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Twenty-five percent of Americans die as a result of substance abuse. The average alcoholic dies twenty-six years earlier than he or she would otherwise.
Children believe that alcohol and drug use is safe. The average 18 year old has seen 100,000 television commercials encouraging him or her to drink. That's why 90% of high school seniors have tried alcohol, 53% get drunk at least once a month, 43% smoke marijuana, and about one third are smoking cigarettes. This is a national disaster! THE CHEMICALLY DEPENDENT ADOLESCENT A tumultuous group of adolescents consists of twenty percent of the population. These adolescents come from family backgrounds that are not stable. There is often a history of mental illness in the family; the parents have marital conflicts; and the families have more economic and social difficulties. The moods of these adolescents are not stable and they are more prone to depression. They have significantly more psychiatric disturbances, and they only do well with the aid of intense psychotherapy. They do not grow out of it. (Masterson, 1980; Offer 1986). These figures parallel the percentage of mental illness found in adult ,populations (Freedman 1984). It is in the tumultuous growth group that chemical dependency often develops. In this country the average first use of mood altering chemicals for boys is 11.9 years; for girls, 12.7 years (U.S. Department of Justice 1983). Adolescents almost always use alcohol or drugs the first time under peer pressure. They want to be accepted and be a part of the group. Children are likely to model after the chemical use of their parents. Children with alcoholic parents are at greater risk of becoming chemically dependent (Spalt, 1979). The adolescent who continues to use will increase drinking to a regular pattern (usually weekends). They may experiment with other drugs. They begin to use drugs to communicate, relate, and belong. With regular drinking, tolerance develops. The adolescent needs more of the drug to get intoxicated. Emotional changes may begin to be noticed by the family. The adolescent may become irritable and more non-communicative. They may begin to spend more time in their room. The peer group changes and they begin to lack motivation. They may begin not caring for themselves or others. Polarization of parents and children begins to occur. (Morrison and Smith 1990). As chemical dependency further develops the adolescent can no longer trust themselves when using chemicals. The choice to use the drug is no longer available to them, they have to use to feel normal. The continued use of chemicals eliminates the ability to think logically and rationally. Rationalization, minimization, and denial cut the adolescent off from reality (Soujanen,1983). Chemically dependent adolescents gradually change their peer group to include drinking and drug using friends. They begin to use chemicals to block out the pain and for the euphoric effect. They drink to escape pain. Blackouts and drinking alone are strong indicators of chemical dependency in the adolescent population. With the progression of the disease, family conflicts increase. The adolescent may run away, withdraw, or act out at home and at school. They withdraw from family and community activities. Problems with the police and school officials increase and become serious. The adolescent may become verbally abusive to parents and more rebellious to authority figures. Life begins to center around alcohol or drugs. Daily use begins and the patient begins to use to maintain rather than to escape. The adolescent makes attempts to cut back or quit but they are unable to stay clean and sober. Physical deterioration begins. Hiding and lying about drugs becomes more common. The adolescent feels more intensely isolated and alone. Concern begins to be openly expressed by parents, teachers, and even peers. Gradually the adolescent loses all self-esteem and depression begins to set in. There is no hell on earth like chemically dependency. The Patient lives in a world of lies and pain. No one knows who they are and they are isolated form very source of human nourishment. Persistent Chemical use leads to incarceration, institutionalization, or death (Morrison and Smith 1990; Chatlos and Jaffe 1994). Chemical dependency halts emotional development. To develop normally, a person must learn to use their feelings to give them energy and direction for problem solving. When feelings are altered by alcohol or drugs, this is no longer possible. The major coping skill of the chemically dependent person is chemical use. Adolescent chemical dependency can occur extremely quickly, within weeks, because the child's emotional development is immature. Adolescents don't have the internal structure to bring themselves and their lives under control. They cannot delay the onset of chemical dependency for years like adults can.
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