24 Hour Counselor: I Might Stop Drinking and Drugging

Hi, I'm John. Teens today are confronted with lots of choices. You just have to look around any high school campus to see how true this is. We have a lot of freedom to choose the kind of activities we'll accept as our own. And one of these ever-present choices is whether to join the crowd in using alcohol and other drugs.

Drugs in many forms are easily available to us on and off school campuses. Some of our classmates, even friends, will tempt us to try them in order to be part of the group. The teenager who has not given in is faced with heavy peer pressure.

But I have some good news for you. I want to introduce you to a friend of mine. He's Wayne Grant, a physician who is interested in teens and their concerns. He works with teens in his medical practice, and he writes articles for a teen magazine. I'll ask him some questions for you.

John: Dr. Grant, how common is drug use among teenagers?

Dr. Grant: Many teenagers I know tell me that alcohol is easy for them to get. Statistics show that teenage drinking is a very real problem in our country. We hear a lot about drug abuse, but the drug most used and abused by teenagers is alcohol. In the United States several million teenagers drink at least occasionally, and there are hundreds of thousands of teenage alcoholics.

John: What about other drugs?

Dr. Grant: Well, marijuana use by teenagers has apparently peaked, but it remains a major problem. The U. S. Public Health Service recently released these figures:

• More than one-third of all students will have tried marijuana before leaving the ninth grade.
• Nearly two-thirds of all students will have tried marijuana before finishing high school.
• One out of six high school seniors will have been a daily user.
• At least one out of 20 seniors will continue to smoke marijuana on a daily basis.

Those are national statistics. In some communities it will be higher; in others, it might be much lower.

John: Should these statistics worry me? I mean, doesn't everyone experiment with something dangerous at least once in his life?

Dr. Grant: The use of alcohol or other drugs by teenagers is a very serious health problem. The short-term and long-term effects of alcohol are devastating on the body.

John: What do you mean by short-term and long-term effects?

Dr. Grant: The short-term or immediate effect of alcohol involves the way it affects the brain and mental function. Even in very small quantities, alcohol acts as a depressant, decreasing clarity of thinking and action. Under the influence of alcohol, a person doesn't think as clearly as he normally does. One's reflexes are slowed, and he isn't able to respond as accurately or alertly as he normally can. That interferes with a person's ability to act rationally.

Unfortunately, the problem doesn't end with the person who is drinking. The person under the influence of alcohol becomes quite a danger to himself and to others. Over half of all fatal auto accidents involve drivers who are under the influence of alcohol. Too many of those accidents involved teenagers.

John: What about the long-term effects?

Dr. Grant: Over a period of time, the person who drinks alcohol regularly, even in small amounts, will endanger his overall health. Alcohol can damage the liver. It can damage brain cells, and it affects one's ability to cope emotionally with normal stresses in life.

John: Are there any other problems with drinking?

Dr. Grant: Well, John, the things we've just talked about are frightening enough. But there's an even more serious problem associated with drinking alcohol--that is alcohol addiction or alcoholism. Alcoholism is a physical and emotional addiction to alcohol. As a result, a person needs to drink regularly in order to avoid pain and distress.

With addiction comes a need to drink increasing quantities. The result is a vicious cycle in which one craves alcohol. But the more he drinks, the less he is able to cope; and that causes him to crave even more. The cycle goes on and on until the person reaches the point of disintegration and severe personal distress.

Not every person who drinks will become an alcoholic. Some people are more likely to be addicted to alcohol than others, but it is something that can happen to anyone. You never know if you will be the one.

John: How much alcohol is too much for a teen to drink?

Dr. Grant: I hope all teenagers who read this will refrain from drinking any alcohol at all. That's the safest route. Alcohol is very deceptive, John. Once you take a drink you feel good. You are not aware that you have decreasing mental and physical capacities. Once you lose control, you have no way of really knowing what condition you are getting yourself into.

So, it's best not to put yourself in that position at all. Abstaining from all alcohol intake is always the best for all teenagers. And teenagers who have already tried drinking can simply choose to stop completely.

