When you look at the top reasons why teens initially try drugs, it turns out that wrestling is an antidote for each one of them:
1. Stress: A PATS Teens study showed that 73% of teens reported the number one reason for using drugs is to deal with the pressures and stress of school.
Why wrestling helps:
- Wrestling strengthens your coping mechanism to better handle stress.
- Wrestling teaches you how to deal with defeat and get back on your feet.
2. Low Self-esteem / Lack of Confidence: The same study showed teens use drugs to help them feel better about themselves; their low self-esteem is due to physical appearance or lack of friends.
Why wrestling helps:
- Wrestling builds self-esteem.
- Wrestling strengthens the body and builds camaraderie with teammates.
3. Boredom: Many teens are left at home after school while parents are working. With lots of time alone and nothing to do, the temptation for using drugs is greater.
Why wrestling helps:
- Wrestling gets teens off the streets.
- Wrestling gets our children out of the house and into the wrestling room.
4. Instant Gratification: Chemical opiates such as heroin and oxycodone work fast and impact the area of the mind that controls emotions (feeling of high).
Why wrestling helps:
- Wrestling and exercise releases endorphins.
- These are natural opiates that interact with the same emotional receptors that cause the emotion of feeling good.
