Drugs and Alcohol

Indulging in drugs and alcohol can be tempting when you're at an age where you want to try new things and make new friends. Peer pressure, low self-esteem and personal problems are a few reasons people turn to drugs and alcohol. We don't know why some people have trouble dealing with these issues, while others can cope much better, but long-tern use of either substance can negatively affect your life in a number of ways. You could:

• Have problems at school by missing classes, tests and assignments
• Develop a dependency on them to get you through the day
• Be more likely to be involved in assaults or be assaulted or sexually abused
• Partake in unsafe sex
• Develop both mental and physical health issues
• Be seriously injured in falls, physical violence or vehicle collisions
• Have legal problems due to bad behaviour and making poor decisions while impaired

If you find yourself struggling with these issues, please reach out for help. Talk to a friend, family member, school advisor or anyone else you trust. Remember there are plenty of resources available to help you. Please visit our Crisis Resources page for a list of agencies in York Region.