Our elder has some support and encouragement for a 15-year-old letter writer who is affected by illegal drugs.

Dear EWC

I’m 15 years old and have tried so many illegal drugs that it’s beginning to seriously affect my life. I regularly smoke weed, drink, and vape nicotine, and I have less frequently tried things like molly, Xanax, and other various pills. I’m not worried about addiction, because despite what most people think, I’ve never had an addictive personality. For example, I have gone weeks without nicotine and never felt anything like a withdrawal, I barely even felt a need for the substance. I’m just worried because it’s come to the point where I’m putting these artificial highs above other priorities, and I’m seriously disappointing my family with everything I do. I suffer from extreme depression and it seems like weed is one of the only things that makes me feel at peace. I can quit drinking and all the other drugs, but I’m not sure how I’ll be able to live without that release of stress and frustration that marijuana provides. I’m worried I’m throwing my life away for temporary happiness, please help. Thank you for your time.

Jan4you replies

Well, let me tell you the best thing you did for yourself today is recognize you need help, then ask for it! Good for you. Admitting to having problems is the first step. Now who knows you are struggling and have you asked them for help?

I always call “addiction” the feel good disease! Yep, but it becomes abuse in my opinion as soon as it becomes part of your life and starts to cause consequences. Also, developmentally, your brain has not completed developing until about mid twenties. So you run the risk of harming that development, I have learned. Most people under 20 and into their twenties, it seems, have not learned healthy ways to cope. Instead they experiment sometimes with substances, starting with smoking and drinking.

You say you are not addicted yet. However, you are using all kinds of addictive substances. You may not want a cigarette, yet ask yourself, what do you reach for instead?

What I highly recommend is to tell your parents you have been using and want to stop, but cannot do this on your own. You would then seek out treatment with professionals credentialed in substance abuse and mental health.

As far as your depression, I bet it is hard to know which came first. Often it can be a sign of withdrawal or side effect of using, I have learned. So what do you do? You go to a substance that can give you relief, but then add to the mental health effects. So the cycle of addiction starts, I have learned.

Please tell your parents. Get a professional evaluation and treatment. You are young so it is important to get this corrected while your brain is trying to develop. Nutrition and exercise help the brain too. To function optimally, the brain needs nutrients and time to heal itself.  All these drugs and alcohol do is become toxic, I am afraid to say, and then you are dealing with toxicity on the brain, I have learned. All this drug use does, after the high is achieved is affect your mood, ability to focus and concentrate and be your more effective self.
Let me know what help you are receiving and if you got support. I have learned that there are specific programs for teens. That way you aren’t so alone and have the support of peers who want to improve as well.

I’ll be here to support you too! Write me back and give me an update! I am sending you healing hugs!

Reference 429395
Category: self improvement