As defined by DSM-5, substance abuse is a pathogenic pattern of behaviors related to the use of any 10 separate classes of substances, including alcohol and legal and illegal substances. Substance abuse affects people worldwide, and alcohol-related motor accidents are the second leading cause of teen death in the United States (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). It is one of the most obvious problems facing the nation, costing over $275 billion in debt each year through health care costs, crime, loss of productivity, and causes more than 130,000 deaths each year. Substance abuse not only effects the user, but also friends and family that care for the individual. Individuals must implement methods of reducing substance abuse in an ethical
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First and foremost, reducing substance abuse must begin with removing the stigma associated with addiction and substance abuse. In our society, millions of Americans are dependent on licit or illicit substances, while only a very small percentage receive the treatment that they need. The 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 21.5 million Americans age 12 and older had a substance use disorder, while only 2.5 …show more content…
Parents and caregivers serve a significant role in the lives of their children. The words they speak and the actions they take can provide key guidance on what is right or wrong, and can help to guide their children in the right direction when it comes to substance abuse. Research has shown that the more often parents interact with their children about the dangers of substances, the less likely it is for their children to experiment with them (Resnik, Bearman, and Blum, 1997). By disapproving of the use of substances, parents can counteract the peer pressure children experience to use substances. They also help to reduce the risk factors associated with substance abuse by building family bonds. These risk factors include communication problems, lenient or too strict discipline, parental substance abuse, and child abuse or neglect. Creating an atmosphere with open communication, consistent discipline, and a strong sense of right and wrong in terms of substance abuse would allow an individual to be comfortable and truly gain knowledge about substance abuse, decreasing the chance they would partake in licit or illicit substances in the
First and foremost, reducing substance abuse must begin with removing the stigma associated with addiction and substance abuse. In our society, millions of Americans are dependent on licit or illicit substances, while only a very small percentage receive the treatment that they need. The 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 21.5 million Americans age 12 and older had a substance use disorder, while only 2.5 …show more content…
Parents and caregivers serve a significant role in the lives of their children. The words they speak and the actions they take can provide key guidance on what is right or wrong, and can help to guide their children in the right direction when it comes to substance abuse. Research has shown that the more often parents interact with their children about the dangers of substances, the less likely it is for their children to experiment with them (Resnik, Bearman, and Blum, 1997). By disapproving of the use of substances, parents can counteract the peer pressure children experience to use substances. They also help to reduce the risk factors associated with substance abuse by building family bonds. These risk factors include communication problems, lenient or too strict discipline, parental substance abuse, and child abuse or neglect. Creating an atmosphere with open communication, consistent discipline, and a strong sense of right and wrong in terms of substance abuse would allow an individual to be comfortable and truly gain knowledge about substance abuse, decreasing the chance they would partake in licit or illicit substances in the