Executive Summary
Substance abuse is among the leading causes of mental health disorders among the teenagers in Nova Scotia. Even though many teenagers who try alcohol or drugs do not experience addictions, there is still a sizable number; the bulk of them have vexed alcohol, and some have tried illegal drugs. As a result of these behaviors, they develop dangerous levels of alcohol consumption. They also take medications to the point that they are addicted. According to recent school surveys, more than half of teenagers in Canada’s middle and high schools have admitted to using drugs at some point in their lives. The paper analyzes drug disorders and their effects on mental health among teenagers. Some of the identified causes include peer pressure and a hostile family environment. Some of the solutions include School-based health clinics that have grown into a standard answer to managing the health requirements of teenagers and adolescents. The government should work in collaboration with the community leaders to enhance educational programs on the effects of drug abuse. Treatment and therapy are recommended for teens before addiction, which helps identify underlying disorders.
Introduction
“Many adolescents and teenagers have tried drugs and alcohol. Surveys have reported that by the end of high school, 80% of students have tried alcohol, 49% have tried marijuana, and 29% have used a street drug other than marijuana” (Johnston et al., 2021, p. 2). Even though many teenagers who try alcohol or drugs do not experience addictions, there is still a sizable number; the bulk of them have tried alcohol, and some have tried illegal drugs. Some of them have dangerous stages of liquor consumption and have taken medications to the point that they are initiating issues in their lives. Alcohol and drug use is a reason for worry since it has been related to many harms such as early erotic action, hopping or plummeting out of school, hostility, and violence. When individuals begin using drugs at a new age, they are more likely to become addicted later.
One sort of alcohol and substance usage is when a teenager uses drugs and alcohol on occasions without acquiring physical tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, social and emotional issues. This indicates that the teenager utilizes drugs but at amounts that are not harmful and detectable. Secondly is drug addiction and alcoholism. Consuming alcohol or other drugs to the extent that it causes health, social, or emotional difficulties (Brousseau, 2020, p. 416). Circumstances in which the teenager utilizes drugs and products to the degree where their everyday functions and ability to behave appropriately in the pre-drug and substance use stage are disrupted. Third, there is substance dependence that the adolescent’s body becomes physiologically reliant on the drug. When a teenager has to take a substance to avoid withdrawal symptoms, they are considered dependent.
“In 2012, a total of 2.8 million Canadians aged 15 and older, or 10.1%, reported symptoms consistent with at least one of the following mental or substance use disorders: major depressive episode, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and abuse of or dependence on alcohol, cannabis or other drugs” (Campion, 2019, p. 25). Morbidities were more common than mood disorders during a person’s life. Mental disorders are problems that cause significant discomfort or incapacity, behavioral or cognitive dysfunction, or the possibility of a hazardous or undesirable result, such as anguish, pain, disability, or death. In Nova Scotia, the prevalence of adolescent mental illness has skyrocketed. Substance addiction has become ingrained in society, particularly among teens aged 14 to 19. Substance misuse, which is impacted by social stress factors such as emotional, sexual, and physical abuse, is the leading cause of adolescent mental illness.
The type of disorder experienced by an individual depends on the substance they abuse. Some teenagers experience mental illness and drug abuse problems thus experience a co-occurring condition. A bad home environment, family strife, and parental sadness can also contribute to adolescent mental illness and drug addiction (Guessoum et al., 2020, p. 15). The affected teenagers may have challenges at school or work which can be identified by frequently missing school or poor performance. Also, the Teenage may experience physical health issues and changes in behavior such as weight loss or gain, red eyes, and exaggerated behavior. Additionally, they may show neglected appearance, such as disinterest in grooming and looks.
Discussion of Findings
Causes of substance use and mental health disorders among teenagers
“Mental disorders or illnesses generally refer to clinically significant patterns of behavioral or emotional function that are associated with some level of distress, suffering (even to the point of pain and death), or impairment in one or more functional areas (e.g., school, work, social, and family interactions)” (Strudwick et al. 2021, p. 43). There are numerous types of mental illnesses. They differ significantly in terms of sickness course and pattern, kind and intensity of signs generated, and amount of impairment encountered. An individual may experience either one bout of disease or several incidents of disease detached by extended episodes of wellness. Some mental illnesses are episodic or cyclical, while others are more permanent, with prolonged or often repeated attacks. Persons suffering from chronic diseases typically require long-term therapy and care. Substance use and abuse contribute to mental health issues when an individual, particularly a teenager, becomes a regular user, regardless of motive.
