“Risk taking, alcohol and drug use” As if adolescence was not already a difficult period in the lives of many people , the transition to adulthood is also a difficult and confusing time. The onset of stress in people can sometimes lead them to experiment with ways to reduce stress; drug use, heavy alcohol consumption and risk taking are a prime example. In “Experiencing the Lifespan” by Janet Belsky, after doing some research, she ended up discovering that many high school kids do take risks. The thrill of getting away with doing something bad and illegal without getting caught with your friends makes some teens feel invincible. Many think that if they weren't caught doing what they did "the last two times," why would they get caught doing it "this time?" "It's a repetitive process that unfortunately continues until they are actually arrested, and even after they are arrested, sometimes it still doesn't stop them. Belsky's research, as well as that of others she found, showed some surprising statistics. Some of the research she discovered indicated that most of the risks taken by adolescents were not related to "serious" drug use, but rather to light use of alcohol and marijuana. Underage drinking is never a good thing, and a 2010 survey found that only a small number of high school teenagers admitted to excessive drinking. The first problem arises here, and it is something that many people believe and question. In terms of alcohol consumption, if you're already drinking excessively in high school, isn't it more likely that it will only get worse as you head toward college? Marijuana is an illegal drug in many states, but compared to most other drugs, it hardly compares to ...... middle of paper ...... y to increase their alcohol consumption during the first year of life. in college, and those who drink before starting college are more likely to continue drinking throughout college and into their adult lives” (Grekin & Sher, 2006; Hartzler & Fromme, 2003 ). The conclusions reached by the authors through this experiment help to improve our current level of understanding on this specific topic. High-risk alcohol and drug use is an extremely dangerous thing that usually leads to addiction, overuse, and in some cases, the most unfortunate event, death. Works Cited Belsky, J. (2013). Living the Lifespan, Third Edition. New York: Worth; Chiauzzi, E., DasMahapatra, P. and Black, R.A. (2013). Risky behaviors and drug use: A latent classroom analysis of episodic binge drinking among freshmen. Psychology of addictive behaviors, 27(4), 974-985.