Why Teen Brains Prone to Addiction

Teens experimenting with drugs and alcohol is certainly not news. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 36 percent of high school students say they have tried marijuana, more than 60 percent have used alcohol and 14 percent say they've misused prescription opioids.

Here’s the tricky part: Teens are quick learners. In fact, the same part of the brain that helps teenagers quickly pick up a foreign language also makes them more prone to addiction. 

The teenage brain is busy building synapses – pathways that connect portions of the brain and create circuits for memories, skills and rewards,Dr. Frances Jensen, chair of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, told PhillyVoice.com. It’s a process called synaptic plasticity.

If they’re constantly exposing their brain to drugs or alcohol instead of math problems or soccer, they’re brains quickly learn to accept that substance. “That's what addiction is,” said Dr. Jensen. It's creating a learned pathway in the reward system of your brain."

This is only part of the reason why it’s particularly dangerous for teens to experiment with addiction substances. What’s more, the brain doesn’t fully mature until age 30 – and this include the frontal lobe, which is the part of the brain linked to impulse control and decision-making. "There's this increased propensity to take risks and try substances – despite the fact that you might know it's really bad for you” Jensen said. 

It’s important for parents, guardians and teachers to know this information, so they can talk to teens and young adults about it, Jensen said. Since they are quick learners, they can also quickly understand the dangers of succumbing to peer pressure and engaging in risky behavior. 

And if you fear they’re developing a substance use disorder, the sooner you get help, the better: "If you can get them into rehab, you have better results in rehab," Jensen said. "You can undo the circuit. You still have a better ability to remold the circuit – if you can capture it."

Sobriety College at Hope Academy

If your loved one is a college student struggling with a substance use disorder, don't wait to get help. At Hope Academy, our peer-based program provides the safety and support young adults need to succeed in school and at sobriety. To learn more about our sobriety college, call today: 866-930-4673.

Fewer Teens Doing Drugs

Here’s some upbeat news: Fewer teens are using illegal drugs than ever before and fewer are falling prey to the epidemic of opioid abuse, according to the findings from a new survey by the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Even marijuana use is at an all-time low among eighth to 10th graders, though it’s steady among high school seniors, according to the 2016 Monitoring the Future survey, an annual study of behaviors and choices among teens in the eighth, 10th and 12th grades.

Other research, however, shows that marijuana use is increasing among 18- to 24–year-olds, however, which is alarming since their brain development isn’t yet complete, NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow told USA Today.

Many teens have even sustained from drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco, said Volkow. E-cigarettes are still a public health threat among adolescents, however.

Other highlights of this year’s survey included:

• Use of illicit drugs other than marijuana is at its lowest level in the history of the survey for all three grades. For example, 14 percent of 12th graders said they used an illicit drug, compared to 18 percent in 2013.
• Teen use of prescription painkillers is trending downward among 12th graders, with a 45 percent drop in past year use compared to five years ago. 
• Only 5 percent of high school seniors said they smoke cigarettes every day, compared to 22 percent two decades ago. 
• About 56 percent of 12th graders drank alcohol in the past year, compared to a peak of about 75 percent in 1997.
• The percentage of eighth graders who reported using marijuana in the past month fell from 6.5% in 2015 to 5.4% this year. Among high school seniors, 22.5% used the drug within the past month and 6% used it daily, essentially unchanged from last year.

"It is encouraging to see more young people making healthy choices not to use illicit substances," said National Drug Control Policy Director Michael Botticelli. "We must continue to do all we can to support young people through evidence-based prevention efforts as well as treatment for those who may develop substance use disorders. And now that Congress has acted on the President's request to provide $1 billion in new funding for prevention and treatment, we will have significant new resources to do this."

Getting Help for a Loved One
One of the most important decisions you can make is to support your son or daughter in seeking treatment for addiction. For information about Hope Academy's young adult substance abuse treatment program, or to begin the admissions process for a loved one, call 866-930-4673.