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February 10, 2012
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Substance Abuse (cont.)

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Substance Abuse Causes

Use and abuse of substances such as cigarettes, alcohol, and illegal drugs may begin in childhood or the teen years. Certain risk factors may increase someone's likelihood of abusing substances.

  • Family history factors that influence a child's early development have been shown to be related to an increased risk of drug abuse, such as
    • chaotic home environment,
    • ineffective parenting,
    • lack of nurturing and parental attachment.
  • Factors related to a child's socialization outside the family may also increase risk of drug abuse, including
    • inappropriately aggressive or shy behavior in the classroom,
    • poor social coping skills,
    • poor school performance,
    • association with a deviant peer group or isolating self from peers altogether,
    • perception of approval of drug-use behavior.

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