Human Growth and Development - Essay Example

Addiction in Adolescence s The adolescent years and substance abuse or addiction are very much associated since the growing years makes an individual more susceptible to making wrong choices. To a young mind abusing substances might sound like fun however regular abuse directly leads to addiction and subsequent consequences of addiction.Addiction is especially dangerous during the adolescent years since it negatively affects both the psychiatric and physical wellbeing of the abuser or the addict.

Interaction of the newly manifested psychiatric problems with the rapidly changing sociological and biological interactions of the individual sets off an individual on deviant behavior which when left untreated debilitates the scope of a normal adulthood (Castellanos-Ryan et al, 2013, p41).Drug abuse and addiction is today a major public health concern. Drugs modify normal brain functioning in regions of the brain mainly associated with thinking, reasoning and cognition (Gould, 2010, p4). Neurotoxins have lesser impact on developing brains because of the resilient ability of the brains; however, exposure to drugs and alcohol interrupts the normal brain development and interferes with key processes of the brain, deteriorates white matter quality and leads to abnormal neuronal pattern (Squeglia et al, 2009, p31).

Swendson et al (2010, p390) carried out a cross-sectional study to examine the prevalence of addiction among U.S. adolescents and found that by the late adolescent years 79% had consumed alcohol while 81% had tried illicit drugs at least once. The median age for onset for both alcohol and drug addiction was set at 14 years (Swendson et al, 2010, p392).90% of American who are addicted today started smoking, drug abuse and drinking during adolescent years (Park,2011)Nowadays, news reports are flooded with instances of drug abuse within schools and university campuses.

Some consider use of certain drugs for recreational purpose or for added advantage. Hard drug usage is on the rise in the Michigan Campus (Radwin, 2014). According to the Office of Adolescent Health in 2011, 605 of Michigan high school students abused tobacco, 18% were addicted to alcohol while a good percentage of students abused hard drugs such as marijuana and cocaine (Office of Adolescent Health, 2011). With the increasing numbers of growing teenagers falling prey to such instances it is obvious that the access to abusive substances is prevalent.

One of the therapies that has been scientifically proven to benefit drug addiction is spirituality.Even though religion is often seen as a delusion it provides an individual with strength and a sense of belonging which helps one attain moral and cultural achievement (Roehlkepartain et al, 2005, p6). Spirituality helps growing children understand the negative impacts that drug and alcohol abuse has on the mind and health of a person. It helps them decide between what is right and wrong. When a growing child is surrounded with holistic spiritual factors he understands the strength and value of life and relationships, imbibes traditional culture and also recognizes the need to stay away from indulging in deviant behavior.

Today, children have much more access to substances that can be harmful. Media and peer pressure are often the leading factors for onset of abuse and addiction. However, spiritual orientation especially in the early adolescent years can help inhibit development of such bad habits and help teenagers make better choices in life.REFERENCESCastellanos-Ryan,N.et al (2013). Substance-use in Childhood and Adolescence: A Brief Overview of Developmental Processes and their Clinical Implications.Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 22(1),p41-46.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3565714/Gould,T.(2010). Addiction and Cognition.Addiction science and clinical practice,5(2),p4-14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3120118/Office of Adolescent Health, Michigan Adolescent Substance Abuse Facts(2011).Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health-topics/substance-abuse/states/mi.html on 18 June 2014.Park,A.(2011,June 29). Teens and Drugs: Rite of Passage or Recipe for Addiction?.Health and Time. Retriveed from http://healthland.time.com/2011/06/29/teens-and-drugs-rite-of-passage-or-recipe-for-addiction/ on 17 June, 2014.Radwin,M. (2014, April 5).

Hard drug use on the rise at the University.The Michigan Dail. Retrieved form http://www.michigandaily.com/news/reports-show-uptick-hard-drug-use on 17 June,2014.Roehlkepartain, E., King, P., Wagener, L., & Benson, P. (2005). The handbook of spiritual development in childhood and adolescence. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.Squeglia,L.M. et al.(2009). The Influence of Substance Use on Adolescent Brain Development. Clinical EEG and neuroscience : official journal of the EEG and Clinical Neuroscience Society,40(1),p31-38.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2827693/Swendson,J.(2012). Use and Abuse of Alcohol and Illicit Drugs in US Adolescents.Archives of general psychiatry,69(4),p390-398. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746542/