Psychology of Adolescent Addiction Essay - 1953 Words

Introduction/ Background There are various forms of addictions that teenagers and adolescents indulge in. Various researchers have devices concepts, theoretical frameworks and models to try to identify the cause of addiction among young people. For instance, in a longitudinal study by Hansell and White (1991) Shedler and Block (1990), results showed no correlation between â€Å"drug addiction and adolescents trying to cope with pre-existing psychological distress† (p. 288). On the contrary, drug addiction correlated to physical and psychological impairments over time (Hansell White, 1991). Prevalence of Addiction Adolescence is a stage in life that is marred by physical and hormonal changes that influence a person’s field of†¦show more content†¦A national survey has shown that 63.2% of high school seniors have indulged in drinking alcohol, while another 41.7% used marijuana (North, 2012). Adolescents that smoked cigarettes, marijuana, or drink alcohol received wide accolades among peers and this made them famous (North, 2012). Research has also shown that adolescents who were reported to be both shy and aggressive in first grade had a higher susceptibility to indulge in drug abuse as adults (North, 2012). Additionally, adolescents that come from high-income families tend to engage in substance abuse, which leads to addiction (North, 2012). The lifestyle these adolescents are involved in tends to entice them to engage in hard drugs that are addictive (North, 2012). Past Attempts to Deal with the Problem Political Approach The challenge of drug addiction is one that has and continues to elicit heated debate on the best approach to use to curb the menace (van Solinge, 2004). In terms of political approach, various mechanisms have been employed to minimize drug and substance abuse. First, the emergence of United Nations Drug Control Regime made it possible for countries to initiate radical approaches to reduce drug abuse (van Solinge, 2004). The first political approach was to enact legislations that outlawed various drugs (van Solinge, 2004). The aim of this approach was to ensure that those caught selling the outlawed substances would be subjected to severe punishment (vanShow MoreRelatedSubtypes Of Internet Addiction762 Words   |  4 PagesIn the previous decade, the growth rate of internet addiction is increasing all over the world (Goel.D, et.al, 2013). In the urban India there were almost 5 million active users of internet present as per 2000 stats but now as per 2008 it has been increased to 42 million active users of internet. Adolescents are more likely to be vulnerable to internet addiction as compared to any other sections of the society. This is because of the leisure and liberty children are exposed to these days. 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