Teenagers are at an intersectional age where they’re no longer considered children but are not adults quite yet. This reality can inspire a whirlwind of emotions and the innate to experiment with their newfound freedom. During the adolescent years and early adulthood, young adults can experience intense pressures that they don’t know how to cope with.
From struggling with self-discovery and struggling to navigate different relationships, teenagers can turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms like self-medicating with illegal drugs. The gateway drugs teenagers use may lead them to dark pits of addiction. Young adults may also get into legal trouble for drug possession in New York. Understanding why young adults turn to illegal drugs can help parents to help shield their teenagers from legal trouble.
Mental health struggles
Many young adults experience mental health struggles for the very first time during their teenage years. Suppose there aren’t enough conversations about mental health issues within a teenager’s community; they may not know how to cope with them. Furthermore, most teenagers don’t have access to proper treatment when they’re grappling with:
- Depressive thoughts
- Social awkwardness
- Relentless stress
- Paralyzing anxiety
In their predicament, teenagers can turn to illegal drugs as a quick, albeit temporary, escape from negative emotions. They may turn to stimulants like amphetamines to help calm their crippling social anxiety so they have an easier time fitting in with their peers. While every teenager has a unique experience, their mental health struggles can stem from common sources:
- The pressure of academic excellence
- Family problems
- Complex social dynamics
Unfortunately, when a teenager uses drugs to improve their focus in class or quiet the negative thoughts in their minds, the underlying issue remains unaddressed. This can create a vicious cycle where teenagers are using temporary and illegal coping mechanisms over an extended period. The longer a teenager is self-medicating with illegal substances, the more likely they can get caught with drugs in their possession.
Receiving the news that their teenager has been arrested for drug possession can be a heart-wrenching discovery for any parent. In such a predicament, it can help the teenager to have robust legal support to help ensure that their need for relief doesn’t result in lifelong negative consequences.