Fighting an Uphill Battle

Written by Cassie Licari & Dominique Houle on 21/09/10

Photo by V. Turbide

Addiction is a toxic and paralyzing problem that many youth have to face; our age group is more likely to report substance abuse issues than any other age category (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health).Therefore, understanding what’s behind it can help us grasp what’s really going on in our lives. It can be hard to see at the time, but there are people and support networks around us that can help us return to a healthy lifestyle.

Roots Grow Deep

Sometimes we may not fully understand why we succumb to the strong grasp of addiction, and there can be many reasons. Here are some of the more common ones:

Genetics: It has been shown that those who have a relative with substance abuse problems may inherit a vulnerability to it. For example, if a grandparent had problems with alcohol abuse, you may be at an increased risk for it. However, many people who have relatives with addictions do not become addicted to a substance themselves. On the contrary, others who do not have a relative with this problem may be involved with substance abuse. Essentially, it largely depends on other factors in your life.
Drug interactions: Taking drugs releases “feel good” chemicals into your body, and this is one of the main reasons why people take drugs and continue to take them – sometimes at increasing dosages. To read more about the science behind this, click here!
Environment: The world around you and the people you associate with can drastically influence your decision to use drugs. The attitudes of your community, school, family, friends and coworkers all contribute to the overall atmosphere of whether or not drug use is accepted.
Mental health problems: The majority of the time, substance abuse and mental health are linked together, especially with those who suffer from anxiety or depression. Sometimes those who are dealing with mental illness abuse drugs to make themselves feel better, when really it’s making it worse in the long-run.
Emotional healing: We all have to deal with negative emotions at some point in our lives (whether we’re mad at a parent or we received a bad grade on a test), and some people choose to cope with these emotions by abusing drugs or alcohol to make themselves feel more at ease. Some people may also abuse substances to feel a sense of spiritual connection.

(Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) To view this information in French, click here.

Kyra’s Story

A member of DEAL.org had the opportunity to speak with someone who struggled with substance abuse while they were a teenager. After abusing drugs like cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, alcohol and cigarettes, Kyra finally realized that the time had come for her to stop. “…when I smoked, I believed that I could not live without that. I believed that if I wanted to stop, it was necessary that I give myself a date [to stop], and I think that it is a mistake that young people make in general… when it is your time, it will happen,” she said (DEAL.org). Kyra eventually conquered her drug abuse problem – with maturity development being one of the biggest factors. She was also battling a health condition which made it necessary for her to stop.

Check out the interview here! (In French only/En français seulement).

For more information on addiction and other topics surrounding it, take a look here or visit our Knowzone. You can also check in with us on Thursday – we’ll be talking about prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse.

For ways you can overcome substance abuse, visit our blog called “Struggling with Substances.” Or check out this website for treatment locations all across Canada. You are not alone in this battle over drugs; talk to a friend, trusted adult or a health care professional to take a step in the right direction and conquer your battle with drugs.

Links

Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
Health Canada
Public Health Agency of Canada
Centre for Suicide Prevention: Crisis Centres