Causes and Effects of Addiction

According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, in 2023, 1.8 million adolescents from 12 to 17 reported using drugs within a single month, and by the time teenagers are in 12th grade, 36.8% of teenagers have used drugs. While marijuana is the most common drug to be used by teenagers, it’s become more common for alcohol abuse to be prevalent among teenagers, as 48.7% of teenagers have abused alcohol by 12th grade. Most teenagers that do develop an unhealthy relationship towards alcohol end up becoming the demographic that faces an alcohol binge. These unhealthy relationships with alcohol and drugs that begin during teen years are 4 to 6 times more likely to actually develop into a serious addiction compared to those that start using substances at 21, as 90% of teenagers who use alcohol are likely to develop an addiction. There are many different circumstances that are necessary to know how their specific effects can lead into the dangerous usage of these substances and how it can form into a serious addiction. (Drug Use Among Youth, n. d.).

As the adolescent brain is still rapidly developing in these years, many teens don’t recognize the associated extreme high they receive as the output from consistently using alcohol and drugs due to the many associated factors, such as peer pressure or the interest in taking risks. In terms of pressure, many teens who want to be accepted into groups will force themselves into using these substances in order to fit in with a group or to be seen as the leader for being more mature by using substances. Due to the positive social status associated with substance abuse, teenagers ignore the health risk of addiction in order to control others' perception of them. As friends continue engaging with substances, teenagers in the same social groups will be encouraged to do the same as the brain is seeking approval through using substances to appease friends. The motivation from friends will further push teenagers into following their curiosity in taking the risk of using substances, as the reward creates more intrigue among teenagers to try something new (Brown, n.d.).

Furthermore, the usage of substances becomes associated with creating relief for the brain, creating the unhealthy association of needing substances in order to have an escape from reality. Many stresses a teenager faces from school force them to turn to substances to cope with the stress of high grades and the pressure of other responsibilities such as extracurricular activities. Teenagers who have a home life with emotional and physical abuse will align with the need to use substances to cope with the abuse being experienced at home. As the pressures created from either school or their home can cause teenagers to face mental health issues, teenagers will become more codependent on these different substances. As their brain has been taught to view these substances as a relief, using another source as a healthy outlet to treat their mental illness will not be processed within their brain, as substances are the only comfort they know. As the outside pressures in life continue to prolong, the risk of addiction will continue to heighten as teenagers will become more likely to continue using these substances as self-medication for the duration of these problems they will continue to experience. Managing overwhelming feelings, which cause pain from abuse and pressure experienced, is what substances can do to alleviate pain as an escape. If addiction runs in the family and teenagers see the substance usage in their parents, this will only further encourage teenagers to use substances if they are led to believe there are no risks with using substances (Brown, n.d.).

Moreover, one of the first signs that is commonly associated with the addiction of substance abuse is the change of friend groups, which their parents may not approve of, or they may gradually lose many of their friends. Teens will become more withdrawn from their family members by spending more time alone, and when confronted about the change in behavior, they will often lash out, resulting in more arguments with their family members. These reactions will become more intense as the prolonged usage of substances will cause a change in characteristics, which will ultimately lead to unpredictable emotional outbursts. These emotional outbursts can slowly lead to threats to harm themselves or others due to their untreated mental illness, especially if there is found evidence of their drug usage or self-harm. These changes will signal signs of mental illnesses as isolation becomes more frequent through limited interactions by disrespecting family members or having violent outbursts. 

There are also clear changes in appearance as pupils become more dilated and eyes will appear more bloodshot from the usage of drugs. There will then be moments of extremely high energy, which lead to large crashes from high energy to extreme fatigue and drowsiness, which can have an effect on the overall care of their body, such as their eating habits (Brown, n.d.). 

