The Influence of Social Media on Teen Drug Use

Social media is an integral element of the day-to-day in this hyper-connected world, shaping our speech, our responses and how we navigate through this life. Though such platforms have great benefits, they can serve as high-risk outlets, especially for impressionable teenagers. One such risk communicated in real time is the influence of social media on the drug use of adolescents.

The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media

Other platforms, such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, also expose teens to a curated reality in which risky behaviours like drug and alcohol use may be glamorized. Social media influencers and celebrities post glamorous shots of themselves partying, doing drugs or casually consuming alcohol, leading many to think these behaviours are harmless mistakenly. Even being bombarded with these substances creates soft pressure to use, and it can be a slippery slope from experimentation to substance use problems.

Peer Pressure and Influence in the Internet Age

Peer pressure does not stop with a face to face interaction; it expands to our digital world. This was much rarer (though not unheard of) before the advent of social media. It tended to be individuals, not large numbers of kids in a group, and for a number of those substances — and some of them involved more than just taking drugs (that would be highly unusual now) —like the present-day social media challenges, or trends to do with substance use, where kids are persuaded into participating so they do not feel socially ostracized if they say no. Such trends in the field of digital technology can get dysfunctional, leading to an addiction that needs clinical intervention if it reaches an alarming level, like drug addiction rehab in Delhi.

How Algorithms Allow to Define Our Behaviors

Social media algorithms seek to maximize clicking — serve up more stuff like what somebody’s already clicking on. So for a teenager who has engaged with or liked any posts around partying or substance use in any way, their feed can be filled with the same type of content. This can lead drug and alcohol use to feel normalized and make it more difficult for teens to differentiate between safe behaviors and potentially dangerous behaviors.

Psychosocial Outcomes With Social Media

Bullying can also come from over-consumption of social media, as can mental health issues like increased anxiety, depression, and decreased self-esteem. Teenagers who feel lonely or undeserving can use substances as a way to feel better or escape that situation, further embedding the cycle to addiction. For people struggling in alcoholism or drug abuse, there are many approaches available but early intervention through programs like alcohol deaddiction treatment in Delhi can be life-changing.

Social Media Power

And so as social media also can lead to the formation of habits for drug and alcohol consumption, so can social media also be expended to nullify the risk of drug and alcohol consumption. And as always, parents, teachers, and rehab centers can be your worst enemy and your best friend in these dangers:

● Supervision by parents: Parents need to supervise and control their teens about the use of social media and talk about the content they watch openly.

● Social media use — Cognitive campaigns: Schools and/or community groups can use social media to create campaigns aimed at raising awareness on the risks of substance use and the importance of seeking help when necessary.

Top end rehab centres in Delhi offer professional treatment, and in a safe environment teens can recover at their own pace with a mix of therapy, counselling, and holistic approaches.

Why consider Roar Wellness Centre in Delhi for your addiction treatment?

To overcome that addiction, professional help is essential. Roar Wellness Centre utilizes a customized approach to substance abuse rehabilitation in Delhi that focuses on the fundamental causes of addiction via established services. Roar Wellness Centre devises the effortless procedure of nurturing various addiction therapies from alcohol de-addiction treatment in Delhi to luxury addiction treatment in Delhi, via the stain resistant blend of therapy, counselling and supportive ambience for the afflicted based on the principle of healing.

Reference: The Influence of Social Media on Teen Drug Use