Teens and Drug Abuse

Drugs alter your personality in many ways. One common change is a loss of your inhibitions. Inhibitions are part of how you think, and they control some of your activities and expressions. It may feel good to lose your inhibitions because you think you feel more relaxed and confident without them. But you may end up doing things that you wouldn't normally do. Inhibitions can be good. They can act as warning signs to help us decide what we feel comfortable and safe doing.

When we lose our inhibitions, we may not fully weigh the consequences, or possible outcomes, of our actions. If Rachel and Eric hadn't been drinking and taking depressants, they might have decided not to have sex, or they might have been more careful and protected themselves against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unwanted pregnancy.