Peer Pressure & Drug Abuse

Causality

• The chances of drug abuse rise dramatically when children first enter adolescence, according to studies cited by the National Institute of Health. Students are exponentially more likely to have experimented with drugs in the tenth grade than in the eighth grade. The same period of life is marked by an increase in peer pressure, as adolescents take their first steps away from their parents and towards independence. The two trends often interconnect, as teens are introduced and begin experimenting with drugs along with their peers.

Circumstances

• Circumstances often stress a casual or nonchalant approach to drug abuse when peers are involved. The teen sees drugs being used at a party or among a common group of friends, and may not feel enough self-esteem to say no (and thus stand out from the crowd). The easy answer is that anyone who won't include you because you don't use drugs isn't your friend. But those circumstances become difficult to avoid when teens are discovering the world and making their own choices for the first time. Teens can learn to identify subtle circumstances where they may feel pressured to use drug; once they do, it becomes easier to "just say no."

Spiraling

• Conversely, once a teen begins using drugs, it becomes more difficult to resist peer pressure. Besides the euphoric highs experienced by initial drug users, people are less likely to make smart decisions when they're on drugs, and thus become more vulnerable to group dynamics. Teens should be aware of how easy it is to slip into such a trap, and how simple experimentation can spiral out of control.

Family Structure

• Studies cited by the University of Michigan indicate that teens without a father figure in their home are more likely to be affected by peer pressure than those with a father or a stepfather in their homes. Similarly, teens with a strong relationship with their mothers are less likely to succumb to peer pressure and drug abuse than those with problematic mother-child relationships.

Countering Peer Pressure

• Parents can help with the peer pressure issue by speaking to their teens about drug use. They should do so in a spirit of openness and support rather than laying down draconian rules. If a teen feels he can speak to a parent about drug use without being judged, he'll have a resource besides his peers to turn to when faced with the decision to use drugs. Furthermore, a teen can practice low-key, non-dramatic ways to say no (such as, "I'm fine," or "no thanks,") that make it easier to stay off drugs without feeling ostracized from a peer group.