There are many distinct differences between youth drug use and adult drug use; however, the outcome may very likely turn out to be the same-someone will be in need of addiction treatment. This will be covered further in this article, but, first let’s explore some of those differences.
As with anything else, drug use varies widely among individual youth; however, many of them may do some of the same things. For example, many youth may experiment with a wide variety of drugs before “settling” on a drug of choice. This can be extremely dangerous, especially when the experimenting is done over a brief time period. Overdose can occur quickly because of the build-up of different drugs in a young person’s body.
Young people may use more “street” drugs rather than drink alcohol. This is because they cannot legally buy alcohol, but the drug seller is not likely to ask for proof of age when selling drugs. A young person with a drug addiction may have to commit overt crimes such as robbery, burglary, and theft to support his habit, either because he is too young to hold a job or cannot hold a job due to his addiction. This is often when a young person gets caught, however, which can be a good thing because he will be forced to seek addiction treatment, either on his own, at the urging of family and loved ones, or even by order of the court.
Young people may become addicted faster than adults. This is because their still-growing bodies cannot metabolize alcohol or drugs as rapidly as an adult. This again can be a life-threatening situation, as it may be easier for a young person to overdose. Adults, on the other hand, may be more likely to be addicted to prescription drugs or to alcohol, because of the relative ease with which both can be procured. Further, an adult may deny that they even have an addiction or that they are involved in illicit drug use because they don’t use “street” drugs.
Adults may be more likely to commit and be able to get away with (at least temporarily) covert crimes such as embezzling, theft of prescription medications or pads. Sooner or later, however, they will most likely get caught. All of the above scenarios are also causes of an adult’s reluctance to seek drug addiction treatment. This can cause a delay in them getting the addiction treatment.
Fortunately, there are addiction treatment facilities available for both adults and youth. Some of these facilities may be geared to adults only, while others are designed to have a stronger impact on youth. Some may deal strictly with alcohol addiction, while others focus only on drug addiction. For information on addiction treatment facilities, please log on to http://www.addictiontreatment.net/ or call 1-800-559-9503.
