Youth substance abuse

What is it about ?

Substance abuse is the excessive consumption of alcohol and / or other drugs. It doesn’t necessarily lead to addiction, but even occasional use can carry serious health risks.

The general rule is that young people under 16 do not drink alcohol and that young people under 18 do not drink strong alcohol (spirits). Young people aged 16 to 17 should consume no more than 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks at a time, no more than 2 days per week, and not every week.

As alcohol and drug users, young people are vulnerable. The risks in adolescents are great because of the effects of these substances on the brain (which is still developing). In addition, adolescents are also more eager (than adults) to experience these substances. The regular or excessive consumption of alcohol and / or drugs has harmful consequences for the young person on the physical level, and it often disrupts his psychosocial functioning as well. In addition, there is always the risk of becoming dependent.

What is its frequency?

Alcohol is the most consumed substance.
Among illegal drugs, cannabis is the most commonly used drug. Cocaine follows in second place.
The use of cannabis is relatively frequent among young French-speaking Belgians: almost 1 in 3 young people between 15 and 20 years old would have used it in 2014.¹

Substance abuse can happen in any young person, but in some the risk is higher, including the risk of developing addictive behavior:

• Adolescents who have used substances at a young age;
• Young people who live in poverty or marginality;
• Young people who hang out with people their own age who have problematic behaviors;
• Young people who have mental health problems;
• Young people whose parents are addicted to alcohol or other substances or have psychiatric problems.

In these risk groups, substance abuse is also often linked to other types of problems, such as psychiatric problems and delinquent behavior.

How to recognize it?

The problem can manifest itself in different ways:

• The young person is the victim of an accident due to his intoxication;
• The youngster asks for help for depression, anxiety or sleep disorders;
• Parents suspect drug use, whether or not after noticing drug-related problems;
• The young person asks for help to stop the use of the substances;
• The young person also presents psychic symptoms or even has suicidal tendencies.

What can you do ?

If, as a parent or caregiver, you ask the young person questions, do so in a direct and neutral manner. With the necessary empathy, ask if he has any symptoms. Indeed, young people often interpret questions about substance use as accusations.

Family interventions are often beneficial for young people with substance abuse problems and for their families. That is why, as a member of the family, it is good to participate in the treatment process.

What can the doctor do?

Healthcare providers are bound by professional secrecy. This is also the case when the person is a minor, even vis-à-vis his parents. Care providers are therefore not allowed to inform parents. Professional secrecy can only be violated in exceptional cases, for example if the silence of the care provider could cause serious and imminent danger to the young person or to others.

The doctor will look at the psychological and physical risk factors and symptoms of substance abuse. Treatment is generally focused more on therapy than medication.

The best treatment depends on the adolescent’s psychological problems. Medication is often not a good choice for young people who abuse substances. They use them to try to suppress their symptoms of anxiety and their sleep disorders. For example, sleeping pills (like benzodiazepines) can be or become part of the problem. In some cases, the doctor may consider drug treatment (antidepressants, antipsychotics).

Young people with a substance-related problem are often taken care of by a psychiatric service for young people. There are also specialized treatment centers for people who abuse substances.

It is important to involve the young person’s family as much as possible in the treatment.

Want to know more?

• Half-angel Half-demon Good use of medication for teenagers – Solidaris – Mutualité Socialiste

• Benzodiazepines – CBIP – Belgian Center for Pharmacotherapeutic Information
• Antidepressants – CBIP – Belgian Center for Pharmacotherapeutic Information
• Antipsychotics – CBIP – Belgian Center for Pharmacotherapeutic Information

Are you looking for more specialized help?

• Infor-Drogues – Another listen
  

Sources

Foreign clinical practice guide ‘Abuse of psychoactive substances in adolescents’ (2000), updated on 23.08.2017 and adapted to the Belgian context on 05.04.2020 – ebpracticenet

1 Drug use in Wallonia and Brussels: report 2016. Eurotox, 2016