Students+Questions

St u de nts Que st io ns:

Why do people do drugs? Gabriela de Lemos 17/5/12

Sometimes when people feel lonely and bad about themselves, they think that being part of a group, even a group of drug users, will make everything better. Of course, drug use usually makes self-esteem problems worse, not better, and eventually kids who cave in to peer pressure might wake up and realize that they're hanging out with people who aren't fun to be around.

16-05.12 Mariajosé Orozco....How can you stand up to pressure if all your friends are pressuring you to smoke? Peer pressure can really be difficult to handle. Here are a few tips. First be assertive about what you want (for them to back off).Remember that it's your body and at the end of the day, you live with the consequences of your choices. Feel free to state reasons, for example, "that stuff makes your clothes stink" or"I don't want to be addicted to cigarettes". Finally, be prepared to ask yourself if your friends are really acting like "friends" if they keep asking you to do something that you don't want to do—especially when it is something that's harmful to you. Stay strong.

Why is peer pressure such a big deal? Can’t kids just say no? Gabriela de Lemos 16/5/12
Some children are better able to say no than others, but most find it very difficult to make the right decisions when they’re being pressured into the wrong ones. Especially in the tween and teen years, kids feel a strong desire to fit in with their friends and other social groups. If any of these groups are pressuring them into doing something, it can be very difficult to say no, because it usually means giving up a friendship or social status. It’s important to help your child resist peer pressure, but be sympathetic—it can be really hard to stand up to it.

Mariajose Orozco 15-05-12 Are some drugs more addicting/harmful than others? If so, which ones are worst? Which ones are least addictive? Well, many drugs are addictive, and nearly all can be harmful. We do know that nicotine the drug in cigarettes is very addictive — perhaps more so than any other drug. But crack cocaine is also highly addictive. Even marijuana can be addictive. So, it is dangerous to start using drugs of any kind because use could quickly become an addiction.We also know from scientific research that the earlier you start, the more likely you are to become addicted and have other problems, such as in school or with your family. But, if you do, the earlier you stop, the more likely you will be to avoid addiction and the harmful brain changes that lead to it.