Why teens use drugs and alcohol

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Why teens use drugs and alcohol

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Between the ages of 12 and 20, teenagers go from less than 10 percent of drug and alcohol abuse, to over 50 percent. This is a period in which their friends are using. Even if they have not started using, many of their friends are. It's also a period in which their brain is developing and they are suddenly seeking more sensations, more pleasure, trying to avoid pain. This is a period when they are susceptible and they are exposed and everyone around them is using. Even if you have educated them about it, so many people use it, it's almost a norm to use it as well.

Watch Michael Dennis, PhD's video on Why teens use drugs and alcohol...

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Michael Dennis, PhD

Psychologist

Michael Dennis, PhD, is a senior research psychologist and Director of the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) coordinating center at Chestnut Health Systems in Normal, Illinois. Over the past 25 years his primary area of research has been to better understand and manage addiction and recovery over the life course. This includes multiple clinical trials to compare the effectiveness of adolescent treatment approaches and recovery support services, longitudinal studies with adolescents, adults and older adults to understand the predictors of entering and sustaining recovery, and creating the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) coordinating center for teaching evidenced based assessment to support clinical decision making at the individual level and program evaluation. He has multiple awards for moving the field from science to practice, promoting diversity through practice based evidence and bringing more people into the field.

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