Abstract/ Introduction:
Though the consequences of drug abuse are thought to be well known by the general public, few realize the devastating effects it can have on a brain's development. Many illegal substances are made to mimic the effects of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, all while being synthetic. Thus they interfere with the way neurons receive, transfer, and process signals within the brain, in turn causing abnormal messages to be sent through the brain's network. The constant onslaught of neurotransmitters along with their effects due to the presence of drugs result in lasting repercussions, in particular for the youth, highlighting the necessity of action being taken.
A Brief Introduction To The Human Brain
The human brain is an extremely complex topic and has yet to have its mysteries fully elucidated by scientists. It sits at the center of all human activity and is needed to complete the most basic of tasks. One thing known for sure, however, is that drugs have a detrimental effect on the development of the adult brain, much less the brain of a teenager. This is worrying for numerous reasons, namely that the brain may be the single most important organ within the body, and teen drug use has been on the rise for years.
(A brain tractography highlighting the brain's complexity;
image source: NIH Director's Blog)
Though the brain is an extraordinarily complex subject, its most important components are by far neurons, synapses, and neurotransmitters. Neurons are specialized cells in our body that transmit messages from the brain to various body regions. By releasing chemicals known as neurotransmitters into the spaces between cells, neurons can communicate with one another. We refer to these spaces as synapses. Similar to how a key fits into a lock, the neurotransmitter travels across the synapse and binds to a receptor on another neuron. In this way, the neurons can communicate with one another to control the actions of your brain and body. For instance, your brain uses extensive networks of neurons to instruct your feet to move when you wish to go up a flight of stairs. As you can see, the importance of the brain is immeasurable when it comes to human function.
The Numerous Methods In Which Drug Changes The Brain
Increase In Dopamine Levels:
All addictive substances have an impact on dopamine-related reward pathways in the brain.
Drugs dramatically alter synapses in the brain within seconds to minutes of entering the body. Drugs cause the reward system in the brain to be activated, which causes a surge of extreme pleasure. Thus repeated use of drugs causes the body's natural dopamine levels to increase dramatically depending on the extent and duration of use.
Decrease In Synapse Activity:
(Image Source: Cusabio)
Abuse-related drugs have a considerably more profound impact on brain function than do natural incentives like food and social interactions. The brain must attempt to adapt in order to reduce stimulus to a more tolerable level.
Reducing the amount of dopamine receptors at the synapse is one way the brain makes up for this. Additionally, sending neurons produces more dopamine transporters, which speeds up the removal of dopamine from the synapse. These modifications lessen the brain's sensitivity to the drug while simultaneously reducing its receptivity to organic rewards.
These modifications mean that once a user has "come down," they will require more of the substance the following time they wish to become high. It is usual to refer to this reaction as "tolerance."
Rewired Brain Connections:
(Image Source: MGH MAPP)
Areas outside the reward pathway are also impacted as the brain continues to adjust to the drug's presence. As the brain's judgment, decision-making, learning, and memory centers physically change over time, some habits become "hard-wired." Neuronal connections are cut back in some parts of the brain. Others have more connections between their neurons.
Once these modifications have been made, drug seeking becomes nearly reflexive and driven by habit. The user develops a drug addiction.
Changes After Long Use:
The brain doesn't instantly revert to normal after drug usage is stopped. Some medications can destroy neurons due to their toxic effects, and the majority of these cells won't grow back. Additionally, while some alterations to the connections between neurons in the brain are transient, others last for months. According to other studies, the effects could persist for years.
For addicts, maintaining their drug-free status might be difficult due to long-lasting brain alterations. They relapse frequently as a result of strong desires.
Specific Effects On Adolescents and Teens
There are numerous reasons why the effects of addictive substances, including alcohol, affect teens on a larger scale than most adults. After all, a teenage brain is still in the beginning stage of development. For starters, drug consumption can disrupt brain function in its most important areas. Namely, the areas that are critical to your motivation, memory, learning, judgment, behavior, and behavior control. In addition to that, your prefrontal cortex, the part of our brain that allows us to make sound decisions, is not fully developed, thus the intake of drugs may permanently alter its structure. Finally, there are numerous studies that further expand on the idea that drugs are detrimental to the normal growth of neurons within the human body.
