As a kid or teen we all tried something. cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, etc. now that i am grown i see the difference between myself and friends. i tried and did stuff and moved on. 20 years later some are still doing the same stuff and act like 30 and 40 year old teens. its like they have not grown mentally. but at the same time i see them as mentally ill now, they were this way as a teen too. angry at the world, delusional, etc. what's the deal? It is not just a chemical thing.
2007-01-04 09:12:37 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Mental Health
Indeed, there have been studies which have related the two occurences: drug abuse and depression. What has been found is that teens or people in general who have lower levels of dopamine naturally in their bodies tend to search for things or experiences (some of which would be chemical) which will change the level of dopamine their brain is getting.
Not all depression-related behaviors are chemical, either. Depressed people tend to make more impulsive decisions as a whole, seemingly in a subconscious effort to raise their dopamine levels. For example, they seek out crises, or fuel unhealthy relationships to create "drama" that will require their blood to race, raising adrenaline, and therefore, dopamine.
That said, not all impulsive behavior in teens is related to depression, either. Some of it has been linked to intelligence. One study linked impulsive behavior, such as eratic driving, to IQ tests. Teens who scored higher on IQ tests were less likely to be involved in major accidents or even fender-benders.
2007-01-04 09:31:45 · answer #1 · answered by mumzii 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they actually say they are two different things...if you have both it is called a dual diagnosis...I was told that you stop maturing at the age you started to use drugs...maybe that is why they seem like 30 and 40 yr old teens...
2007-01-04 09:21:30 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think they have unresolved problems and are trying to destroy themselves (consciously or not). It's not normal to keep treading the same ground, refusing to grow up and get on with your life while you are slowly killing yourself. Drugs/alcohol are a form of escapism (they can't deal with reality) - they need to find out what they are escaping from.
2007-01-04 09:20:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i don't think the addiction is the same thing as depression. but i do think that people use drugs to deal with their depression and that leads to an addiction.
but there are others who use drugs and alcohol for recreation only.
2007-01-04 09:20:51 · answer #4 · answered by somebody's a mom!! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I once had a psychiatrist who refused to prescribe narcotics (klonopin,ambien,etc)to depressed patients as he stated people with depressed personalities are more prone to become addicted to narcotics than anyone else.I stopped seeing him after realizing stopping klonopin after 3 years of taking it without tapering,just cold turkey was hell!!
2007-01-04 10:59:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some grow up some grow old but drugs don't help things
2007-01-04 09:21:11 · answer #6 · answered by Matt G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