John: How harmful are other commonly used drugs?

Dr. Grant: The recent studies on the effects of marijuana indicate that, far from being a harmless substance, it is truly a very dangerous drug. Marijuana distorts the senses and causes motor coordination difficulties. The effects can linger 14 days or longer. It can impair a person's ability to operate a motor vehicle. And for pregnant women, pediatricians are concerned about the effects on the emotional and mental development of the unborn. And there are psychological effects.

John: What do you mean by psychological effects?

Dr. Grant: Well, let's talk about the stages of drug use. The first stage is that of experimentation, sometimes called substance abuse. In some circles there's strong peer pressure to enter this stage. Users limit consumption primarily to just the weekends. There are likely to be few behavioral changes at this point, except for covering up the activities.

The next stage is one of actively seeking drugs. This is substance abuse. A threshold is crossed toward psychological dependence in which drugs are now used to produce good feelings during times of stress. Usage increases to the middle of the week. Behavior begins to change, and school work may slip. Mounting problems at home and school may contribute to an increase in drug use.

The next and even more serious stage is preoccupation with drugs or addiction. Drugs become the center of a teenager's life. Because increased use is expensive, family possessions may be stolen, and there might be trouble with the police. The user becomes more isolated and irritable.

John: It sounds like experimenting with any kind of mood altering drugs is like playing Russian roulette. While marijuana can give you a convenient escape from growing pains, it can also keep you from learning how to cope responsibly with the demands of the adult world.

Dr. Grant: John, you said it better than I could.

John: Given the down side of drugs, why do so many young people get involved with them?

Dr. Grant: That's probably one of the most important questions to be answered. And, as I see it, there are three basic reasons why a teenager gets into drugs and alcohol.

Dr. Grant: First, teens have an urge to experiment with their world. They'll often do things just out of curiosity just to see what it's like--just to get a feel for the new experience. Many teens begin to experiment with drugs because of curiosity.

The second reason is to gain social acceptance in response to peer pressure. They feel, whether it's right or wrong, that the best people in the school or the social group drink or use other drugs. Teens need very deeply to be accepted. They want to count for something. They want to mean something in life. Therefore, they have this urge to belong, to be part of the group.

If they think the really important people drink, and the group they want to be a part of uses alcohol as a part of their social activity, then the teenager pulls right into the web of drinking. That kind of peer pressure is very real, and it can be a great concern to a teenager.

A third reason why many teens continue to take drugs once they've experimented is escape. Many teens find life to be really tough. They are not happy. They think people don't understand them. They feel like they are under a lot of pressure. They don't believe they have anyone to talk to.

They don't know any other way to escape the pressures they feel. They desire the dulling, depressive effect of the alcohol to wash away momentarily their anxieties, frustrations, and hurts. Therefore, they get into the rut of using something as an escape or as a tranquilizer.

John: Anyone who begins to use drugs as an escape is likely to become emotionally and physically dependent on them, right?

Dr. Grant: That about sums it up.

John: What defense does a teen have against these kinds of pressures? How can they avoid drinking and getting into drugs in the first place?

Dr. Grant: Help your friends to feel good about themselves, to accept themselves as they are and see their special value and worth. When that happens, they'll have more confidence to deal with the pressures of life around them. They will be able to deal with peer pressure more effectively.

I'd encourage a teenager to think for a moment about his value, and the source of that value and worth. It comes from the fact that we are created by God in His image.

John: Tell more about that. I think that's a message we all need to hear.

Dr. Grant: John, the Bible tells us that God loved us enough to create us in the first place. In the 53rd Psalm we read that even before we were born God knew us. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that God is so interested in each one of us that He even knows the number of hairs on our head.

God tells us in the fifth chapter of Romans that even though we were sinners Christ died for us. He loved us enough that, even when we weren't loving toward God, He continued to love and care for us. This is the source of our value as a person. It comes from God.

