DRUG USE STEMS FROM A VARIETY OF REASONS

The reasons that people choose to use drugs will vary. Many people use them
to escape their hash reality, or perhaps because they find their problems
overwhelming. Either way, they seem to think it's OK to do these drugs, at
least for a while.

In some cases addicts recognize their drug addiction problem, and look for
help. Others may recognize their problem too, but do not have the courage
to make the difference themselves; and they may suffer in silence.

There are also those that start out with a drug that is viewed as less
harmful, and eventually turn to heavier drugs to satisfy their desires.

People with these desires are struggling mentally and feel that they need
these substances to get by. The reality is, they need to admit many things
to themselves such as being a victim of drug abuse, and that they are
running from their problems.

Once they realize they are running from their problems they can see that
they are also adding to their problems, and maybe get help to cure their
addiction.

People with strong addiction must want to get help, or else they will see
nothing wrong with their habits.

But, even though somebody recognizes their drug problem, it does not mean
that they will be cured.

They may not have the strength to fight to be clean.

This is especially sad to see in youth, considering that they may be so
young that this is all they know as a way of life. This can happen easily
to people at a young age, since they have not grown to know things for
themselves before they turned to drugs.

Some were even forced to abuse drugs.

Many things that kids learn are from other kids. These are the people they
spend time with, aside from in their home life. Kids wonder about the
things they don't know about, and can create deceptive fantasies about
things that should not be desirable.

An extremely important part of growing up includes a role model.

There will be many people that young kids look up to for various
characteristics, but the dominant ones will be where the difference is
made. These influences will help youth grow until they gain control and the
ability to reason with themselves.

A large misconception is the fact that it is alright for grown ups to drink
alcohol and smoke cigarettes and cigars.

Even kids that have a positive parental role model can grow up without
acknowledging the reasons why is it not permitted with people under the
legal age. It is obviously known to them that they aren't supposed to have
things like booze, but it doesn't occur to them that there are reasons why
young people shouldn't be drinking and smoking.

They may only see it as a way to teach discipline, and not understand that
it can effect the growth and learning process of younger people. They also
see older people having fun drinking, or looking cool when they are
smoking, which distorts the way these things should appear.

There are many organizations that are out to help people, and don't realize
that they are going at it backwards.

It is more common for others to try to make a difference with youth by
reaching them themselves than trying to reach the parents.

Though it is helpful to give aid to those that have already developed
problems, there could be a greater influence if the parents were reached.

Looking to help kids that have problems, people don't see that the kids
don't want to talk to them. Rather than trying to convince a kid that is
too afraid to change, they should be teaching parents how to introduce
things to their children and how to teach their children to ask about
things not only once, but to be able to keep coming back for more guidance.

If children grow to be teens, without any interaction with their parents,
it can be too late for the parents to do much about their rebellious
actions. Teens may find more of a family with others their own age. They
can get into things that they are shown by their peers whether negative or
positive. When drugs become regular, it doesn't take very long to change
the personality of users.

Since they have gone through these changes with whom they share these
interests with, it will most likely change their relationships between
family members and friends.

This may cause them to rebel even more because they have grown farther from
their parents and closer to their peers.

There can be huge problems in growing up and with their identity, which
comes from being confused with what they should be like, how to deal with
problems, and basically life in general.

Drug abuse in youth is drastically higher than it should ever be. It is
brought on by peer pressure and the many pressures in life. Stress in life
can be amazingly overwhelming, especially for young people, such as teens,
who do not have proper parental guidance.

Many of these kids have no recollection of hope; a very powerful aspect in
the lives of anyone that is successful. Life without hope can seem
impossible, and far too many of today's young adults have learned to cope
by masking things such as this. Many that have not adapted to a leaderless
environment have turned to drugs, or suicide.

It is too bad that parents will condemn their children to tragic lives,
since in most cases dysfunction breeds dysfunction.