Photo Credit: flickr user – Torben Hansen, teen substance abuse
According to a recent article by Science Daily, new research states that teen substance abuse is much more likely to occur if teenagers have easy access to drugs and alcohol in the home. The research was one of the first studies conducted to evaluate adolescent exposure to illegal substances and its effects on teen substance abuse later in life.
Researchers Take on Teen Substance Abuse
The study was conducted by Michigan State University. Researchers state:
“While there have been many studies linking alcohol and drug use by parents to substance use among youths, there is limited research on how the availability of alcohol and drugs in the home may influence patterns of use among offspring in the future. These findings provide evidence that the availability of illegal drugs and alcohol in the home while growing up is a critical factor in the later use of substances.”
The Research
To conduct the research, researchers analyzed data from 15,000 participants in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health over the course of three sessions. They found that participants who had illegal drugs and alcohol easily available to them during adolescence started using drugs and alcohol at an earlier age. They also found that male participants, who had alcohol and illegal drugs more available to them in the home during adolescence were more likely to develop teen substance abuse issues than female participants.
Reducing Exposure
As a parent reducing the access to alcohol in the home may significantly reduce kids chances of developing teen substance abuse problems later in life. Clearly it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a beer or glass of wine with a meal, or completely eliminate kid’s exposure to alcohols presence in your home, but reducing the availability or making them less aware of its presence may help.
If you have a teen battling teen substance abuse problems, there are programs available that can help.
blueFire Wilderness can help
blueFire is a wilderness therapy program for struggling teens, ages 11 to 17. Our students often grapple with anxiety, depression, and other emotional or behavioral problems. At blueFire, we strive to help each client succeed.
For more information about blueFire Wilderness, please call 1 (844) 413-1999 today!