In Christ, God accepts us, and that's the most important kind of acceptance. If we can believe that, we can have confidence about our place in the world. God has put us here for a purpose. Our lives have meaning because God created us and put us here in this spot for a very important reason. Committing your life to God through Jesus Christ is the most important step in finding a reason for living.

John: Now that's the challenge--to discover the reason for our existence; to discover what God wants to do through us and with us.

Dr. Grant: It's important for us--particularly when we are teenagers--to have friends who accept us. We all need friends. I think it's important for teenagers to get into the right group so they can find friendship and acceptance, but within groups that share their values.

John: Where are some of those places where I might be able to find these kinds of friends?

Dr. Grant: I'd first mention the church. I hope that in your community you can find a church youth group with young people who are struggling with the same problems, seeking to do the right things, looking for answers to their questions. I hope that in this group you will find openness, friendship, and acceptance. At the same time, you'll be free of peer pressure to do things you don't feel good about or that you know are harmful.

John: My church has helped me a lot, but are there some other places I could find good friends?

Dr. Grant: You can find positive groups in other places, too. Look for Scout groups, sports programs, volunteer organizations that are seeking to do helpful things in the community. Getting involved in such activities often gives a teenager  a good feeling about himself, and helps him see life in a broader perspective.

John: If a teenager is already drinking, what should he do?

Dr. Grant: I would encourage him or her to stop drinking now. I know this may not be easy, particularly if drinking has become a habit. But the sooner the better. Often teenagers can't stop by themselves. They need help. They need to talk to someone who will support and encourage them. It is important to have someone who will encourage you and help you to be strong when the pressures build.

It's important to avoid the social situations where drinking and drugging become tempting. Avoid those groups of teens that you know are going to drink. Don't go out with someone who drinks or uses drugs. Don't go to a party where you know there's going to be drinking. Deliberately choose to be with friends who do not drink.

John: I'm not sure we can do this alone. Is there someone who can help?

Dr. Grant: I would hope that all teens could turn to their parents first. Parents can be a very big help and source of support if given the chance. But if not, I hope teenagers can talk with their church youth minister or leader. These ministers are trained to understand the needs and problems of teenagers. He can listen, and often can give some very practical suggestions about how to work things out. Your youth minister can help you get into the right group.

If you are not a member of a church, ask a strong Christian friend about his youth minister at his church. Find out how to contact that youth minister, and have the courage to take the first step toward talking to him.

John: What about the teenager who is already hooked on alcohol or other drugs and finds stopping difficult or impossible?

Dr. Grant: He or she will need the help of a person or group skilled in treatment. Alcoholics Anonymous is one such group for teens. AA is a group of reformed alcoholics who support and encourage those trying to stop drinking. Also, virtually every community today has treatment centers and support groups staffed by professionals experienced in treating alcoholism and related problems.

John: Dr. Grant, can a Christian find any help or guidance in the Bible?

Dr. Grant: John, the Bible is God's personal owner's manual. It tells us how to live life to the fullest, how to find God's will, and how to find meaning in life. The Bible speaks in many places about what we are to do with our lives and what we are to do with our bodies. It speaks frequently about the use of alcohol.

Ephesians 5:18 states, "And don't get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled with the Spirit" (HCSB).¹  Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship" (HCSB).

John, just as you said earlier, teens are faced with a lot of choices. They can choose what they want to do with their minds, bodies, and souls. They can choose to grow and mature in mind, body, and soul, for their own joy, for the pleasure of God. Or, they can choose to be less than they ought to be.

John: We have the freedom to make our own choices. It's too bad so many teens just flow with the crowd.

Dr. Grant: It's my hope and prayer that you will choose to be all you can be--that God created you to be--by making the right choices. Particularly in regard to the handling of alcohol and other addicting substances.

I have a lot of confidence in the teenagers that I know and work with. I hope and pray that, given the proper information and the opportunity to make right choices, you will do exactly that.

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¹Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible^® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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The 24-Hour Counselor
© 1999, Broadman and Holman Publishers.
All rights reserved. Compiled by Richard Ross.