Teens commonly cite
these reasons for their substance abuse.
* To relieve
stress.
* To forget.
* To numb the pain
of abuse.
* As a social
lubricant.
* For social
acceptance.
* For confidence.
* As a tonic to
boredom, inadequacy, alienation.
* To create a
profound awe of the ordinary.
* As an antidote to
emptiness.
Substance abuse is
often the second prong of a dual diagnosis and may be associated--as a
self-medicating behavior--with depression, bipolar disorder, personality
disorder, anxiety, post traumatic stress syndrome, attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder.