Movies and TV shows would have you thinking that growing up in small towns is 100% idyllic. And although there are definitely some perks to it, there are definitely a good deal of disadvantages, especially if you’re a teenager.
What’s there to do for them? Where do they hang out if they don’t have a car?
Even if they just want to meet their friends after school, it can be a pain.
Say you’re 16, and when you get home from school today, there’s nothing to do. Again. Your friend has an older brother who drives, and he offers to pick you and your friends up and drive to a city that’s an hour away.
Finally, something to do! Except that the guy’s idea of fun involves weed and alcohol.
Do you say no? Hardly, because that means you’re stuck at home yet again. Also, you’re 16, so all you care about is fitting in.
Living in a small town doesn’t automatically put anyone at higher risk of substance abuse, but rural isolation can make things come to the point where experimenting with drugs and alcohol looks very tempting.
Why Can Substance Abuse Be Harder to Prevent in Rural Communities?
Teenagers who live in rural communities have very few options when it comes to having fun, and there are a few things that can make alcohol and drugs pretty hard to avoid.
Nowhere to Go, Nothing to Do
It’s Friday afternoon, which obviously means your teen wants to go out. Where, though? The closest movie theater is 40 minutes away, and there’s no shopping mall anywhere. The only choice they have is to go to someone’s house and do the same thing they do every time they’re there.
Nothing wrong with hanging out with friends, of course, but what if drinking and smoking weed is the main activity?
Everyone Hangs Out With the Same People
There aren’t that many people in a rural town, so your teen has probably had the same group of friends since they were 4. Now a few of those friends have started to drink every single weekend, and although your teen doesn’t really want to do that, it’s not like they have anyone else to hang out with.
They have 2 choices – stay home alone or go along with everyone else.
Getting Around Is Hard Without a Car
If your teen wants to join a basketball team, someone has to drive them. If they want to meet a friend after school, someone has to drive them. If they want – fill in the blank – someone has to drive them.
Asking for rides gets old pretty fast, and it’s just easier to stay home.
You Can’t Get Help Without Everyone Knowing It
Say you live in Mount Carroll, IL. Everybody knows your business because it’s a small town, and you may even like that about it.
But what if your teen needs to go to rehab?
You don’t want your neighbors to know that because it might embarrass your kid. The local clinic probably has someone you know working there, so that’s hardly an option.
Once again – you need to look outside your small town, like addiction and mental health care in Gilman. It’ll take 3-4 hours to get there, but it’s not like you have a choice.
Help Teens Avoid Drugs And Stay Connected
It’s not like you’ll move your family to a bigger town simply because your kid is bored, right? But you can help them find things to do and decent people to spend time with.
What does your teen like? Maybe they like basketball, but the team is in the next town. If that’s the case, work out rides with other parents so your kid can go. If they like music, see if there’s a music club at school.
When it comes to drugs in particular, don’t wait until you think your kid may be using before you talk to them. 15% of high-school kids admitted to using drugs like cocaine and inhalants, which is a huge number (source: CDC).
You don’t have to be paranoid, but ask them what happens at parties and how their friends act. Make sure they know they can always call you if they need a ride, even if they did something that would get them in trouble,
And pay attention to changes. If they seem off (e.g., they stop seeing their friends, they miss school all the time, etc.), something could be going on.
Conclusion
Living in a small town doesn’t mean you need to be afraid that your kid will start using drugs or drinking alcohol. But it’s not that hard to see why having nothing to do would get them to make some less than ideal choices.
You can do something about it, though. Try to make sure that they have something to do, and if you see that they’re acting differently, talk to them.
Your small town isn’t the problem here – extreme boredom is.
Also read:
Understanding Why Teens Use Drug
5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools
Image credit: Magnific
