by Lisa Caissie

Created on: October 29, 2008   Last Updated: May 24, 2010

There are countless reasons why teenagers turn to drugs and alcohol. Just as every child is unique, so are their individual reasons for drug abuse. There can be one, or a variation of several contributing factors. However, for the most part, we can categorize the most common reasons.

Self Expression. Some teens abuse drugs and or alcohol to "define" themselves. In school, children tend to follow certain groups or classes of people. They can be categorized as the Druggies, the Jocks, the Nerds, the Preppies, the Loners etc. They tend to blend into a category they want to be associated with. For some teens it is easier to be themselves when they are on a drug of choice that gives them a false sense of courage, such as alcohol is sometimes defined as "liquid courage". There are also those that claim to be more artistic or creative when abusing drugs.

Unstable Home Life. For some unfortunate teens who are abused at home, they may abuse drugs as a means of escape from reality. It is used as a crutch to mask heartache and emotional trauma.

Peer Pressure. This category is fairly common and a lot of teens get caught up in the High school world of just wanting to fit in. Acceptance is a key factor in the life of a teenager. In the stages before drug abuse becomes an addiction, sometimes it simply starts as a desire to be like everyone else and not having the courage to stand up against the majority.

Continuing the Cycle. Some teens grow up with parents who abuse drugs and a lot of times follow suit. If they see those that they admire and look up to most using, they may feel that it is not a bad thing. They may sadly become so accustomed to the situation that it just seems like an everyday part of life.

Curiosity. There are some teens that just may like the thrill of experimenting. The rush, the high, the satisfaction of rebellion perhaps. Not all drug abusers come from broken homes, as is a popular misconception. In fact, some abusers come from very loving and nurturing homes. Some may simply be bored and want to test their limits.

As for myself, I believe it was a combination of many reasons. Both of my parents drank. As small children both my sister and I would be taken to many a party till the sun came up. With sleepy eyes we watched as our parents played cards, laughed and drank. The stale air would linger of cigarette smoke and pot. Everyone seemed to be having such a good time. We came to associate birthdays, graduations and holidays with a mixture of drugs and alcohol. As we grew naturally curious we would later come to invade our parents liquor cabinet and see for ourselves what it was all about.

Around the age of 14 we hosted our own parties with our friends drinking, smoking and whatever else. Our parents did nothing to encourage or discourage our behavior. They would suffice to tell us to be careful and don't leave the house. Fortunately for us we eventually grew out of this stage. My sister decided the pursuit of a career was more important. I went on to have kids of my own and attended college and made that my priority. My children know what alcohol is and I tell them how bad it is for them and what it can do to them. I do my best to steer them in the right direction, though I know I cannot shelter them from everything. Parenting is a lot like building a house. You make the foundation as strong as you can and you hope that if you do your job right your children will see the importance of staying grounded and not have the desire to climb the roof and jump off.

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