Preventing Substance Use Disorders In Adolescents

As high rates of drug and alcohol use plague the country, medical professionals, addiction specialists, and lawmakers are looking for ways to prevent drug and alcohol use among teenagers. The majority of adults who were dependent on drugs, first experimented with drugs before they turned 21 and in another study, researchers found that people who started drinking alcohol between the ages of 11 to 14 were significantly more likely to be addicted to alcohol 10 years later.

While many parents want to find ways to prevent their teenager from developing a substance use disorder (SUD), 1 in 3, believe there is little they can do. However, evidence shows that parental involvement is one of the strongest factors in teenage substance use prevention. Parents need to understand the reasons why their teen may decide to experiment with drugs and alcohol and the impact substance use can have on their life at an early age.