The Normalisation of drug use within the last 30 years has seen it become socially accommodated within the transition into adulthood, especially here in Scotland. This change has seen Scotland now hold the lucrative title of 'drug death capital of the world'.
There is such a fine line between recreational drug use and problematic drug use, that it's difficult for anyone to understand when that line is being crossed and the implications that come with it. When this happens at such a young age, minds have not developed well enough to deal with the issues that problematic drug use brings.
From financial issues, relationship breakdowns, and the resulting mental health problems that so regularly come from this - spotting this early enough in yourself or a friend could potentially be saving a life.
Being in that situation is petrifying and I, unfortunately, know far too well about the mental health implications that can come crashing down on you when you get into this situation, and how hard it is to deal with as a teenager. Nobody wants to talk about this at any age, but if this helps even one person then it's worth me being open about it, as I am really glad I am so far past that now.
This is my first 10-Minute Topic, where I will be discussing problematic drug use, how to spot it when it's getting dangerous and how to help yourself or a friend when you start to see there's an issue.