According to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most teens who use drugs are searching for calm and trying to relieve stress. Mental health challenges among teens, which have been increasing over the last decade, seem to significantly influence substance abuse.

The study used data from 15,963 health assessments of 13- to 18-year-olds evaluated for substance use disorder treatment between 2014 and 2022. Respondents were asked what kinds of substances they took, who they used them with and what motivated their substance use.

The most commonly reported motivation for substance use was “to feel mellow, calm, or relaxed” (73%), with other stress-related motivations among the top reasons, including “to stop worrying about a problem or to forget bad memories” (44%) and “to help with depression or anxiety” (40%). More than two in five teens said they used substances to sleep better or fall asleep.

The mental health of children has become a key concern in recent years. Depression and anxiety doubled during the pandemic, with 25% of youths experiencing depressive symptoms and 20% suffering anxiety symptoms. Leaders in the United States declared a national state of emergency in child and adolescent mental health in 2021, and US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has named youth mental health a key priority. According to the last Youth Risk Behavior Survey, nearly 3 in 5 girls report feeling “persistently sad or hopeless.” Exacerbating the problem is that, according to the CDC, 80% of youth who need mental health treatment have no access to a specialized provider. With so many mental health issues plaguing our youth, it’s important to understand that these are a driving factor in teens deciding to abuse substances.

If stress is a common reason for teens to turn to alcohol and drugs, it’s important we teach teens how to cope with stress in more positive ways. Teens must have an arsenal of socially appropriate ways to deal with strong emotions in their back pocket. Following are positive coping skills your teen can use to calm big feelings and/or deal with stress:

Positive Stress Management

Emphasize good health. Our physical health actually plays a tremendous role in our ability to handle stress. Let your teen know that taking care of their body will improve their emotional well-being. This means they should get approximately 8-9 hours of sleep every night, exercise or at least engage in some physical activity every day, and eat a well-balanced diet.

Discuss healthy coping skills. When stress hits, there are lots of ways people try to cope, but not all of them are helpful. Here are some positive tools:

• Creativity. Studies show that drawing, dancing, reading, or playing/listening to music are all excellent methods for relaxation and expressing oneself in a constructive way.
• Exercise. Taking a walk or run, biking working out at the gym, or getting into a favorite yoga pose can help relieve stress, tension, anxiety or anger.
• Relaxation techniques. Deep breathing, yoga, visualizing a happy place, or meditating are great ways to calm down. If these are new to your teen, teach them. Take slow deep breaths. Close your eyes and think about a person, place, or thing that makes you feel calm. Repeat a calming word or sentence. Say a few positive affirmations to yourself.
• Journal. Writing down your thoughts helps you vent the emotions and process your thoughts. Sometimes writing down your frustrations or worries, and then balling up the paper and throwing it away, can help you get rid of the emotion.
• Do something enjoyable. When you’re upset in a situation, it’s helpful to take a mental break to calm down and gain self-control. Distract yourself with something you enjoy. Spend time outside, play with a pet, or make time for your favorite hobby. Laughing is also a good way to take a mental break so watch a funny video on YouTube or tune into a hilarious TV show.

Instill problem-solving skills. Problem-solving is one of the most important skills anyone can learn, and youth who are able to solve problems feel less stressed and more confident in their decision-making.

• Properly identify the problem. Teach youth to clearly understand their difficulty and what specifically is distressing them.  Ask them: “How is your current situation different from how you would like it to be?” Encourage them to approach the process with a positive attitude, viewing the situation as an opportunity to improve things.
• Generate several alternative solutions. Try sitting down with the teenager and brainstorming a list of possible solutions to the given situation. Then identify the pros and cons of each potential solution. Explain that there are many ways to look at the same situation. Ask your teen what they have tried before in similar situations, and what outcomes they experienced. Ask them to predict likely consequences, both positive and negative, for each possibility.
• Make a decision. Once you have made a list of options together, help the teen narrow them down. For each option, consider how realistic it is, how likely the teen would be to implement it, and the potential obstacles. Ask the child, “Which option accomplishes your goals and has the fewest drawbacks?” Then let the teen choose the option they would like to try.
• Implement and verify your solution. Encourage the teen to implement their solution, give it their best effort and see how it works. Check back frequently to process how the solution is or isn’t working, and help them modify it as necessary. The goal here is for kids to learn to feel confident about solving their own problems.

Role model self-care. Taking care of yourself, monitoring your own stress levels and living a balanced life impacts how your teen manages their life. Show your teen how to handle stress in positive ways!

Final Thoughts…

Substance use often begins during adolescence, placing youths at risk for fatal overdose and substance use disorders in adulthood. Understanding their motivations can help us know how to prevent or reduce substance use in teens. Providing youth with healthy coping skills and mental health support will likely reduce their likelihood of abusing drugs or alcohol.