Causes of Substance Abuse Essay

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Substance Abuse
It is a fact that most people who have an alcohol or drug addiction now, most likely were introduced to the substance as a teen or even younger. Substance abuse is the excessive use of potentially addictive drugs or alcohol, which can and will harm your bodily functions. Many people who begin abusing substances don’t realize how dangerous the substances are. Before they know it, they are abusing drugs and alcohol daily, and their abuse has become a problem. Substance abuse is one of the largest consistent problems, not only in our community, but in the whole world. The key to fixing a problem is effort; you must want to make a change in order to make it happen.
With alcohol and drugs, comes addiction. Addiction can take over your life entirely. Drugs and alcohol have effects on you that supposedly make you feel good or relaxed. Which is why once you try a substance that makes you feel that way, you don’t want to stop. In many cases, people with addictions cannot admit that they are addicted. They say that could stop abusing substances at any time if they wanted to. Once a person develops an addiction, it is hard for him or her to stop without professional help. In the case of teenage drug and alcohol abuse, many teens don’t realize the serious effects these substances can have on their health and lifestyles. In recent studies shown by the US Department of Education, nearly 1.2 million students between the ages of 15 and 24 have dropped out of high school in just one year. Yes, not all students have the same reasons for dropping out, but more than likely, a large majority of these students have or had a drug or alcohol problem. Because of such addictions, teens are throwing their lives away while harming their bodies too. Not only can substance abuse ruin your life, it can also take your life away. Statistics show, in 2009, an estimated 37,485 died because of drug overdose and brain damage connected to long-term drug abuse.
If drugs and alcohol put your life in danger, why do so many people continue to use them? One argument is that they believe the substances they are using are not harmful. For example, many abusers of marijuana believe that it is not dangerous. They are wrong. Marijuana has been proven to cause cancer and numerous other health problems. People with substance addictions also sometimes believe they will only be affected by drugs and alcohol if they have been using them for a long time. They don’t take their addictions seriously because they think they can stop before the substance abuse becomes a major problem. However, drugs can cause a person (even a first-time user) to stop breathing, have a heart attack, or even go into a coma.
Rehabilitation centers are the best possible source when you are in need of help. You are completely out of reach from your addictions and working with professionals that will help deal with problems together. Many people who cannot afford rehab just use that as an excuse as to why they can’t stop. That is the easy way out, but the wrong way out. Numbers show that over twenty percent of patients in rehab will drop out. Another twenty-five percent are forced to leave due to legal issues. Nearly half of the patients in rehab do not finish the process, which makes it hard to succeed and overcome their addiction. A huge part of your life is your peers. You must surround yourself with people who are responsible, caring, and will help guide you in the right direction. If you surround yourself with people who have the same problems as you, you will find it easier to continue what you
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