In this episode of Get with the Grove, Christian, Sarina, and Zoey delve into the complex world of substance use and abuse among youth. They tackle the challenges of navigating peer pressure and share insights on making healthy choices. Join us for an open and honest conversation about understanding and supporting our youth in today's world.
In this episode of Get with the Grove, Christian, Sarina, and Zoey delve into the complex world of substance use and abuse among youth. They tackle the challenges of navigating peer pressure and share insights on making healthy choices. Join us for an open and honest conversation about understanding and supporting our youth in today's world.
Hi everyone, welcome back to the Get With The Grove Podcast. I'm Sarina.
Christian:I'm Christian.
Zoey:And I'm Zoey.
Sarina:And in today's episode, we're going to be talking about substance use and abuse and how to navigate peer pressure.
Christian:So I think before we jump into our discussion, it's important that we identify what substance abuse actually is. According to the definition online, it's a continued use of alcohol or illegal drugs, or the misuse of prescription or over the counter medicines with negative consequences. While this is accurate, I would say that substance abuse doesn't always look this black and white. It's not necessarily the overuse of alcohol, or illegal drugs, per se, but it could just be an improper relationship with substances and how they affect our lives.
Sarina:Yeah, just to put it into perspective, this is a huge issue across Canada, with one with one in seven young adults in Canada dealing with substance use disorder. And according to research done across Ontario, the 15 to 24 year old age group has the highest rates of substance abuse and dependency. So
Christian:So I think that's clearly an issue that should be addressed. And it's something that we hope to bring awareness to today. Along
Zoey:Along with that, a study I found, explains that youth who use cannabis tend to demonstrate a higher risk by about 40% of suicidal behaviors, as well as a higher probability of depression, anxiety and other substance use disorders. Compared to those who don't use substances or cannabis.
Christian:I mean, there's some pretty big issues, especially for such a young demographic. So I think it's important that we do address this. Especially, you know, with the culture as well that with how present substances really are at such a young, you know, age group, in schools and among your friends and everything, I think it's pretty common to, to encounter substances and maybe have to deal with situations with them in a way that you wouldn't have, you know, expected. So I think to be prepared and to understand how to handle those situations is pretty important. So that's something that we plan to focus on.
Sarina:So peer pressure is a huge reason why many young people decide to try substances. And it can be tough to handle, especially when it comes to substances like alcohol, tobacco, and drugs, which are very prominent in youth culture. But today, we're going to focus on sharing some tips and strategies for staying true to yourself and making healthy choices even when the pressure is on. Peer
Zoey:Peer pressure can arise in various settings, such as parties, social gatherings, or even just hanging out with your friends. It can also be as subtle as someone offering you a drink or as direct as someone pressuring you to try a new drug. The key is to recognize these situations and be prepared to respond in a way that aligns with your values and your goals.
Sarina:So one strategy that we can have is to have a plan in place before you find yourself in a challenging situation. So this can involve setting boundaries for yourself, practicing assertive communication, and especially having an exit strategy if you feel like you're in an uncomfortable situation. And along with that, it's also essential to surround yourself with supportive friends who will respect your decisions and won't pressure you into doing something you're not comfortable with.
Christian:While like these strategies are helpful and are something we should take into account, I think it is important to say that the pressure can feel like a lot. And we do recognize that even in situations where you are prepared or, or there might be no direct pressure towards using a substance, there's still a lot of pressure that you feel, and it does put you in a tough situation. So it's important to remember that even in these situations, while it may seem like you need to do something or or everybody around you is doing it and it's common, that's not always the case. And it always doesn't really justify the effects. So I think it's important to weigh the pros and the cons when you want to think about doing something like this. And a lot of times there's more content you might even expect in the first place. So I think that's important to keep in mind. And I mean, it's always a first sort of stepping stone, I think peer pressure can be that. But then even beyond peer pressure, I think it's easy for our substance use to progress in a way we didn't expect. And so I think that's something else that we should address as well. So even if peer pressure is sort of the kickstarter to substance use, people do use substances for all sorts of reasons, and they do become dependent on them for all different reasons. And these reasons can even change and alter after repeated use. I mean, especially when it becomes a part of your lifestyle, and you do develop that relationship that isn't healthy. It can you know, change the reason why you continue to use it, we do recognize that. It's important that we are aware of the dangers of whatever we're using, because even if we don't realize it, substances can be more addicting than we think and have adverse effects on our health that we don't anticipate. And you know, while that's something we would think that we would always consider, it sometimes takes a backseat to our desires and our curiosity. So sometimes that is easy for us to forget. So I think it's just important to remind us of that.
Zoey:As this is the case as well. Often our use and dependence on substances can also move quicker than we realize, and what was once just a night out with our friends or an improper or dangerous coping mechanism, is now something which starts to control our entire lives. This can be the case in different capacities as well, not every addiction or dependence looks the same.
Christian:And I mean, just to sort of throw this in there, because I mean, I guess it is kind of obvious, but even beyond our health as well, like, using, especially illegal drugs can get us in difficult situations that we wouldn't want to be in. So, you know, these are things that we do have to consider when when we choose to use different substances, illlegal or not, they do have consequences that we do have to think of. These things are not new news, and I'm sure whoever's listening does understand them. But it is just important to remind us, and it's something that you do have to think about when making these decisions. Even though these are things that we know, many still find themselves using and abusing substances. So why is this?
