How Social Media Is Normalizing Drug Use Among Teens: Get Professional Help at Our Drug Addiction Treatment Facility in Florida

While experimenting with drugs and other substances is nothing new, today’s teenagers are subject to being exposed to drugs across a variety of social media platforms. This highly susceptible age group is already vulnerable to peer influences and pressure, and normalizing drug and alcohol use across social media further exacerbates exposure. Lotus Behavioral Health drug addiction treatment facility in Florida can help.

Social media sites like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and others are influencing teenagers through substance-related content and alcohol-related advertising. Teens may be exposed to posts that glorify drug or alcohol use by their peers and, on an elevated level, by celebrities they idolize. The normalization of engaging in risky behaviors involving drugs and alcohol in content from friends, family, and influencers makes teens wrongly believe that it’s okay for them to do the same.

Social media use increases drug exposure and can lead to mental health problems that can become a catalyst for substance abuse. Teenagers who regularly use social media are five times more likely to use tobacco, three times likelier to use alcohol, and twice as likely to use marijuana than adolescents who do not use social media, according to research from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.

As social media becomes increasingly ingrained into the lives of today’s teens, it’s more important than ever to exercise caution with the content teens can view. The best way to protect your teen from negative social media influences is to practice open communication and educate them on the risks of substance use.

Teen Social Media Use

During adolescence, teenagers' brains are rapidly developing. The physical and emotional changes teens deal with can become overwhelming and might leave teens feeling vulnerable. Social media can be a means for teenagers to enjoy entertainment, socialize with others, and have an outlet for creative expression while exploring their increased independence and accessing more information.

With digital media surpassing traditional marketing strategies, teenagers are active social media consumers with on-demand access to content. Teens today are highly exposed to drugs and alcohol at rapidly rising rates, adding to the normalizing of substance use and driving the need for parents to monitor developmentally appropriate media more closely.

Social media use amongst teenagers is nearly universal, as the vast majority (97%) of teens report using social media daily. The most popular social media platforms for this age group are YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, with 35% of teens using at least one of these sites “almost constantly.”

Given the accessibility of technology and social media, teens are desensitized to substance use at a younger age and are consistently impacted by what they see on platforms. The top contenders driving parent concern are cyberbullying, predator access, and the normalization of drug culture.

Manufacturers in the tobacco, e-cigarette, and alcohol industries are more widely integrating social media platforms into their marketing strategies. While direct marketing to minors is against the law, these industries can market to youth with ads that are fully accessible to teens.

Even though limitations exist on advertising products from the tobacco, e-cigarette, and alcohol industries to minors, social media is proving harder to regulate. More research shows that exposure to substance use imagery is associated with subsequent onset of use, as 30% of adolescent tobacco and alcohol use can be correlated to advertising.

Additionally, teens can use social media platforms to easily and conveniently purchase drugs. Drug dealers can connect with potential teenage customers by showcasing their products and arranging for a discreet sale, lowering the barriers to accessing substances and making it difficult for parents to detect substance use.

Social Media’s Mental Toll

Teenage social media use encourages unrealistic expectations, distracts from real life, and increases exposure risk to predators. Posts can influence substance use through peer pressure and teenagers’ desire to gain acceptance and approval from their peers. Between advertising and the fear of missing out, teenagers might see posts of peers or celebrities having fun on social media and be tempted to make risky choices to fit in or provide solace for depression caused by viewing this content.

Online platforms exacerbate mental health problems, as teenagers are more prone to depressive cognitions due to the social comparisons these platforms perpetuate. The mental health issues associated with social media use among teenagers include depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, disordered eating, low self-esteem, negative body image, psychological distress, and peer pressure.

While negative mental health issues can exist independent of social media influence, they are often symptoms of an underlying substance use problem and are heightened by social media usage. Frequent use of social media can lead to comparing oneself to others, making teens feel increasingly unhappy and isolated.

Teens have fewer coping mechanisms than adults and lack the experience to distinguish between alarmist claims and facts. When teens struggle with these emotional problems, they might turn to drugs or alcohol as coping mechanisms to manage their difficult feelings.

Since teenagers have more difficulty determining what is healthy behavior versus what is not, they are often unaware of the curated nature of the content they’re viewing. The normalization of substance-related social media reflects the “fun” side of substance use, misleading teens into believing drugs and alcohol are glamorous and risk-free.

Help Is Here Through Our Services

While social media can be blamed for developing substance use issues in teenagers, these platforms can make it harder for those struggling to seek help or get support. Teens feel pressure to maintain a certain image of themselves online and may fear being judged or stigmatized if they admit to drug use or ask for help.

Don’t let social media fears prevent your teen from getting the help they need. At Lotus Behavioral Health treatment center, we’re committed to creating a nurturing and therapeutic environment to foster a healthy lifestyle in teen clients. We provide a well-rounded, evidence-based approach that includes assessment, four distinct levels of teen behavioral health services, individualized treatment options, and more.

If you are a parent of a teenager with a substance use disorder, reach out to the Lotus Behavioral Health team of health professionals for additional information on our services and the different programs and levels of care we offer at our adolescent treatment facility. You can start the process by visiting our Admissions page, where you can view more information about a complimentary brief assessment to determine eligibility.

For more information about our behavioral health center's adolescent programs, contact Lotus Behavioral Health, central Florida, for an intake consultation at (833) 884-7246 or visit our website.