
Substance Use Risks and Considerations
About Substance Use
- Substance Use in Teens : Learn more about the topic of substance use from Youth.gov, including its prevalence and more.
- Learn More About Individual Substances : Find out key information about substances and their associated risks and side effects from JustThinkTwice.gov.
- Tips for Teens Series on the Truth about Substances : This series of fact sheets offers valuable information and insights to empower teenagers with knowledge about substances, promoting informed decision-making and supporting a healthier lifestyle.
- Know the Risks of Using Substances : Read this article from the Substance Use and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) to find out more about the risks of substance and the rise in usage for ages 26-49 in the United States.
- Expert Answers to Common Teen Questions About Substance Use Topics (Video) : Get answers to top teen questions and learn about how a reliance on a substance (medication or alcohol) can form from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
- What is the Worst Substance? (Video) : Find out which substance is “the worst” — or if that is the right question to ask. NIDA explains more.
- Can Using Substances Help Me Deal with Anxiety and Depression? (Video) : Learn from experts and understand how — or if — substances can help with anxiety and depression, from this short clip by NIDA.
Risk and Protective Factors
- Using Substances to Cope with Underlying Mental Health Conditions : Discover the meaning of co-occurring conditions and learn how teens and young adults may use substances to cope with underlying or pre-existing mental conditions.
- Risk and Protective Factors: Learn more about potential risk factors throughout various developmental periods that may increase your risk of future substance use challenges.
Preventing and Recognizing Challenges
Prevention Tips and Techniques
- Comprehensive Prevention Resource Collection for Youth (Ages 10-18) and Young Adults : Recognize the short and long-term consequences of substance use and empower yourself with resources to avoid peer pressure and lean into a healthy lifestyle where you can thrive at school, at work, and in your hobbies.
- Stop Overdose — Resources to Save Lives: Learn about the life-saving medication Naloxone, how to reduce stigma, and methods for recovery.
- Community Successes in Preventing Alcohol and Substance Use: See firsthand how communities are working to prevent alcohol and substance use and creating a lasting impact.
Signs and Symptoms of Needing Help
- Warning Signs: Learn some key warning signs that could indicate that you, or someone you know, may be dealing with substance use challenges.
- Signs of Needing Help with Substance Use: It’s okay to need help. Recognize some of the common signs that you may be struggling and should reach out for help. Also available en español .
- What Are the Signs of Having a Problem With Substances? Understand some of the signs that you may be dealing with a substance dependency from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
Find Self-Help and Help for Others
Navigating Your Own Substance Use Challenges
- Knowing When and How to Seek Help: Tips for Teens and Young Adults: It’s okay to ask for help. Learn more from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) about how you can listen to your own intuition and start the conversation to get the help you need.
Navigating Substance Use in Others
- Living With Someone with a Substance Use Condition : Family plays a major role in helping a loved one with mental and substance use. Learn more about how you can offer support to your loved one in need.
- What if Someone I Know Needs Help? (Video) : Find out where to turn first when it comes to helping someone with potential substance use.
Exploring Treatment Types and Methods
- Ready for Treatment? Learn About the Essential Components of Effective Treatment Intervention : Learn more about the types of substance use treatments and essential components of effective treatment from Youth.gov.
- Substance Use Treatment Options : Discover your options and find the method of treatment that works for you, as well as what it means to relapse and signs of overdose.
- What Is Substance Use Treatment? A Booklet for Families : This brochure is for family members of people living with substance use, addressing symptoms, different types of treatment and recovery.
Finding Nearby Treatment Providers and Programs
- Enter Your Zip code to Find Treatment Near You: Use the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Find Treatment tool to find a treatment provider/program/facility that is best for your needs based on your location and other factors.
- Opioid Treatment Program Directory : Select your state and find opioid treatment programs near you.
- Buprenorphine Treatment Provider Locator : Find practitioners authorized to treat opioid dependency with buprenorphine by state.
Recovery and Support Resources
Support for Those Impacted by Substance Use in Others
- Support for Teens Navigating Parental Substance Use : Learn how parental substance use heightens the risk of child maltreatment, leading to physical and emotional issues, violence exposures, instability, and poverty for children
- Resources for Families Recovering from Substance Use : Use this resource from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), designed to help families as they support a loved one through their journey with substance use.
- Support for Youth and Families Facing Substance Use Challenges: Learn about ACF’s resources and initiatives to support youth and families as they journey toward and tackle recovery together.
- For Friends and Family Members : Learn more about how to support your child with substance use and why friends and family can make all the difference in a person's recovery process.
- Families Family Support Guide (PDF): Reference this resource to help get your child the help they need if dealing with substance use challenges.