High Stress Teens Twice as Likely to Drink or Use Drugs

High Stress Teens Twice as Likely to Drink or Use Drugs Addiction Drug Use Print Top Risk Factors for Teen Substance Abuse By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on November 02, 2015 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on January 23, 2020 Fabrice LEROUGE / Getty Images More in Addiction Drug Use Cocaine Heroin Marijuana Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Hallucinogens Opioids Prescription Medications Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Why do some teens get involved in substance abuse while others do not? What factors or influences increase the risks that adolescents will smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, get drunk and use illegal and prescription drugs, while others go all the way through high school abstinent? To answer these questions, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University conducts a back-to-school study otherwise known as The National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse. Since 1995, this survey has attempted to identify characteristics, situations, and circumstances that increase or decrease the likelihood of teen substance abuse. From the results of several of CASAs 17 published studies, the following risk factors for increased likelihood that teens will smoke, drink or use drugs have emerged. Key Factors In one of CASAs early studies (2003), the survey found that highly stressed teens, compared to low-stressed teens are much more likely to become involved in substance abuse: High-stress teens are twice as likely to smoke, drink, get drunk and use illegal drugs.Teens who report they are frequently bored are 50% more likely to smoke, drink, get drunk and use illegal drugs.Teens with $25 or more per week in spending money are twice as likely to smoke, drink and use illegal drugs and more than twice as likely to get drunk.Teens with two or three of these factors are more than three times likely to become substance abusers.These factors affect more than half of the 12-to-17-year-olds in the U.S. Teens Begin Using Earlier Than Parents Think Teens being influenced to smoke, drink, and use drugs begins much earlier in their lives than parents would like to think, according to later CASA survey results. Average first use of alcohol is 12 years, 2 months.Average age of first smoking cigarettes is 12 years, 6 months.Average first use of marijuana is 13 years, 11 months. The survey found that between age 12 and age 17, the likelihood that a teen will smoke, drink or use illegal drugs increases seven times. During the same time, from age 12 to 17, the percentage of teens who report having friends who smoke marijuana increases 14 times. Spirituality Is a Positive Influence The CASA survey has repeatedly found that teens who attend religious services at least once a week are at significantly at lower risk of becoming involved in substance abuse. Digital Peer Pressure Teens who have seen pictures on Facebook or other social networking sites of other kids getting drunk, passed out, or using drugs are more likely to become involved in substance abuse themselves, compared to kids who have not seen such pictures. They are: Four times more likely to have used marijuanaMore than three times more likely to have used alcoholAlmost three times likelier to have used tobaccoMore than twice as likely to think theyll try drugs in the future. In addition, teens who spend significant time on social networking are: Four times more likely to be able to obtain marijuanaThree times more likely to be able to get prescription drugsTwice as likely to be able to get alcohol within a day or less Teens involved in social networks are much more likely to have friends and classmates who use illegal drugs and abuse controlled prescription drugs. Effects of High Stress Compared to teens who reported being under low stress (5 or less on a scale of 1 to 10), teens under high stress (6 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10) are significantly more likely to abuse substances: Three times more likely to have used marijuanaTwice as likely to have used alcoholTwice as likely to have used tobacco Being Home Alone at Night Teens who are sometimes left home alone overnight without adult supervision are more likely to be substance abusers, compared to teens who are never left home alone at night. Twice as likely to have used marijuanaAlmost twice as likely to have used alcoholNearly three times as likely to have used tobacco Cyberbullying Victims at Greater Risk CASAs surveys reveal that teens that experience cyberbullying are more than twice as likely to smoke, drink and use marijuana compared with teens who are not bullied. Teen Attitudes Display Greater Risks of Substance Abuse In each instance, if teens taking the survey said they agreed with the statements below, they were three times more likely to use marijuana, about twice as likely to drink alcohol, and many times more likely to smoke cigarettes: If a friend of mine uses illegal drugs, its none of my business.I should be able to do what I want with my own body.Its not a big deal to have sex with someone you dont care that much about. Parental Disapproval Is an Important Factor Throughout the years, the CASA survey found that strong parental disapproval of substance abuse is a factor in teens attitudes and behavior. Teens who say their parents would be extremely upset to find out they smoked, drank, or used marijuana were must less likely to use substances themselves or to think it is okay for their peers to use them. When children reported that their parents would not be extremely upset, however, the survey found that the parents: Eight and a half times more likely to say its okay for teens their age to use marijuana.Ten times more likely to say its okay for teens their age to get drunk.Nine times more likely to say its okay for teens their age to smoke cigarettes. Parents Need to Be on the Same Page The surveys find that it is important for parents to send a consistent and unified message to their teens about drugs and alcohol. Compared to teens whose parents completely agree with each other about substance abuse, teens whose parents dont completely agree are: 3 times more likely to use marijuana3.5 times more likely to try drugs in the futureTwice as likely to use alcohol Time after time, the CASA survey has found that parental involvement in their teens lives can play an important role in whether are not they become involved in substance abuse, especially if the parents are sensitive to the stress in their childrens lives, understand when and why they are bored, and limit and monitor their spending money. Ways That Parents Can Reduce Teen Risk According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, these are five ways that parents can reduce the possibility that their children will smoke, drink, get drunk or use illegal drunks before age 18: Be sensitive to the stress in teens lives and help them cope.Understand when and why teens are bored and help relieve their boredom.Limit the amount of money your teens have to spend and monitor how that money is spent.Know who your teens friends are.Be engaged in your childrens lives CASA suggests that parents can become more involved with their teens by helping them with their homework, attend their extra-curricular events, plan activities that you can do together, and talk to them about drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.