by Marijane Suttor

Created on: October 30, 2008   Last Updated: June 11, 2009

A group of seniors in high school had to respond to a question about what would be their top priorities if they were stranded on a deserted island. Their good-natured smiling response was "Party hard!" Were these troubled kids from a neglectful home? No, they were happy, healthy teens who were loved by their parents, who received good grades, and were active in athletics.

So what does cause teens to become involved in substance abuse? Although there are many factors, these are a few observations about why teens turn to alcohol and even drugs.

Peer Pressure.

Peer Pressure is the number one reason teens turn to substances. Acceptance by peers is one of the most important things in the lives of many teens. Even the best familes can struggle with the influence of peers on a teen. The perception of being cool and popular outweighs common sense and teens give in to peer pressure even knowing full well that it is not something that their parents will approve.

Inability to say No

A continuing aspect of peer pressure is simply the inability to say "No". Teens often lack the experience and knowledge to avoid a situation. They often do not realize that they can say "No". The fear is that by refusing drugs or alcohol there will be a backlash that will lead to loss of friendship, popularity, acceptance and may lead to ridicule. Teens simply lack the life experience and thusly the ability to turn down these potentially dangerous problems. It takes a lot of courage to tell others "No".

Risky Behavior

Teens by nature take risks. According to Lynn E. Ponton, M.D. of www.middleweb.com teens take risks as part of their discovery of identity and some risk taking behaviors are more accelerated than others. That means that a teen could be a risk taker on the football field or it could be the opportunity to party. Taking risks is part of development. As much as possible parents should provide appropriate risk taking opportunities that may reduce the desire to do so with alcohol or drugs.

Having Fun

As much as people may want to psycho-analyze teens, much of it boils down to their wanting to have fun. It is enjoyable to socialize with friends and get a little silly. It seems innocent enough to the teens in the beginning, but for some teens this good time can lead to addictions that may eventually lead to consequences down the road.

Avoidance

For a certain segment of teens substance abuse is an avoidance technique. It could be to avoid unpleasant situations at home, family

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