Palm Trees

Reports Show Economic Struggles Could Lead to Increase Substance Abuse in Youth

As news reports continue to focus on the downward spiral of the economy and its impact on the financial future of the United States and the world, the human impact can easily be overlooked. Even more ignored is the youth demographic which is proving to turn increasingly to substance abuse to curb the emotional impact of their changing world.

The Mt. Airy News recently highlighted that the state of the economy is pushing both youth and their parents toward increased substance abuse. A 2008 report by the Surry County Community Child Protection Team showed an upturn in the number of youth and adults seeking substance abuse services.

The team reported that in a poor economy, it is even more likely for there to be less parental involvement for youth, increasing the likelihood of experimentation and abuse of prescription and nonprescription drugs.

As the economic change puts more stress on the family dynamics, parents become less involved as they are anxious about providing for the basic needs of the family. It is not uncommon for parents to work more hours at several jobs just to make ends meet, which means spending less time with children.

Even as these instances of unsupervised youth and the abuse of dangerous substances continue to increase, the actual impact of the problem is hard to quantify as many situations go unreported. There can be increased danger in these scenarios as parents may inadvertently create an environment conducive to abuse for fear of legal retribution if action is taken or situations are reported.

The reality is that some youth are going to experiment, but it is the consequences – or lack thereof – that will determine whether or not experimentation leads to continued use and abuse.