Findings indicate that binge drinking behaviors result in altered white matter integrity and tissue development, each of which affects how our brain learns and remembers
According to data, youth who habitually use marijuana fared worse on learning, cognitive flexibility, visual scanning, error commission, and working memory tests even after four weeks of closely watched abstinence.
A study comparing alcohol-dependent and healthy control teens found that drinkers recalled less than 10% less verbal and nonverbal information than controls even after 3 weeks of monitored abstinence
How Teens May Still Continue To Misuse Drugs
Teen drug use and abuse can be influenced by a variety of circumstances and a number of factors, including your teen's personality, interactions with your family, and comfort level around peers.
The following are typical risk factors for teen drug abuse:
(Image Source: Adobe Stock)
a history of substance misuse in the family.
a psychological or behavioral health issue, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, or depression.
risk-taking or impulsive behavior.
a background of traumatic experiences, such as seeing or being involved in a vehicle accident or going through abuse.
low self-esteem or sensations of rejection from others.
Teenagers may be more prone to experimenting with drugs for the first time while they are socializing. Some of the first and simplest substances that the youth may try are alcohol, nicotine, and/or cigarettes. Although they are not safe for teenagers, they can appear safer to attempt because they are legal for adults.
Most teenagers simply desire to blend in with their peers and your teen may believe they must use drugs if their friends do. They are motivated by the fact that they want to get along with their fellow students and may not want to come across as “boring” or “prudish”.
In addition to that, they may find themselves in riskier settings than they are accustomed to if their friends are older. For instance, kids might not have any parents present, or younger teens might rely on friends to get them somewhere.
Additionally, teenagers who are lonely or under stress could turn to drugs or alcohol to block out their negative emotions. Or they could have more innocent reasoning and simply want to try out drugs for the sake of curiosity and defying parental boundaries. Some may even believe that nothing unpleasant could ever happen to them and may be unable to comprehend the repercussions of their behavior as their prefrontal cortex is nowhere near developed. To conclude, there are numerous reasons why a younger person would want to try something so detrimental to their health. However, there are steps we can take to help them avoid that decision entirely, or help to end their drug use before things get serious.
How You Can Help Them
Consult your teen about their opinions. Prevent lectures. Instead, pay attention to your teen's thoughts and inquiries about drugs. Parents can reassure teenagers that speaking the truth and having a conversation won't get them into trouble.
Discuss the benefits of avoiding using drugs. Avert using scare tactics. Stress the impact that drug usage might have on your teen's priorities. Sports performance, driving, health, or appearance are a few examples.
Think of the media's messaging. Drug use can be glamorized or made to look normal on social media, through television shows, movies, and music. Talk to your teen about what they observe and hear.
Talk about how to withstand peer pressure. Talk with your teen about possible strategies for declining drug offers.
Prepare to talk about your own drug use. Consider your response if your teen inquires about your usage of alcohol or other drugs. Describe your decision not to use drugs if you did. If you did use drugs, explain what you learned from the experience.
Know what your teen is doing. Keep track of where your teen is going. Find out what activities under adult supervision your teen is interested in and encourage them to participate.
Create guidelines and penalties. Describe your family's guidelines, such as staying away from drug-using parties and never driving with someone who has taken drugs. Identify a safe route home with your kid if the driver is impaired by drugs or alcohol. Apply sanctions consistently if your teen disobeys the rules.
the pals of your teen. Your child may feel pressured to experiment with drugs if their peers do.
Observe prescription drug usage
In conclusion, in spite of teen drug use being on the rise while inflicting numerous effects on the brain, there are steps we can take to protect the youth from this epidemic.
Citation:
(Cover image source: iStock)
“What Is the Impact of Substances on The...” Caron Treatment Centers, www.caron.org/addiction-101/substance-abuse/impact-of-substances-on-the-brain. Accessed 8 Sept. 2023.
“Health Effects of Teen Substance Abuse.” Addiction Center, 18 May 2023, www.addictioncenter.com/teenage-drug-abuse/health-effects-teen-substance-abuse/.
“What Parents Should Know about Teen Drug Abuse.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 22 Feb. 2023, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/teen-drug-abuse/art-20045921.
“Mind Matters: Drugs and the Brain.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 13 June 2022, nida.nih.gov/research-topics/parents-educators/lesson-plans/mind-matters/drugs-and-brain.
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