Teen Drug Abuse Facts

There are many stages of drug abuse, ultimately leading to difficulty in managing one's life as a result of using drugs.

Individuals who begin using drugs as juveniles are at greater risk of becoming addicted compared to those who begin drug use as an adult due to the immaturity of the teenage brain, particularly of that part of the brain that controls impulses.

The symptoms of drug abuse include tolerance to a substance, withdrawal episodes, using more drugs for longer periods of time, and problems managing life issues due to the use of a drug.

Substance abuse is caused by a number of individual, family, genetic, and social factors rather than by any one cause.

Although a number of genes play a role in the development of substance abuse, this is a disease in which other factors more strongly influence its occurrence.

Substance-abuse treatment is usually treated based on the stage of the addiction, ranging from management of risk factors and education to intensive residential treatment followed by long-term outpatient care and support.