SHORT COMMUNICATION 95
Taking The Wrong Path
By
Roger Behra
The drug culture in America is very much alive and well, and it is vey much a part of the lives of America’s teenagers. Their parents must lose plenty of sleep worrying about their children’s daily behavior. And that is for a very good reason. Teenage drug use can become a part of any household with teenagers. Any parents who have teen children who avoid drug use should be on their knees every single day passionately thanking God for that. The scourge of teen drug use is, indeed, a very great scourge to have to accept, because it effects the lives of parents as well as the teens.
It is no secret that many teen problems are hatched in the school environment. And the problems are later increased at home because of the teen’s changed behavior. Reasonability enjoyable relationships at home become greatly harmed. Unaware parents that drug use by their teen is at the root of the problem scratch their heads and wonder why the significant behavior changes.
The reasons for teen drug use are many:
1. Peer group pressure
2. It’s cool activity
3. For the thrill of it
4. To escape social and academic pressures
5. Drugs are easily available
6. Computer internet information
A large number of parents greatly underestimate the power of the peer group. Peer group pressure is enormous, and the best upbringing can go astray because of it. Peer group pressure gives the impression that drug use is “cool” and that it is “thrilling”. If the teen is having trouble socially, academically, at home; with all of these, the teen is easy prey for some kind of escape. And the teen thinks drug use is a way out. The easy availability of drugs through peers and the computer facilitates things.
Drug use is very tempting, and when it is labeled by peers as “cool” and “thrilling”, the temptation is easily satisfied. Once that happens, addiction becomes the end result.
Once addiction becomes the reality, it usually leads the user down other undesirable paths. Criminal activity of various kinds is one. And that can lead to serious injury of death. Drug overdose is another. Many suicides are connected to drug addiction. Promising futures are nipped in the bud and never happen. Good academic progress ends in failure. Personalities drastically change. Home life becomes contentious and greatly deteriorates. One or more of these paths are possible through drug use and addiction.
In this matter of drug use attention must be paid to alcohol. Yes, it is a form substance use and abuse. And it is easily available, and in many cases addictive. Many teens become involved with alcohol. Many teens die on the road in automobile accidents. Alcohol is easily available for teens through devious means.
Now you know why parents with teenagers have so much to worry about along with their other worries. There are so many evil paths to take-heard drugs, alcohol, auto deaths, and other criminal activity, because of the modern day culture we live in today.
An addiction is a strong desire to do something regularly. Believe it or not, there are good addictions. There are addictions to God, and religious living, and love towards our neighbor. No person, young or older, can go wrong on these paths.
R.B.
7-11-09