Teen Risk Taking and Drug Use, Ontario

Teen risk taking is a normal developmental stage – challenging rules, finding adventure outside of the home, taking off into new and unknown territory is an indicator of developing independence, autonomy and freewill. Sometimes teen risk taking is a response to a sense of feeling entrapped by, enclosed and controlled by the “envelope” of life, sometimes a result of feelings of isolation and alienation. Teen risk taking is an attempt to find identity, autonomy and purpose from within their own understanding and experience of life. Teen risk taking can be a positive or negative experience – depending upon whether it is an act of free will, or the result of a compulsive need to “escape” internalized feelings of pressure.

 Risk taking to test boundaries, limits and parameters of what is socially useful and acceptable behavior is part of the teen maturation process. Teens will often find themselves querying, questioning the world and their place in it. Young people try sport, develop hobbies and interests and seek new social experiences as a way of discovering themselves. Disobedience and non-cooperation is also a way of testing the rules.

 Extreme behaviors that entail risk answer to the need of a teenager to feel in control, to have power and autonomy. Risk taking in teens becomes hazardous when risk taking behavior is compulsive, and a response to negative feelings about self, rather than from feeling competent and confident to take up new challenges in a positive way.

 Risk taking that is lawful and properly considered will give teens a real “lift’, a high that is natural, healthy and beneficial regardless of outcome. When negative outcomes are highly probable, or inevitably going to happen as a consequence of risk taking behavior, Freud called this a death drive, or death wish. Most probably there is no death drive as such – just a desperate pessimism that still tries to seek affirmation of life, but in a negative way.

 What can teens do to stop drug use and other harmful risk taking behavior.

 First they will need to stop self harming. Stopping the drug use or harmful behavior will enable a person to face and acknowledge their feelings. Drug use, self harming or risk taking behavior compensates for and covers up to some extent feelings of emotional distress or pain. Emotional pain is only a symptom of issues that you need to come to terms with and resolve. Comprehensive drug rehab methods enable people to get to the root of their emotional problems.

 With natural optimism restored, a sense personal empowerment and ability to handle constructively the many problems of life, harmful risk taking loses its attraction, drug use no longer holds interest, you will  stop drug use naturally, and all addictive behaviors.

 If you are using illicit drugs, and engaging in risky behaviors there are comprehensive drug detox and rehab programs ***  to help you get your life back on track. No one wants to self harm. Self harming is a cry for help, a way of speaking out in a world that seems uncaring and unresponsive to our needs.

 A 2009 report from OPHA (Ontario Public Health Association) confirms in its strategies to reduce teen risk taking behavior that (Finding4)

comprehensive approaches focusing on resiliency and protective factors are more likely to change behavior than focusing on risk factors.

 Comprehensive drug detox and rehab programs give you the support, encouragement and skills that you need to feel confident and secure. Free of addiction, and without drug use, you will have a more happy, contented life.