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How Young?

Discussion in 'Helping an Addicted Child' started by Rainman, Jul 26, 2015.

  1. Rainman

    Rainman Community Champion

    At what age do kids start experimenting and probably get addicted to drugs? Most parents think that it would be from 13 onwards. But how wrong they are! Kids as young as 10, and sometimes younger use drugs, "to deal with life's problems."

    What life problems could make a kid start using drugs? Family issues maybe, bullying in school?

    Parents, don't wait until your kid is a teen for you to start telling them about the harmful effects of drugs. In fact you could prevent it all. Be close to your child, know everything about them — be their closest confidant and it will be easier for you notice when something is amiss and you'll take swift action before it's too late.
    deanokat likes this.
  2. deanokat

    deanokat Community Organizer Community Listener

    @Rainman... Thanks for a great post! Kids seem to be using drugs earlier and earlier all the time. I think growing up in today's society is really hard on kids. With all the social media and technology, I think it's very easy for kids to be bullied or made fun of. People say things via social media sites and text messages that they would never say to someone's face. Family issues and emotional issues (like depression) can also cause kids to want to escape or self-medicate.

    Parents need to educate their kids about drugs and their harmful effects. They need to start having those conversations early on, too. I believe it's never too early to start talking to your kids. The more they hear it, the more impact it will have on them.

    Prevention is a great way to conquer addiction. And since the U.S. no longer funds educational programs in schools, it's up to the parents to be the educators.

    Thanks again for this post. It's so important.
    Rainman likes this.
  3. MNyte

    MNyte Member

    It does depend on the community. Usually, drugs flow around, and all you need is an initiative to hook yourself up with some, and others are induced in to using drugs. Personally, I feel that the minimum age adolescents use drugs is around 12. Ignorance is bliss to them, and no other age fits the criteria of ignorance better than 12.

    the cause:things, like peer pressure, are the main perpetrators. The kid thinks it is cool, wants to impress someone, or feels that it is a mature thing. honestly, children need to be educated at young ages.
  4. sonia11

    sonia11 Senior Contributor

    Kids have smaller, more simplistic versions of the same problems we have as adults, so I'd say they could turn to drugs to combat bullying, depression, and chaos at home. It's easier if they live in a neighborhood where there are a lot of drugs around. They may start experimenting to be seen as "cool", or to be seen as that kid who'll do anything for attention, or because they see their parents doing it.
  5. MyDigitalpoint

    MyDigitalpoint Community Champion

    Addiction may strike at any age and not necessarily happening to those children of today, but even those who are now over 50 years old.

    A friend of mine is addicted to Vicks Vaporub saying this is a harmless habit and yet healthy because of those medicinal properties associated to this product.

    However I wonder how "healthy" could be if he says to be sniffing it since he was 3 or 4 years old. His parents used to put some Vicks on his nose when about to catch a cold or suffering from flu, then to "improve" his breathing at any other moment every day.
  6. smartmom

    smartmom Senior Contributor

    I am so not sure what age but I do know that they are starting early. Some are starting as early as elementary school but most as early as middle school. This is very sad to me. the people that are introducting children to this stuff really should think twice about how they are destroying families after they hook somebodies child. In some cases its even family members. Its just so sad!!
  7. 6up

    6up Community Champion

    In my area, children as young as 7 have tasted alcohol. This results from their drunk parents who take alcohol in front of them. Some parents have been known to giving their children alcohol so that they can sleep. This should stop since it affects a child's life an early age.
  8. Tremmie

    Tremmie Community Champion

    I tried drugs for the first time when I was 13... I had just turned 13 one week earlier. I went big... but I started drinking and smoking (luckily I didn't really like smoking, so I quit it quite fast) when I was 8... I grew up wit an alcoholic mother, so it was so easy to have access to alcohol. She gave me alcohol as well. I liked it quite a bit, so I guess I've been an addict for very long... but I now can say I've been sober for 3 years... almost 4! Not bad considering my history with drugs and alcohol.