Drug and alcohol use and abuse among underachieving teens immediately brings up a chicken-egg question:
Did the drug and alcohol use lead to the underachievement? Or did the underachievement lead to the child being "lost in the system," which leads to lowered self-esteem, and drug use to compensate for this feeling of not being "good enough?"
Teens who underachieve often feel forgotten, especially if they do not have learning disabilities and are cast into a special education program that does not deal with their primary issues: lack of motivation, boredom, lack of parental involvement, or ineffective teaching methods. If parents and teachers give up on these teens, they may feel even less motivated and give up on themselves. They may then gravitate toward the peer group that fits them best: other underachievers who have essentially given up on their academic success. This group may be at higher risk for experimentation with alcohol and drugs.
Sometimes high achievers show a dramatic drop in performance when they reach high school. Studies have shown these are often children who were not challenged in middle school and elementary school. Therefore, they did not learn effective study habits. As the classwork becomes more difficult and challenging in high school, they lack the basic study skills to keep up the base.
Other high achievers who show a sudden drop in grades and performance may have emotional, behavioral, or substance abuse issues. The popular club drugs such as ecstasy may seem "harmless" to teenagers, but they affect the brain in ways that can undercut academic abilities. The use of inhalants and other easily obtained substances can quickly undermine a teenager's ability to concentrate during class or focus long enough to complete homework assignments.
If you suspect your underachieving teen has a drug or alcohol issue, please visit ASK, a site that covers this topic in detail.
Click Here to visit: ASK (Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base)