Drug Abuse among Adolescents and Its Effects during Early Adulthood through to Late Adulthood - Case Study Example

Adolescence and Drug Abuse Adolescence is a transition period to adulthood from childhood. In this stage,girls of ages 10-13 years experience increase in subcutaneous fat that curves their body. Their breasts and pubic hair grow. Boys of ages 12-15 deepen their voices, enlarge their penis, testes, and scrotum. Their muscles become stronger and bigger. At around 14 years, most boys start having wet dreams. Estrogen and androgen hormones are the main causes of these changes (Durkin 3). Hormonal changes cause aggression and violence among adolescents. Drug abuse is a common habit in our society, which begins in adolescence. Hormones can develop aggression as a cause, consequence or mediator. Some violent behaviors, such as careless driving, harassing, and truancy result from excessive alcohol intake by adolescents (Ramirez 1). This paper will cover drug abuse among adolescents and its effects during early adulthood through to late adulthood. Effects of Variation in Hormones Adolescents, who mature early, gain self-confidence and popularity, which helps them endure adult life. Those who mature late suffer from low self-esteem and insecurity as compared to their adult peers. They regard themselves as weak and inactive. However, those who mature early may suffer from stress since they are expected to behave like adults while they are not fully equipped to be adults. Girls may experience psychosomatic distress in their teenage because they get involved in dating. Boys who mature early may become truants and land into trouble with the authority and parents. Cognitive Development The maturing human beings try to adapt to the challenges presented. Adolescents aged between 14-15 years are systematic and are able to argue correctly. Their decision making level, deductive, and inductive inferences, mathematical inferences, and objective thinking are high ( Ramirez 5). There is also a change in their memory and attention combined with neural development. Gender and Sexual Development As girls pass through adolescents, their parents, and the community at large limit their interactions with boys. This avoids early sexual intercourse that ends up in early and unwanted pregnancies that come from peer influence, which leads to the introduction of dangerous experimentations. These may be experimentation in illegal drugs, sex, neglecting responsibilities and being hostile to their parents, teachers, and adults (Duran 5). Drug Taking At Adolescence The State government of Victoria comments that during adolescence, most people experiment many things. In particular, the habit of drug abuse is because of experimentation during adolescence. Teenagers mostly abuse drugs such as tobacco, cannabis, amphetamines, cocaine, and alcohol. Most teenagers abuse drugs due to boredom, curiosity, and influence from friends and as a form of relaxing (2). American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry postulates that teenagers at risk of taking illegal drugs include with family account of drug abuse disorders, the depressed, those who have low self esteem and the outcasts. Teenagers abusing drugs have signs such as fatigue, red and glazed eyes, prolonged cough, irresponsible behavior, poor judgment, and depression. They break school rules and have a negative attitude. Their grades also drop in school (3). Adolescents drink a lot of alcohol at once, which have lasting effects in the brain. The specific affected brain part is the hippocampus, which is involved with the memory and learning (National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism 1). The Office of Adolescent Health States that most adolescents engage in heavy alcohol drinking, which endangers their lives. Drinking among the adolescents results in motor vehicle clashes that cause many deaths (1). Stages of adulthood There are three stages of adulthood. Early adulthood between 18-40 years, middle age between 41-65 years and late adulthood which s above 66 years. Early Adulthood Most people are in school while others are aiming to get jobs, get married, and establish homes. The physical strength and height increases. They find it easier to coordinate senses, such as hearing and seeing. As in the late 20s, most people have high-pitched tones. A majority are abusing drug substances, such as alcohol and cigarettes. They easily organize their diets and habits. They have well established thoughts and conclusions. At this stage, most people are getting romantic, which at times leads to stress and anger. Most of these individuals are trying to know exactly what they want to be. At age 28-33, people start reviewing their dreams and question their developments. Between 33-40 years, most people are settling down since they have found their destiny. Some have secure relationships while others do not have (Durkin 11). Drug Taking In Early Adulthood Parke (1) states that drug taking in early adulthood is evident and common since the young adults feel at liberty to do what they want with no limitations. They do not have stable jobs, relationships, and families. This occurs between 18-25 years. During a period of emerging adulthood, five features dictate a person’s decisions. These are identity exploration, self-focusing, instability, and future expectations. This situation makes most of them stressed and anxious; thus, they avoid stress by taking drugs. Emerging adults have problems of child bearing, managing