The Constant Struggle

             Drug abuse is a serious issue not only with teens in my community, but teens everywhere. Teens often abuse drugs when they’re depressed or upset and they feel that drugs will fix their problems or make them happy. However this is not the case, when the drug wears off the feelings go away and the problem remains or even gets worse. Everyday more and more teens are feeling the pressure to try illegal or dangerous drugs, and levels of teen drug abuse are on the rise.

Sources

Click here for more information on peer pressure.

http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/friend/peer_pressure.html

Amanda's Story

 Amanda was a regular 16 year old girl with average grades and average friends. Everything started to change when a new student named Cassy was enrolled in her school at the end of the year. Cassy was a smoker, drinker and all time party girl. Amanda and Cassy became close friends within 2 weeks of Cassy's arrival. They even had nicknames like Cas and Manders. One Friday after school Cassy invited Amanda to the biggest and baddest party of the year after school. There was going to be over 200 people there at a house where the parents are on vacation. Manders told Cassy " I don't feel comfortable going but you can go without me right?". "No! you're acting like a baby. Nothing bad is going to happen it's just a party. Only losers aren't going." Cassy exclaimed. Amanda gave into Cassie's idea. Amanda couldn't tell her parents she was going because they wouldn't approve. She decided to tell her parents she was spending the night a Cassy's place and will be home tomorrow. The party was at 8:30 and Cassy would pick her up at 5:00 to get ready. 

In a blink of an eye the time was already 8:30. Amanda's palms were sweating and her eyes were wondering around the huge mansion. She had never really been to a party, only to small one's with 20 people who were all nice and kind. A grin grew on Cassy's face when she saw someone bring beer into the room. She grabbed Amanda's hand and rushed over there with nothing on her mind but drinking. Cassy snatched 2 beers and handed one to Amanda. Manders had unease in her eyes and sweat racing down her hands. However, Cassy was all ready half way through the can but then stopped. She stared at Amanda and said "Go on, drink it. Haven't you drank before?". Amanda didn't know what to say, she was stuck! She quickly got her self together and lied " Yeah I have but... um this kind isn't my favorite. "Well what is? The jocks brought just about every kind" Cassy questioned. Amanda was stuck again, She didn't really know many kinds of beer. Her family was more proper and would only drink small glasses of wine. Manders named the first beer that popped in her mind. "Bud light" was all she could say to Cassy. Cas bolted over to the table and grabbed a can of bud light. "Here, I told you they had every kind" Cassy said with her unforgettable smile. She popped the top and handed it to Amanda. "Now drink!" She exclaimed. Amanda put the beer to her lips a little shaky and drank. At first it tasted horrible, but when i settled down she actually kinda liked it. 

By now it was 12:00. The girls were both on their 4th beer and pretty much drunk. Cas was falling all over the place while Amanda was playing beer pong with the coolest kids in school. She felt on top of the world right now but somewhere deep inside something was telling her what she was doing was wrong. She tried drowning the voice inside her with another gulp of beer. The voice keep getting softer and softer until it was gone. Amanda pasted out on the floor next to the beer pong table. Soon after, Cassy feel asleep on the coffee table. The crowd of the party started to thin out and most of the students went home.

Amanda woke up around 12:00 pm with a raging headache and limp bodies scattered around the room. She got up from the filthy ground and walked over to Jack, the guy who invited her to the party. Amanda asked "Where did Cassy go?". "She went home early this morning." he replied. "Did she ask about me at all?" Manders said. "Nope, just left". Amanda didn't know what to think. Her head was pounding and her supposedly 'best friend' left her at a complete strangers house. She tried calling Cas but there was no answer. She asked Jack for a ride and he said yes. On the ride home Amanda's head was filled with problems and complications. She couldn't think straight at all.

The next day at school Cassy apologized for everything. The next 3 weeks have been life changing for Amanda. Ever since that one night she has been craving alcohol. She was getting as bad as Cassy. Amanda was even pressured to smoke. Her face is looking older and her teeth are yellowing. Amanda's parents have caught on to what she is doing and tried talking to her. Amanda just yells at them and walks out of the room. Her parents are sick of her and her attitude so they are getting her a drug counselor.   

Amanda has been in counseling for a year now and has calmed down She finally realized how bad of a friend Cassy is. They got into a giant fight about counseling and how Cassy is a horrible friend. Manders life is  coming back slowly. She doesn't know if she will ever be the person she was before Cassy but she is trying to get as close as possible.

Real Life Interviews

Questions:

1.       What is your name and age?

2.       Do you feel you are well informed on the challenges and choices that teens are making these days?

3.       What are some challenges that teens are facing these days?

4.       As a teen what ware some challenges that you faced?

5.       Name some decisions that you feel teens should be making.

Participant 1:

1.       Cathy Clayton, 53 years old.

2.       Yes.

3.       Drug and alcohol abuse, skipping school, friends and family problems, teens could be struggling with anything really.

4.       Pressure to do drugs and go out and party and lie to my parents, times have changed but the same old peer pressure situations are still around.

5.       Teens should say no to people who try to force them to do things they don’t want to do and stay away from situations that will have negative consequences.

Participant 2:

1.       Cali Clayton, 20 years old.

2.       Yes, it hasn’t been that long since I was a teen.

3.       Partying, texting and driving, lying, smoking. Everyone wants to be popular and a lot of teens think they have to do dangerous things to be one of the cool kids when in reality their real friends should accept them whether they do those things or not.

4.       A lot of smoking. I went to an arts school with a lot of burnout kids who thought they needed drug abuse for “inspiration” or other dumb excuses. I always rose above but I lost a couple of friends who couldn’t say no.

5.       Teens need to decide to be their own person. They need to make good choices that they know will benefit them and make their parents proud. If they have to look over their shoulder while they’re doing it, it’s not a decision they should be making.

Participant 3:

1.       Cash Clayton, 18 years old.

2.       Yes, considering I am one.

3.       Drugs, sex, and alcohol abuse.

4.       Like I said, sex, drug and alcohol abuse, it’s all still an issue. Teens knowhow to say no to these things but they don’t because they’re scared of the consequences it’ll bring. They should be scared of the consequences of making these dangerous decisions.

5.       I think that teens need to calm down and make decisions like volunteering or choosing to not go to a party they know will be drugs and alcohol at. It might be hard but it will benefit them in the long run. I think teens know the decisions that they need to make, they just choose to make the wrong ones.

In conclusion, it seems that teens in the community are facing problems with school, friends, significant others, drug and alcohol abuse, and other dangerous issues. It seems the main issue with teens is the lack of ability to say no and state their place. Teens need to step up and learn that resisting bad choices now will benefit them much more in the long run.