violence are adolesents. This paper analyzes how prevalent delinquency is among adolescents in today’s society. Delinquncy is prevalent in adolescents, as the United States juvenile justice system has a large portion of inmates under the age of fifteen (Cloward, & Ohlin, 2013).
Firstly, there are many factors that can exacerbate childhood trauma that will later on cause a person to engage in criminal activity. For instance, some researches tend to use the term “Adverse Child Experiences’’ also known as ACE, this includes a multitude of childhood trauma’s involving sexual and emotional abuse, child neglect, or substance abuse (Going Bonkers Magazine, Kathleen Kendall Page 44. ) When a child is faced with these many unexplained acts of trauma it usually leads to Psychological changes, which causes Harmful behaviors towards themselves or others (Kendall, Page 45). This could be due to the fact that they are always exposed to physical abuse, and they will feel the need
Sexually transmitted diseases/infections and blood in the victim’s clothing are also signs of sexual abuse. Abuse victims may also show inappropriate sexual behavior (12Ma20). Sexual abuse is a traumatic experience and causes long term mental illness. It can occur during childhood but can lead to mental health illnesses that can follow the victim into adulthood. This leads to problems in the victims relationships because they relate their relationships to the experiences they’ve undergone with their abuser.
How does drug use relate to delinquency? Studies taking from a Treatment Research organization have found youth who take drugs under 15 years of age are at a greater risk for delinquent behaviors than adolescents above that age. Depending on the type of substance being abused and its prolonged use, juveniles can become physically and / or psychologically dependent; therefore, juveniles are more willing to participate in delinquent activity, such as stealing or selling drugs in order to pay for their supply of drugs or seek out a negative socialization group with other delinquent peers, which in return will provide easier access to drugs (Liddle, 2008) This is where the delinquency starts and the teenager begins to commit a crime without thinking of what could happen if they get caught. All the teenager is thinking about is how to forget that they have a problem at home, school, or peer pressure they just want to get high and they
Adolescent abuse: 1) Title of article 1: Physical Discipline, Escalation, and Child Abuse Potential: psychometric Evidence for the Analog Parenting Task 2) Title of article 2: Predictors of physical assault victimization: Findings from the National Survey of Adolescents * In both of the articles I found for adolescent physical abuse they seemed to touch on how adolescents that do experience physical abuse more often than not tend to have a higher likelihood of aggression and antisocial behaviors. In the first article I read it focused more on parents abusing their children it stated, “ abusive parents frequently engage in excessive harsh physical discipline and the use of physical punishment.” It was stated that some researchers have proposed that corporal punishment and physical abuse maybe be continuous constructs that differ in degree of severity. In the second article if focuses more on victimization towards the child by anyone, not pin pointing a specific person doing the abuse. They looked more on the symptoms of the children being physically abused and based it off of the DSM-IV requirements. Based on the DSM-IV there had to be three avoidances, one intrusion and two arousal symptoms.
Research Paper: Effect of Sexual Abuse on Adult Relationships Samantha Caruso Regent University Abstract: In this paper I will be discussing the effects of childhood sexual abuse on adult relationships. I will first address the effects in childhood and end with adulthood. This is to help the reader see the correlations between the stages, as well as what theorists have to say about these stages. The material discussed has been tested a multitude of times and has shown that there is a significant correlation between childhood sexual abuse and social/sexual problems in adult relation. Introduction: According to many studies it has been found that, “women who had experienced CSA(Childhood Sexual Abuse) involving sexual penetration or attempted sexual penetration were: (a) likely to be sexually victimized in adulthood; (b) more likely to have engaged in casual sex, unprotected sex, involuntary sexual abstinence; (c) reported fewer sexual rewards, more sexual costs, and lower sexual self-esteem.” (Lemieux & Byer, 2008, p.126) Also research shows, “CSA is associated with a variety of short and long-term negative consequences including depression, and anxiety, anger, poor self-esteem, substance abuse, eating disorders, and sexual re-victimization.” (Beitchman et al., 1992; Newman, Houskamp, Pollock, & Brier, 1996) All of which affect relationships within the individuals life.
Traub (2009) discusses the reliability of Dissociative Identity Disorder identification and categorization. Many believe that the DID is a symptom after a traumatic event, he states that “… the disorder is a defensive response that results naturally from continuous and tremendous childhood trauma, particularly from physical and sexual abuse” (Traub, 2009, p. 348). He talks about different sections, addressing whether Dissociative Identity Disorders are reliable diagnosis.. In the category of childhood trauma, Traub (2009) talks about how many psychiatrists believe the cause of many of the DID cases are due to trauma when they were children, especially in those that deal with an accumulation of traumatic events. People that advocates for DID states that it is necessary for childhood trauma to be predecessor and cause of this particular disorder.
American Youth, Substance Abuse, and Proposed Solutions American youth are abusing alcohol and drugs at an alarming rate. Every generation has this problem to a certain degree, but the current one is of utmost concern. American’s have turned to harder and harder drugs with greater potential for serious harm and death. Psychologist Sean O’Hara, who specializes in adolescent substance abuse, claims that today’s young people not only use “more lethal forms” of drugs such as pain medication and tranquilizer combinations but in the coming years ahead we will likely see a “sharp increase of overdose death.” Why and where these problems come from are two important questions that need to be asked by professionals, children, and parents alike.