In addition, due to the addiction to substances starting at a young age, this will cause many early mental and physical health risks that will continue on. The connections in the brain will be harmed, which ultimately affects the neurotransmitters in the brain, leading to a lower capacity for the brain to organize and interpret signals of the five senses. This not only damages the possibility to learn at the highest learning potential and increases the likelihood of teenagers developing learning disabilities, but it will also lead to the increased risk of mental health disorders. Not only does it affect the ability to learn, but substance abuse can also lead to a decline in memorization skills as it reduces the brain's ability to create long-term memories. This makes it difficult to learn new concepts, causing disorders in extreme cases such as Alzheimer's. Substances will create an imbalance of different emotional reactions by changing the level of neurotransmitters, which are able to control them. Not only does it damage the control teenagers have over their emotions, but it also causes anxiety disorders, as teenagers will rely heavily on substances to relieve anxiety. The codependent relationship towards drugs will ultimately lead to mental illnesses, as the moments without drugs will cause sudden outbursts and stress without this unhealthy outlet (Addiction Center). 

Likewise, there are many long-term risks with both physical health and the effects on a teenager's outside life if they develop a substance use addiction at a young age. The risk for diseases such as heart and lung disease, as well as cancers such as liver and oral cancer, will increase. Along with the increased risk for different diseases and cancers, it can lead to risky behavior, which can create dangerous situations in the future for teenagers. While emotional outbursts are heightened to destroy relationships with others, this can also lead to violent, physical outbursts towards people. This is associated with the increased likelihood of those with addiction going to jail due to the risk of hurting others through their actions. The usage of drugs will also lead to self-destructive behavior, such as risky intimate relationships, which increase the chances of STDs or unplanned pregnancies or even destroy the chances for a possibility of a future career through a lack of education. This destructive behavior ultimately harms the outside responsibilities of an individual, which can delay someone’s education and even harm their financial status by making them unable to achieve a consistent career (Fuller, n.d.).

Finally, there are many treatment options that can be taken as a route to recovery for teens that are struggling through a substance abuse addiction. Specific types of therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, help to identify the common patterns an individual is facing in their thoughts and behavior. This helps the individual to learn the cause of them returning to substances in order to set goals by finding healthier ways to manage these thoughts. Dialectical behavior therapy is also focused on managing intense emotions without the substance and learning how your thoughts contribute to the negative behavior of going back to a substance. These types of therapy are included in the outpatient therapy programs, which don’t require you to stay at hospitals but rather attend scheduled appointments with a mental health professional through these different therapies. On the other hand, therapeutic communities are suited for long-term residential treatment by focusing on developing healthier behaviors and values, which may align with other mental health conditions being faced. In terms of focusing on how addiction has affected those around you, going to family therapy is helpful in learning how to repair the relationships within your family. This can also help with improving behaviors in a familiar group setting with those you can trust while learning how to change your behavior in a positive manner (Substance Use Disorder, 2024).

To conclude, while addiction is a harmful habit that can turn into a disorder, there are many ways to change these negative behaviors. Substance abuse can be used by someone as young as a teenager, which can harm the trajectory of a teenager's life through the negative behaviors and thoughts it can create. Likewise, substance abuse causes self-destructive habits that affect those around you and your own potential to find healthier outlets to cope with stress or pain. Addiction can spiral into life-detrimental physical harm despite causing a very short-term release of stress. Seeking out treatment is a strength of recognizing the harm of these substances and trying to learn how to improve your mental state without the dependence on drugs or alcohol. Treatment doesn’t point the blame at you but rather helps you to learn how to recognize the harm in negative behavioral patterns and the effect they have on yourself and others. It’s never too late to work on trying to stop a habit before it worsens in order to improve the state of your mind and the future of your physical health to live a safer life without substances. 

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Works Cited:

Brown, M., brown, m., & Swahn, M. H. (n.d.). Familial, Social, and Individual Factors Contributing to Risk for Adolescent Substance Use. PMC. Retrieved February 9, 2026, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4008086/ 

Drug Use Among Youth: Facts & Statistics. (n.d.). National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. Retrieved February 9, 2026, from https://drugabusestatistics.org/teen-drug-use/#:~:text=In%202023%2C%201.86%20million%20adolescents,drugs%20in%20the%20last%20month. 

Fuller, K. (2025, December 16). Health Effects Of Teen Substance Abuse. Addiction Center. Retrieved February 9, 2026, from https://www.addictioncenter.com/teenage-drug-abuse/health-effects-teen-substance-abuse 

Substance Use Disorder (SUD): Symptoms & Treatment. (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved February 9, 2026, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16652-drug-addiction-substance-use-disorder-sud