households, and stabilizing in their careers. Middle Age Most of these people are at age 40. They have grey hair that is thinning out. There is increase in the number of wrinkles on the face while their weight increases around the waist. There is a reduction in the nervous system and cardiovascular respiratory. Presbyopia (farsightedness conditions which are due to changes in the shape of the eye lenses) is also common. Hearing ability weakens added with menopause disorders. Most of their minds are stable than younger adults. Their intellectual knowledge is high. Mid Life Crisis This is a period when adults are trying to eliminate conflicts between generatively and stagnation. Generativist process aims at contributing to the next generation through stable jobs. Stagnated adults, who have little to offer to the next generation, experience feelings of guilt and opposition (Durkin 14). Most of their children are entering adolescence age. They face challenges such as financial instabilities, divorce, diseases, emotional and economic stress, and the responsibilities of caring for close relatives. This results in drug addiction. National institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism (11) observes that the effects of heavy drinking become evident. Some of them suffer from alcoholic liver disease and pancreatitis, cancer, heart and mental disorders and problems of circulatory systems. They have lower immune system. Most of these people seek medical attention to treat alcoholism. Late Adulthood In this stage, the skin loses its elasticity adding more wrinkles. The general posture changes due to loss of collagen in the spinal vertebrae. Subcutaneous fat reduces while the hair thins out. Cardiovascular system becomes weak and muscle strength is lost. Respiratory efficiency reduces, in addition to urinary and digestive systems. Loss of clear vision is high because the pupils are smaller with the lens of the eye becoming less transparent. In late adulthood, hearing, touch and adaptation to darkness becomes weak. The ability to cope with various skills becomes low due to socialization and personalities (Durkin 15). People in their late adulthood have poor performance than young adults. This is because the older people are slow to react to changes and development. In this stage, most people review their lives since they realize that their lives are ending. They have endless questions about their responsibilities. Majority of these individuals are retiring from their jobs. Those who have had stable marriages have better relations with others (Durkin 16). Grand parenting roles are common and become a source of joy since they get a sense of contribution to their family. Older people often find ways of dealing with their problems thus minimizing their level of dependence on their children. They have good reasoning and plan life better, though faced with various dilemmas. People in their late adulthood have greater challenges in their lives that may make them drug addicts. Problems of retirement, financial instabilities, and chronic illnesses result in using risky substances. National Centre for Biotechnology Information (2) states that older adults more than 60 years, mostly abuse alcohol and other prescription drugs. However, this situation is not known, neither diagnosed nor treated. It argues that there is limited data and research-taking place since the health care providers are always in a hurry thus neglecting problem of drug abuse among older adults. This may also be attributed to mimic symptoms, such as dementia, diabetes and other behavioral disorders (12). This problem remains unnoticed since most of them do not go to hospitals, are aged, and live independently. The older adults fail to get effective treatment because of age, ignorance, medical behaviors, and their comorbity (Most healthcare providers of older adults do not go beyond the problem presented). For instance, changes in eating habits that may be because of substance abuse are overlooked since older adults are fussy about the food they are taking. Barriers to treatment are transport costs, lack of social network that may accommodate the old, inadequate time, and lack of expertise to attend to them. Some old people are financially unstable; thus, they face problems accessing health facilities (35). According to the National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism (12), older adults often drink less. Due to their weak metabolism, alcohol remains in the body longer than expected resulting in alcohol related diseases. These include stroke, hypertension, memory loss, cognitive, and mood disorders. Taking of medicines puts them at risk of more side effects, which can be life threatening. Works Cited American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. “Teens: Alcohol and Other drugs.” AACAP, 2014. Web. May 9 2015. Durkin, Kevin. “Adolescence and Adulthood. Chapter 10.” (2002): 1-22. Print. National Centre for Biotechnology Information. “Chapter 1-Substance Abuse among Older Adults: An Invisible Epidemic.” NCBI, Web. 9 May 2015 . National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism. “Five year strategic, plan FY08-13.” NIAA, Web. 9 May 2015. Office of Adolescent Health. “Substance Abuse.” OAH, 27 Apr 2015. Web. 9 May 2015 Ramirez, Martin. “Hormones and Aggression in Childhood and Adolescence.” Aggression and Violent Behavior 8 (2003) 1-23. State Government of Victoria. “Drugs-Teenagers.” State Government of Victoria, 05 Jan 2015. Web. 9 May 2015. Read More