Drugs & Alcohol
We all acknowledge that the teenage years are a time of experimenting, asserting independence and discovering where we ‘fit’ in the world. Almost all young people will be exposed to alcohol at some point and some will also be exposed to illegal drugs and some will try them out of curiosity, because it seems fun or because their friends do.
It is important to be aware of some facts. First of all it is against the law for a young person under 18 to buy alcohol, drink alcohol in a public place or to pretend to be over 18 in order to buy alcohol. It is also against the law to buy, be in possession of or use ‘street’ drugs such as cannabis, ecstasy, heroin and cocaine – to name the more familiar ones.
Teenage drinking carries a number of health risks. Teenage bodies, minds and emotions are still maturing and so are very vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. Remember alcohol is a depressant - not a stimulant as many people think - it affects concentration and co-ordination, and slows response time to unexpected situations. In small quantities, depressants such as alcohol cause people to become relaxed and lower their inhibitions. They feel more confident and often act in a more extroverted manner. In larger quantities, depressants can cause unconsciousness and even death.
You may have some idea of the effects street drugs can have on your physical health. But are you are aware of the effects they can have on your mental health?
It’s possible that using street drugs may trigger off mental health problems which lurk under the surface. Drugs can also aggravate problems like depression or anxiety. They can also create mental health difficulties where there didn’t appear to be problems before.
You might think that experimenting with alcohol or using drugs occasionally will not affect your long-term mental health. But sometimes just a one-off experience can result in problems. If you drink alcohol regularly or use drugs regularly then the risk is much higher. Everybody is different so using drugs or drinking alcohol may affect you in different ways to others.
The irony is that most people drink or take drugs to get a ‘high’ and to feel good. But the flip side is that these drugs can also cause the opposite states of nervousness, anxiety, paranoia and depression. In extreme cases drugs can even cause temporary paranoid psychosis.
It is better to look at what’s causing you to want to take drugs or drink alcohol and consider is it worth it for a short term high. Remember if you take drugs or drink alcohol to feel better when the effects wear off the reasons you did it will still be there. It is important to safeguard your physical and mental health so try to put off drinking alcohol for a long as possible, and of course taking illicit drugs should be avoided at all costs – the long term risks to your mental health as well as your physical health are too high.
Check out www.yourdrinking.ie and www.drugs.ie for more information.