Bodily and mental illnesses
Drug use problems are frequently associated with various other bodily and mental illnesses. “Studies have consistently shown the high co-occurrence and the elevated risk of mental disorders in individuals with substance use disorders” (Dauber et al. 2018, p. 69). The tendency of substance use develops either through peer groups or inside the family due to the elders engaging in one or more forms of substance usage. Some of the youngsters addicted to substances had a family or friend addicted to drugs or alcohol. This is because family plays a vital role in forming a teenager’s character and mentality.
Influence from family and close relatives
Furthermore, teens take a lot from their families and close relatives. If they stray from the appropriate morals, they may become absorbed in drug use and abuse, which may lead to mental health problems on their part, obstructing and harming their performance and productivity at school. This has a significant impact on their impacts and conduct in their later years (Strudwick et al. 2021, p. 45). As a result, a bad home environment might create situations in which kids steal behavior that may lead to substance dependence.
Peer pressure
According to Lokhandeet al. (2018), “Most common reason given by the study participants for the initiation of the substance use (tobacco + alcohol) was the peer pressure followed by curiosity, as an experimentation & experience, to feel good and mimicking the actors in the movies” (Lokhandeet al. 2018, p. 2312). Teenagers may desire to imitate their personal favorite since they are exposed to excessive viewing, especially in the digital era. This is due to their perception of the behavior’s goodness. This they may do in private even without their parents’ awareness. Peer pressure is a significant component in drug use among most teenagers. This is done to guarantee that they are not apprehended. Teenagers are faced with the urge to conform as a consequence of peer pressure from their teen friends, and anytime their friends use drugs and substances, kids will end up using them to fit in and adapt to the social standing of their friends.
Opposing family environment
Some teens abuse substances as a result of the opposing family environment. Teenagers “with the habit of substance use have a history of substance use by family members or friends” (Zwick et al., 2020, p. 2). This seems to be because teens mirror the surroundings in which they were raised due to their familial background. When a teenager is presented in a home where drug addiction is the norm of the day, they are more likely to adopt negative behaviors that later reflect in their substance abuse, which, when done for an extended period, leads to mental health conditions such as depression and other diseases.
As a result of the social class that a teenager comes from, it affects the teenager’s behavior and character. “Tobacco use is seen more in lower socioeconomic class than the middle, and higher class and no statistical difference was observed for the use of alcohol among various socioeconomic classes”(Lokhandeet al. 2018, p. 2310). This is because teens from low socioeconomic backgrounds are exposed to a direct supply of the drugs and are in straightforward and easy touch with the medications compared to other social groups. This is due to more significant interaction with other kids and others in their surroundings who abuse such substances. As a result, they are susceptible to using the substances as well.
Stimulant in social context
Another source of substance abuse is using a stimulant in social contexts, which leads to repeated use, leading to substance abuse. Opioids, which are prescription medications provided to unwell people, are the most often misused narcotics. The person may subsequently return them to a friend or colleague. When this occurs, the consumer is not prescribed, and their use may become regular and abusive in cases when the drug’s indications are not apparent in the specific individual (Esmaeelzadeh, 2018, p. 546). The drug determines the danger of addiction in issue and the frequency with which it is accessed and used. Individuals who use opioid medicines, for example, are more likely to get addicted than those who use non-steroidal medications. The individual may begin with a minimal dose and progress to the point where they require high amounts of the drug, resulting in addiction and misuse.
Solutions to teenage substance abuse and mental health disorders
Puberty is the time of exploration, which raises the risk of poor sexual health, tobacco, drug abuse, and mental distress, including suicide conduct. This demographic is sometimes challenging to access with suitable promotion and preventative interventions. School-based health clinics have grown into a standard answer to managing the health requirements of teenagers and adolescents. School-based health clinics are intended to overcome the barriers and change their access to essential services, particularly those connected to drug use and misuse and the consequences on mental health (Kim et al., 2019, p. 128). This includes teens’ perceptions of a lack of disclosure in the traditional care structure and a seeming lack of respect for their independence and health-related choices. Such health clinics can provide both preventative and acute treatment and mental health services, and information on the impact of element use on a teen’s mental health.
Since teenagers and adolescents are exposed to some effects and peer pressure, these health centers can provide the teenagers with services such as nursing assessment and referral, contraception and condoms, counseling, and other services by physicians. “On first visits to the SBHCs, students are screened for a range of risk behaviors using an intake questionnaire provided by the SBHC receptionist and reviewed by the SBHC nurse to guide intervention” (Kim et al., 2019, p. 130). This would enhance teens’ care and trust in the healthcare system, and they will think that their needs are prioritized and significant, which will encourage their care-seeking habits. The government should strengthen educational initiatives that inform the teenagers about the dangers of drug misuse. In addition, teenagers should get treatment and counseling to assist in discovering underlying issues. This is critical in ensuring that teens are aware of these difficulties, the consequent influences on their bodily and mental health, and the long-term implications on their output and the growth of their families and society in general.
