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Substance Abuse In America Essay

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Substance abuse is a major concern when it comes to the youth of America. The horrible effects which can occur from drug and alcohol abuse is horrendous. It destroys the lives of victims and can alter their way of thinking and acting. There are many causes which can influence the youth to try these new substances, and if not pulled out from it, can ruin their lives. America’s substance abuse problem in youth is caused by social factors, psychological factors, and biological factors. In America, one in eleven young adults reported being “binge-drinkers”, which means having more than five alcoholic beverages in a row (Hardey). This statistic is insane when taking a look at the total number of young adults in America right now. In 2021, Statista …show more content…

Factors such as peer pressure, easy availability, and lack of social support (”Why Do Teens”). These can have some of the biggest impact on those youth who are just trying to find something to help them through the day. The peer pressure is one of the most important causes because of the camaraderie throughout friends, and the majority of young people want to fit in wherever they can. In their mind, if they try this new drug, they think it will make them look cool. Easy accessibility is also a large factor because, if it is easy to get ahold of, then there is no reason not to try it. Lack of social support could be overlooked as a cause, but it affects a large percentage of people because they do not have a person telling them not to do it, or that it is bad and …show more content…

Things such as family history, and having withdrawals from not being able to get high (“Why Do Teens”). Family history of substance abuse makes it easier to try drugs for the first time if those who are trying it have seen a family member ingest the substance before. A child of a parent who is an alcoholic is reported to be four times more likely to become an alcoholic later in life (“Family History”). Withdrawal is defined as when the addicted person cuts back, or quits entirely; there are many symptoms which can be caused by withdrawal: restlessness, agitation, anxiety or tremors

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