Drugs lie. They promise that you’ll be independent and feel good. But they give you something quite different. They make you dependent on the drugs. That doesn’t feel good at all. Alcohol, the nicotine in cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine–each is a drug. Each can lead you the same addiction process. It all seems so innocent those first few times—until you’re hooked. Some people will become addicted quicker than others. It's important not to compare usage among your peers.
Trying it out
Experimentation means you try drinking or using a drug out of curiosity. You want to see what it’s all about. Most kids try alcohol and drugs with friends or an older sibling. Sometimes peer pressure is used to get kids to try alcohol or drugs.
Misuse
Misuse means you use a drug to cope with certain situations. This misuse can harm yourself or those around you. Some kids think using drugs will help them have more friends or do better in school or at sports. “Weekend partyers’’ may think a drug helps them relax or forget problems.
Abuse
Abuse means you use a drug out of habit to get high or harm yourself, regardless of the situation. Some kids use a drug just to get through the day. They think they need the drug, even though they know it’s causing problems. Drug abuse is a substance use disorder (SUD). People who abuse drugs suffer from unwanted changes to thinking, behavior, and body functions.
You’re hooked
Addiction is also an SUD and means you’re hooked in both body and mind. Addiction is a complex medical problem. It affects your brain and changes your behavior. Kids who are addicted can’t stop using their drug even when they want to. Even when they realize the harm it causes. And they use it on a regular basis (whether that’s every weekend, every day, or several times a day). They continue using despite the emotional, physical, social, and financial costs that happen.
To learn more
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SAMHSA National Helpline at findtreatment.gov or at 800-662-4357
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National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) at
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Online Medical Reviewer: Daphne Pierce-Smith RN MSN
Online Medical Reviewer: Marianne Fraser MSN RN
Online Medical Reviewer: Rajadurai Samnishanth Researcher
Date Last Reviewed: 02/01/2025
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