In the video “An interview with Michael Dennis”, Dr. Dennis discusses how dangerous is drug use during adolescence, …show more content…
Dennis that psychoactive substances, especially if used the age of 18, could be detrimental to one’s health. Adolescence is a very unique development stage, characterized by dramatic cognitive, physiological, psychological, and social changes. The teenage brain does not completely mature until the age of 25, so alcohol and drugs can slow down or stop the development of the certain structures of this organ. Especially vulnerable areas of the brain are the systems responsible for managing emotions, reward-seeking, self-inhibition, and judgment. Early use of drugs interferes with the teenagers’’ ability to regulate motivational and emotional states, which may contribute to the engagement in drug use, without considering the negative consequences of such behaviors. The “high”, the physical pleasure from drugs, and a strong drive to compulsive, repetitive use, increase the likelihood of developing a substance use disorder, especially if it is combined with risk factors (genetics, family history, adverse childhood events, peer …show more content…
What they see is the society where there seem to be a pill for every health condition, for personal inadequacies or shortcomings. In our contemporary, busy lifestyles, we need quick fixes of our problems. We want to alter our mood immediately, lose weight in seven days, get rid of anxiety within minutes, and improve our concertation today. Unfortunately, it is also the pattern of drug use that adolescents are exposed to by their parents, school, and health providers. By allowing advertising, and even glamorizing the use of different psychoactive substances, like the attractive NFL beer commercials do, the messages sent by our culture subtly encourage the use of alcohol and drugs. Media generally depicts prescription drugs as positive and invite no condemnation or criticism. The power of advertising is unquestionable and confirmed by evidences from many studies. For example, the national longitudinal study conducted between 1999-2001 showed that alcohol advertisements contributed significantly to the risk of engaging in drinking more alcohol by youth (Snyder, Milici, Slater, Sun, & Strizhakova, 2006). What does it tell us? That the adolescents receive mixed messages about drug and alcohol use. The double standard lead to confusion and exploration of psychoactive