Health - Substance free PSA

RETHINK BEFORE YOU DRINK!

Drinking alcohol may seem "cool" and trendy, but it is actually the complete opposite. Headaches, slurred speech, vomiting, diarrhea, disorted vision and hearing, and an impaired memory are few of the many short-term effects of drinking. Long-term effects include obesity, liver damage, heart disease, increased risk of strokes, weakened immune system, and cancer of the mouth, esophagus, colon, and breast. An alcohol addiction destroys your social life as well as your family relationships. 30 percent of marriages end with divorce because of an alcohol addiction. Overconsumption of alcohol changes your personality, which harms your friendships and decreases your ability to get a high paying job. An alcohol addiction prevents you from excelling in your academics, too. You will see a decline in your grades and physical health, which stops you from participating in sports.

Smoking Tobacco is totally wacko!

Fun colors and pictures on tobacco advertisments can be tempting, right? Don't fall for it! It is a scheme and a lie to promote the selling product. Tobacco is harmful to your physical and mental health. Its short-term effects can be bad breath, fatigue, coughing, and shortness of breath. Some long term effects include cancer, chronic respiratory conditions, diabetes, and dental problems. Most teens would turn to vape and nicotine as a "healthier" alternative to smking cigarettes, but e-cigarettes are equally as harmful. Smoking causes people to not want to be in your company in risk of them inhaling your secondhand smoke.

Pull the plug on the drugs!

Social glorification and self-medication are two main reasons people start using illegal drugs. Romanticizing drugs on social media have become normalized, which influences underage teens to take part in the "experience" themselves. It puts the idea that if they aren't taking these drugs like the others, they won't be socially accepted. What social media doesn't show is the daily agony developed overtime from these drugs. People who are dealing with trauma, depression, or other mental issues turn to drugs as a way to ease their pain. What they dont know is that it only makes it worse. Your brain may feel pleasure from these drugs for a moment, but it will soon fade away.

Seeking help:

There are lots of ways you can seek help for dealing with any sort of addiction. One way is to go to your doctor to get medical scans and medications that can help your addiction from further getting worse. Another way that is popular amongst addicts is rehabilitation. Rehab is a healthy and positive place where patients can slowly recover from their addiction. Meetings and support groups can immensely aid an addiction as well. Alcoholics Anonymous is an organization for alocholics who want to recover without having to worry about fees and costs. These are only few of the many alternatives where addicts can seek help instead of silently fighting their addiction alone. Knowing when to find help is major; Getting the right support as soon as you feel you may have an addiction is important if you want to see change.

My Personal plan to prevent substance abuse

My personal plan to prevent substance abuse is to not give into peer pressure. Peer pressure is the sole reason why teens start abusing drugs in the first place. To do this, I would stand my ground and hold a firm voice when rejecting an offer of alcohol, tobacco, or drugs. I can also give the person an alternative and change the subject by asking questions such as, "Do you want to go eat/watch a movie instead?" By taking this advice, you can live a drug-free lifestyle. A drug-free lifestyle gives you the freedom to participate in any sports you'd like. It also increases your life expectancy and chances of getting a high paying job in the future. Being drug-free makes it easier to maintain your grades and academics. Long-term health risks lessen when alcohol/tobacco/drugs are cut off.

WOrks cited:

https://newlife360inc.com/blog/why-do-people-do-drugs

https://vertavahealthmassachusetts.com/alcohol/long-term-effects/

https://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/marijuana/short-and-long-term-effects.html

https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/smoking-and-tobacco/about-smoking-and-tobacco/what-are-the-effects-of-smoking-and-tobacco