In strict terms, Substance abuse is the illegal use of drugs and the use of illegal drugs. In clearer terms, it is the use of drugs without prescription and the use of drugs that are not legally available for use, or drugs that are not registered under the relevant regulatory bodies. Substance in this case, could mean anything that is capable of affecting the state of a person’s body either positively or negatively, when being used.
A drug is basically any substance which when injected, smoked, consumed, inhaled or absorbed through the mouth or any other parts of the body, is able to cause temporary psychological and physiological changes in the body, aside from food which gives the body nutritional support and enhances strength. It could further be explained in the pharmaceutical world, as a chemical combination or substance that causes biological changes in a living organism when administered.
HOW SUBSTANCE ABUSE CREEPS INTO THE LIVES OF ADOLESCENTS
Adolescents are young persons, who are also referred to as teenagers. The teenage period of a person’s life is the period when he or she desires freedom and exposure, which could be either of positive effect or negative effect. It could be positive, depending on three factors; the environment, peer group and family background where the person is, and it could be negative, also depending on those three factors.
Benefits from the exposure may include, access to better opportunities, meeting good friends, improved mental and physical capacity and so on. On the other hand, one prominent negativity that adolescents are prone to getting exposed to, due to the freedom and exposure granted, is substance abuse.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Tobacco, marijuana, alcohol, and other substances are the most likely drugs that could be abused by adolescents. One could make use of these drugs without abusing them, the abuse comes into play when it is illegally purchased, used without adequate prescription and illegally used. Substance abuse could have dangerous consequences of not quickly controlled or corrected. Some of such consequences are:
1. Aggravated health issues
2. Irregular physical and psychological disabilities
3. Compulsion to maintain a persistent use of the drug (i.e. substance addiction)
4. Financial crises arising from excessive spending on drugs which is capable of leading to theft, forgery and fraudulent practices.
5. Social and mental impairment: Social issues could arise when improper usage of the drug leads to mental disorders.
Some people take drugs for recreational reasons, to enhance strength and give energy boost. For such purposes, there are standard prescriptions that are to be followed to abstain from substance abuse.