Recent studies have shown that teenage drug abuse may become more prevalent in adolescent girls than teenage boys for the first time. Teen girls are more likely to perceive benefits in using drugs and drinking alcohol, making them more vulnerable to addiction or substance abuse. What has not changed is the reason why girls abuse substances. Most adolescent females fall into addiction through self-medication or as a reaction to childhood trauma. Girls are also likely to turn to drugs or alcohol if they suffer from anxiety or depression. Prescription pills, like opioid painkillers or anti-anxiety medicines, are often the first choice. As a result, they need professional care from a professional substance use treatment program, such as an opioid addiction treatment program. For more information, contact Women’s Recovery today at 833.754.0554.
Effects of Teenage Drug Abuse
It is not uncommon for teenagers to experiment with drugs or alcohol. Testing the boundaries of illicit or prescription medication is on par with teen behavior. However, when experimentation leads to teenage drug abuse, this can put the young woman in danger. Teenage addiction in CO can happen for several reasons.
Mental Disorders
Teen girls can suffer from a wide range of mental disorders, such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Eating disorders
- Borderline personality disorder
- ADHD
- Bipolar disorder
Many of these disorders require a mental health treatment program. However, teen girls often do not receive the proper care they need for mental disorders. As a result, they turn to drugs or alcohol. The occasional binge may become a habit, leading to full-blown teenage drug abuse.
Hormones
Studies have found that female sex hormones make women more sensitive to the effects of drugs than men. For instance, a teen girl who may be taking Xanax for anxiety may feel the drug’s euphoric effects more than a teen boy would. As a result, they become more attracted to the drug.
Higher sensitivity to a drug makes it more difficult for the brain to become tolerant to its effects. Therefore, a girl may form an addiction to the drug in a shorter period. This reaction can occur with almost any substance on the market.
More Severe Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms can deter anyone’s desire to detox from drugs. However, women are more likely to suffer more severe withdrawal symptoms than men because women tend to have less body mass, so the effects are more intense. Therefore, the fear of withdrawal symptoms may be greater than the fear of staying on the drug.
Remember that withdrawal symptoms from teenage drug abuse are essentially the same in teen girls as in teen boys. However, they differ in the severity of the symptoms and the length of detox. Adolescent boys may take three to seven days to detox, while teen girls can take seven to ten days on average to detox from drugs.
Higher Risk of Relapse
More adolescent females are willing to join a substance abuse treatment program than males. However, that does not guarantee a higher success rate. After completing rehab, females are more likely to relapse than males. They may have to undergo treatment two to three times before finally quitting for good.
The main reason for this is that females experience more intense cravings for a longer period than males. Cravings can outlast any other withdrawal symptoms, tempting a teen girl to relapse, particularly if the girl abused opioids or benzodiazepines.
Teenage Drug Abuse at Women’s Recovery
Teenage drug abuse can train wreck the life of a teen girl in a short time. Yet even the most severe addictions are treatable. Learn more about teenage addiction in CO and what options are available for your teen girl. At Women’s Recovery, we offer a range of treatment options, including:
- Alcohol addiction treatment
- Heroin addiction treatment
- Cocaine addiction treatment
- Benzo addiction treatment
- Opioid addiction treatment
Contact Women’s Recovery at 833.754.0554 to get started with your child’s addiction recovery treatment plan. We are here to help your child get on the road to recovery from drug addiction.
