There is little doubt that there is an adolescent substance abuse and addiction crisis in the United States. This includes alcohol, prescription, and illicit substances. In all of these cases, there are plenty of statistics to back up the claim.
For example, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), “People ages 12 to 20 drink 3.4% of all alcohol consumed in the United States.” That may not seem like a lot, but it is important to remember that alcohol is nearly a quarter of a trillion-dollar industry. For that reason, 3.4% is nothing to dismiss.
Understanding Substance Addiction
Many people may think of substance addiction as something that only happens to older individuals with many years of substance abuse in their lives. Alternatively, people think that substance addiction only happens with illicit drugs. Neither of these conceptions is true.
Substance addiction can happen to anyone at any time in their lives. Ultimately, no one is immune to the potential for addiction. Also, substance addiction does not have to come from illicit drugs like fentanyl or cocaine. Of course, illicit drugs are a serious issue; they’re just not the only issue. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that “15% of high school students reported having ever used select illicit or injection drugs (i.e. cocaine, inhalants, heroin, methamphetamines, hallucinogens, or ecstasy).” The CDC also states that “14% of students reported misusing prescription opioids.”
The Criteria for Substance Addiction
Addiction comes in many forms, encompassing legal and illegal substances. (However, it is important to remember that for adolescents, nearly all of these substances are illegal.) Addiction can also be in the form of “processes” or what’s called process addictions.
Process addictions have to do with an individual’s addiction to the “process and reward” of something. For example, gambling addiction is a process addiction. Perhaps the biggest process addiction currently facing individuals, and especially adolescents, is that of social media addiction.
The Categories of Substance Addiction
Regardless of whether an individual’s addiction is substance or process related, all addictions can be categorized in the same way and require the same criteria. These criteria all fall under four categories.
These categories are impaired control, physical dependence, social problems, and risky use. Also, all of these categories and criteria contain warning signs and symptoms. When detected, they may require professional care to avoid long-term side effects and consequences.
Impaired Control
When thinking about the category of impaired control, it may be helpful to think about the visual signs of addiction. These signs can be physical, psychological, and emotional.
The criteria of this category include not being able to stop or reduce the use of the desired substance. This lack of ability to stop will also cause an individual to become impaired by ingesting too much. This lack of control can also blend into the other categories. In fact, it is important to remember that these categories exist in relation to one another and not separate from one another.
Physical Dependence
A big part of physical dependence comes from the concept of “building tolerance.” For example, an individual will begin showing signs of cravings to use the substance more and more. This “more and more” results from building a tolerance to a substance.
Physical dependence will also cause an individual to experience withdrawal when not using the substance. Individuals will also begin to struggle with how their body reacts to substances. for example, they may struggle more and more to recover from their substance use.
Social Problems
When addiction takes hold, it is not long before social problems and consequences begin to arise. These problems can include trouble at home, work, and school. That last one is especially true with adolescents.
It is also true that social consequences will rarely stop an individual with an addiction to stop. In fact, these social consequences will often drive an individual toward more risky use of their substance of choice.
Risky Use
Regarding risky use, there are two main criteria to consider. One is that a young person acquires and uses substances even though this puts them in dangerous situations. The other is that an individual continues to use substances even though it jeopardizes their physical and mental health.
This risky use category is just a reminder of how dangerous addiction can really be. Addiction can take hold of every aspect of an individual’s life. Without professional intervention, it can even take their life.
The Recovery Mission at Clearview
Addiction is a serious issue that requires a serious solution. The good news is that there are many effective solutions available.
Here at Clearview, we have addiction treatments and recovery specialists who can help get young women away from their addictions and back into the lives they are meant to lead.
At Clearview Horizon Girls Academy, we like to say we “light the path” of our students’ recovery. This includes shedding light on the darkness of addiction. It also includes passing the torch onto them so our students’ lives can be illuminated long after they leave our doors.
The manual that categorizes mental health disorders (DSM-5) lists 11 criteria for substance addiction. These fall under four main categories which are impaired control, physical dependence, social problems, and risky use. Understanding these criteria can greatly help in understanding an adolescent who is struggling with substance addiction. This awareness can also help parents spot the critical warning signs of substance addiction sooner rather than later. If you feel like your daughter may be experimenting with substance use or is already struggling with substance addiction, please don’t wait to get help. For more information on the criteria for substance addiction and some effective ways to treat it, please reach out to Clearview Horizon today at 866-584-4788.