Zoey:I think one reason why we would choose to abuse substances is as a coping mechanism. It can disguise itself as something to help us during like, really rough times.
Christian:For sure. And I think the approach, I wouldn't say it's helpful to guilt or ridicule people for this or yourselves, I think it's important that we understand that there are healthier options to coping with the stresses of life, and taking that sort of approach instead of something of shame. Because you know, when life does get tough, and things do get stressful, it's understandable that people want to use something to help make it easier, but we have to understand that that isn't the way to handle it, and that it's really just a distraction. And there are things that we can do that are healthier to help us handle our issues and our stresses in life. So I mean, some of these healthier options, I would say we have a few that we'd like to address, we also have a list of resources, that you can use for substance abuse that we'll discuss a little later. For now. I mean, instead of the choices of just using substances, we would look to handle our stressors in healthier ways. And this can include talking to supportive people in our lives, therapy and helplines. Even The Grove services here. Even you know, if you just need some time away from it some time away from the pressures to talk about things or to get your issues off your chest, you know, these can be very, very helpful options. So, it's important we do recognize there are other avenues.
Sarina:So when addressing the topic of substance use and abuse, especially focusing on the abuse, there are certain signs and signals that we can look out for, for ourselves and just for people around us, if we notice, that may lead us to believe they may be struggling, and just to keep an eye on for. So some signs and signals of using substances could be overly contracted or dilated pupils, difficulty concentrating, impacted memory or vision, impaired speech or movement, confusion, paranoia or aggression.
Christian:And then yeah, as we were saying that, you know, not all substance use looks the same, and abuse looks the same. So I think it's important to recognize when there is peer pressure, and someone is feeling nervous about doing something or feeling pressured into doing something. So I think some pointers and signs and signals that we can look to to recognize these situations are low moods and feelings of hopelessness, antisocial behavior, trouble sleeping, staying awake, loss of appetite, or over eating, or a reluctance to go to school. You know, some indicators that someone is being pressured might be an increase in nervousness, anxiety or depression. But we mentioned a few times now, not all substance abuse or use looks the same. So I wouldn't say that these are the only things to follow, but especially people around you, I think you can notice a lot of things in their moods, and it's important to check in on the people around you. So I think just keeping a close eye on, you know, the people you care about, and how they do use substances, not necessarily the ridicule them or tell them what to do, or anything like that, but just to be there for them and be able to recognize maybe, if they are struggling, and they feel like they do need to use substances to help with that, or if they just are having an improper relationship with it, that it's starting to get out of control, or has been or anything like that. A lot of people growing up, I know, like use substances, and especially like marijuana and stuff and got on that pretty early. So, you know, that was always something that was around me and stuff in life. And some, I would say, have a better relationship with it than others. But I think regardless, it's important that everybody understands what they're doing and understands the, again, the health consequences, the, you know, situations that can get you into. There's a lot of people I know that were really focused on something or really wanted to do something, maybe in school. And they did develop an improper relationship with some substances, and that sort of held them back. So I think if that's something they had known and something that they maybe understood the full scope of maybe they would have made some different choices. But like, again, like I don't think it helps to ridicule. I'm not trying to say anything like that, but I think it does help for us to be informed and for us to understand what we're doing before we do it.
Sarina:Yeah, and I think at the end of the day, like substances are always going to be around us, and there's always going to be people using them, there's no way that that's going to be gone forever. But it's just important that we're knowledgeable and we're aware of the consequences. And when things can get out of hand, so we know how to handle it. And that we're informed so we can make our own decisions.
Zoey:It's also important to know that if you're struggling, you're not alone. And there are many resources available to help you. Some services, our drug and alcohol helpline, the Kids Help Phone, center for Addiction and Mental Health, all of these phone numbers and supports you can find online if you search up the name.
Sarina:And then, we've also highlighted a few lesser known resources that we wanted to just bring some attention to, if maybe you're looking for an alternative resource, or just to keep in mind if you're in a situation where you would need them. So one of them is CAPSA peer support sessions, and they're online peer support sessions and support groups where you can connect with people virtually to discuss substance use and abuse. And another one is the overdose intervention app, which is a free app on the App Store that you can download. And it can help if you're in a time of crisis where someone is experiencing an overdose, it can help connect you to resources and guide you through contacting help if you need it.
Christian:I think just to sort of tie this back a little bit. Also, as we did like mention, you aren't alone in the struggle. If it is you or anybody you know, you're absolutely not alone. Again, even just the way we open like one in seven young adults in Canada are dealing with, you know, a substance abuse disorder in some capacity. So it's definitely a widespread issue. So definitely don't feel like you're alone. There are steps you can take. And I will encourage everyone listening to this if you do run into any situation along these lines to access some of these services and take some of the healthier options before choosing to continue to use substances or for anybody around you too, as
Sarina:Well, we just wanted to thank you for listening to the well. podcast today and just remind you that you're able to suggest ideas and send any feedback via the grove social media pages@thegrovehubs, and also feel free to drop into any of our sites in Guelph, Palmerston, Erin, Fergus and our new Woolwich location.
Christian:Just wanted to remind you before we sign off that there are healthy options and you are not alone in these struggles. It does get tough, whether that's just the pressure, or your relationship with substances we understand that it does get tough so we encourage that you do reach out to any of these resources that you do your best to be knowledgeable and make healthy decisions. Thanks