The increased understanding of the dangers of tobacco and alcohol use with age is essential for ensuring that teens minimize their attempts to use drugs and, as a result, the prevalence of mental health issues. Most shared measure advocated is monitoring tobacco by enhancing measures to ban the tobacco products charted by ban promotions, health education, and strict laws. More than half of the survey subjects hoped that no one used cigarettes in their midst. Just a minority of the respondents sought to limit drug usage among relatives (Lokhande et al. 2018, p. 2315). This will be an effective method in ensuring that parents and relatives act as role models in modeling good behavior to the teenagers who learn majorly and extensively through imitations of their immediate environment.
In collaboration with community leaders, the government should enhance educational programs that educate teenagers on the effects of drug abuse. Treatment and therapy are recommended for teens before addiction, which helps identify underlying disorders. The government should enhance policies that restrict drugs to teenagers. This will ensure that those teenagers who have substance abuse disorders and addiction are given an opportunity for rehabilitation and educated on identifying the potential causes and dangers and their ability to cope in the environment where they are exposed (Esmaeelzadeh, 2018, p. 549). This will help reduce the burden of substance abuse and mental illnesses among the teenagers who, when addicted, results in a load in society both in their workplace and family life.
Regulations must be devised for using some of the most often misused substances, such as opioid medicines, which are also authorized pharmaceuticals. This is due to the adverse consequences that occur in cases of misuse, regardless of the frequency and indication at initial usage. It is critical that stores selling these items be licensed and checked regularly to guarantee that they comply with the law (Lokhande et al. 2018, p. 2317). Laws must be enacted in cases of negligence and abuse of authority. Physicians who prescribe these treatments should be aware of their adverse effects and avoid using them if there are alternatives that might function better, especially outside of the hospital environment.
Recommendation of one of the solution
Since teenagers and adolescents are exposed to some effects and peer pressure, these health centers can provide the teenagers with services such as nursing assessment and referral, contraception and condoms, counseling, and other services by physicians. “On first visits to the SBHCs, students are screened for a range of risk behaviors using an intake questionnaire provided by the SBHC receptionist and reviewed by the SBHC nurse to guide intervention” (Kim et al., 2019, p. 131). This would enhance teens’ care and trust in the healthcare system, and they will think that their needs are prioritized and significant, which will encourage their care-seeking habits. The government should strengthen educational initiatives that inform the teenagers about the dangers of drug misuse. In addition, teenagers should get treatment and counseling to discover underlying issues. This is critical in ensuring that people are aware of these difficulties, the consequent influences on their physical and mental health, and the long-term implications on their output and the growth of their families and society in general.
“One of the advantages of SBHCs is providing opportunities for screening for risk behaviors in adolescents and teenagers” (Brousseau et al., 2020, p. 415). This is because both the sexes are at risk of substance use during this stage of development, which results in consequences such as engaging in early sex. When there is sensitization to the usage of the services, teenagers will become aware and knowledgeable as to why the services are provided to them and that the staff is suited to handle them. Hence, they can reach them anytime at their convenience and discuss their matters and their problems. This will enhance their chances of recovery and acceptance from using substances through periodic reviews and visits to the health centers.
Regulations for using some of the most often misused substances, such as opioid medicines, which are also authorized pharmaceuticals, must be devised. This is due to the adverse consequences that occur in cases of misuse, regardless of the frequency and indication at initial usage. It is critical that stores selling these items be licensed and checked regularly to guarantee that they comply with the law (Esmaeelzadeh, 2018, p. 545). Laws must be enacted in cases of negligence and abuse of authority. Physicians who prescribe these treatments should be aware of their adverse effects and avoid using them if there are alternatives that might function better, especially outside of the hospital environment.
Conclusion
In collaboration with community leaders, the government should enhance educational programs that educate teenagers on the effects of drug abuse. Treatment and therapy are recommended for teens before addiction, which helps identify underlying disorders. The government should enhance policies that restrict drugs to teenagers. This will ensure that those teenagers who have substance abuse disorders and addiction are given an opportunity for rehabilitation and educated on identifying the potential causes and dangers and their ability to cope in the environment where they are exposed (Guessoum et al., 2020, p. 19). This will help reduce the burden of substance abuse and mental illnesses among the teenagers who, when addicted, results in a load in society both in their workplace and family life.
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