Marijuana use directly impacts a teen’s academic performance, although they’ll likely deny that’s the case. Therapy programs for teens help teenagers see the negative impact marijuana is having and provide the support needed to stop marijuana use.
Foothills at Red Oak Recovery is a North Carolina treatment center for teenage boys. If your teenager’s school performance is suffering, and you believe marijuana use is the reason, we can help your teen get back on track with our drug addiction treatment.
Call 866.300.5275 today to learn more about the connection between marijuana and school performance at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery.
Common Effects of Marijuana Abuse
Marijuana contains a chemical called THC, which is responsible for the mind-altering effects of smoking or consuming the plant.
The THC in marijuana passes into the bloodstream and travels to the brain, where it binds to certain receptors. When this happens, parts of the brain are over-activated.
The “high” that comes from marijuana use is caused by the activity in these brain receptors. The novelty of these altered perceptions is often what drives teens to continue using the drug.
Marijuana use can produce results that include:
- Altered cognitive abilities
- Altered bodily sensations
- Altered perception of time
These changes in perceptions impact individuals differently. The experience of a marijuana high can also trigger anxiety attacks, hallucinations, and delusions.
Marijuana and School Performance
Given that the effects of marijuana abuse directly impact cognitive abilities, it’s no surprise that teens who use marijuana often tend to experience a decline in academic performance.
Marijuana and school performance are directly linked because the substance impacts cognitive abilities, including faculties related to:
- Thinking and reasoning
- Problem-solving
- Memory and recall
- Motivation and reward pathways
“Regular” marijuana use is considered weekly use. Even at this level, marijuana can bring mild cognitive impairment that can significantly impact school performance. However, teens who use marijuana may quickly progress to daily use.
Heavy marijuana use is linked to a permanent alteration in brain structure and function, leading to serious cognitive impairment over time. This effect tends to be most pronounced in teenagers because the brain doesn’t finish developing until a person has reached their 20s.
Due to the cognitive impairment associated with marijuana use, academic performance isn’t the only aspect of a teen’s life that is impacted. Marijuana use is also linked to increased high-risk behaviors and declining executive function.
This means a teen using marijuana isn’t just likely to struggle in classes — they’re also more likely to engage in behaviors that lead to problems in school, struggle to prioritize what matters, and have difficulty with achieving goals.
Don’t Wait to Get Help for Teen Marijuana Use
If your teenager is using marijuana, the time to ask for help is now. Marijuana use tends to increase over time. It’s not uncommon for teenagers to use marijuana all day, every day, in an attempt to stay ”high” all the time.
This can lead to issues with brain development that can follow a teen for a lifetime. Even if heavy marijuana use is eventually stopped, the cognitive decline triggered by a period of heavy use can permanently affect a teen’s growing brain.
Foothills at Red Oak Recovery: Helping Teens Overcome Marijuana Use
If you suspect your teenager is using marijuana, a professional treatment program can help them stop using it and get back on track in school. Treatment professionals can also identify and offer support for any mental health concerns that are contributing to a teen’s marijuana use.
Foothills at Red Oak Recovery offers treatment programs for teenage boys. Our treatment center offers support for teen marijuana abuse, and we also offer an academic program to help teens whose school performance has fallen behind due to substance use.
Contact us at 866.300.5275 today to learn more about getting support for teen marijuana use at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery.
