This situation might reflect many teenagers' first experiences with a substance. A teen
who uses alcohol as a coping method will likely develop a case of dependence if he or
she doesn't develop more positive coping methods.While the boy in the example used
alcohol as a way of escaping a cruel peer group, still others will use drugs or alcohol as a
means of fitting in with a peer group. For a teenager in high school, one of the biggest
influences on his or her life is a circle of friends.When teens grow older, they seek more
approval from friends and peers around them as they develop a peer group. But some
peer groups introduce new views and values that may cause more harm than good.
Teenagers who surround themselves with drug-using peers are at higher risk for trying
drugs.In fact, one's peer group is instrumental in developing attitudes about drug and
alcohol use as detailed in “Risk Factors for Serious Alcohol and Drug Use: The Role of
Psychosocial Variables in Predicting the Frequency of Drug Use in Adolescents... For
example, consider a 14-year-old freshman in high school who has expressed interest in
theater. She isn't sure how interested she is in acting, but her older brother had taken
several theater classes in high school, telling her that it was a good way to meet people.
After several classes, she begins to view the older students as role models, and wants to
be friends with them. One day, coming into class early, she finds them in the back room
smoking marijuana. She's slightly shocked because she's never actually seen the drug,
but the fact that her friends are smoking it piques her interest.
Because she doesn't want the students to view her as an outcast, she decides to smoke
the drug with them.The girl in the example gave in to the wishes of the peer group in
order to increase her social standing and seem “cool” to the older students.
The fact that the girl's older brother had recommended theater classes to her might have
also motivated her to try the drug.