Youth's Recreation and Drug Sensations: Is There a Relationship?

Abstract

Adolescents' social behaviors remain a mystery to parks and recreation providers. Adolescence is a "high-risk" time for all youth in terms of experimenting with potentially health-compromising behavior, whether alcohol, drugs, or sex. Most of these antisocial behaviors occur during adolescents' leisure time. These inferences gave impetus to this research effort. The study was designed to ascertain information on adolescents' preferences for pleasure: drugs or recreation. Data were collected from a sample of 100 high school students from a medium-sized college town, and 100 students from a rural town in Florida. Findings revealed four statistically significant associations in the motives or pleasures sought in recreation and in drug behaviors: "enhancement of popularity," "provision of a means for self-discovery," "achievement of personal goal," and means to rebel against parents. In reference to the latter motive, findings revealed that neither drugs nor recreation were used to rebel against parents. Findings also provide documentation of the value of recreation in insulating adolescents against many of the stressors of contemporary life.

Non-pharmacological factors that determine drug use and addiction

“…2000; Cauli and Morelli, 2005), when used in a low to medium dose range (Segal, 1985;Cato, 1992;Boys et al, 1999Boys et al, , 2001Simons et al, 2000;Morgan et al, 2013).…”

“…A particular group of psychoactive drugs used to change sensation and perception of the external world and to increase self-understanding and self-discovery are hallucinogenic drugs, including natural compounds, like mescaline and psilocybin, as well as semi-synthetic drugs, like lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) (Cato, 1992;Boys et al, 1999Boys et al, , 2000Tupper, 2002Tupper, , 2003Nichols, 2004;Morgan et al, 2013). A similar instrumentalization might also apply to the enactogenic drug, MDMA (Boys et al, 1999(Boys et al, , 2000, which has a hallucinogenic profile and induces a unique feeling of 'divine oneness'…”

Substance use among young people: the relationship between perceived functions and intentions

“…Here, research has tended to focus on alcohol, tobacco and, to a lesser extent, cannabis. Many studies have explored the reasons and motivations which young people cite for using a substance (Carman, 1979;Butler, Gunderson & Bruni, 1981;Newcomb et al, 1988;Cato, 1992;McKay et al, 1992). Some reports have described both personal reasons for use (e.g.…”

Non-addictive psychoactive drug use: Implications for behavioral addiction

“…Hallucinogenic drugs, a particular group of psychoactive drugs, are used to change sensation and perception of the external world and to increase self-understanding and self-discovery (Boys & Marsden 2003;Boys et al 1999;Cato 1992;Nichols 2004). These drugs include natural compounds, like mescaline and psilocybin, as well as semisynthetic drugs, like lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).…”