Question

1. Discuss the special risks of addiction for boys that differ from the special risks for girls. Should there be gender-specific programming for girls and why?


2. Identify risk factors for substance and other addictions at each stage of the lifecycle. Which stage holds the most risks and why?


3. Reminisce about your experience (whether personal or someone you know) with alcohol and other drugs (including steroids in high school) and what you have learned which can be imparted to the next generation.

Answer 1

Addiction can be in several ways when considering children.It can be on the onset of early teens or as a school child.As children grow they are exposed to many things.If we to consider addiction to internet games,many school children are addicted that it hampers their social life as well as academics.some of the addictions are common for both genders.While considering tobacco addiction,i would say boys are prone to it faster than girls.The onset of using tobacco could be as early as 12years of age.Boys start to smoke as a curiosity factor and as they get older they consider it a identity symbol to smoke.

As children get older,early aolescent period they want to be part of a social group to be recognized. They join groups that they feel they will be recognized and get introduced to substance such as drugs and alchohol.Drinking at this stage seems to give them an identity that they are old enough to exhibit their independence.Adoloscence with history of physical abuse or sexual abuse have a high rate of addiction to substance abuse.The early onset of adolosence is the high risk group for addiction.

The incident is about a 17 year old boy,his change of environment from one school to another school exposed him to vulnerablity to such addiction. As he was in his early adoloscent period he felt he needed to keep his image among peers and be accepted.his addiction to cocaine was severe ,it damaged his central nervous system. Students should be taught to differentiate between right and wrong and priorities in life.