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First off, it's really quite normal for teenagers to want to try drugs and alcohol at times. That's not to say it's healthy (to try them, or to want to try them, especially as a coping mechanism), but the fact is, you're bombarded your whole life from television, advertisements, adults, peers, etc., both directly (in the case of advertising) and indirectly (from what you see people doing and such), with suggestions that drugs and alcohol will make things better. Had a hard day? Have a drink. Can't sleep? Take a pill. It's only natural that you'd internalize those messages, and when you're feeling overwhelmed, or you want to relax, have fun, and just forget about everything for a while, those messages will pop back into your head, and you'll feel like drugs and alcohol are the perfect solution. Of course, they're not, and most likely, the rational part of you does know that, but it's still quite normal to feel like they are.
But just because it's normal to feel that way doesn't mean it's healthy. It sounds like you know that. But among other things, chronic alcohol use in adolescence can cause permanent brain damage. It's not healthy at any age, but as a teenager, your brain is still developing, and alcohol is significantly more harmful now than it will be as an adult. Now, that's not to say that occasional use is going to do any lasting harm. Of course, I don't recommend you drink at all at your age. But if you do end up having a drink or two at a party or whatever at some point, it's not the end of the world -- as long as you don't do anything stupid (drinking and driving, drinking too much, or simply doing something while drunk that you'll regret later), and you don't make a habit of it (obviously you shouldn't be drinking every day, but at your age, you also shouldn't be drinking every weekend, or even every month).
To be honest, I'm a lot more worried about the cigarettes than the alcohol. Most smokers started as teenagers, and most teenagers who start smoking go on to become regular smokers. While loads of people can use alcohol occasionally without becoming addicted, very few people can do that with tobacco. There are some people who do try cigarettes, and even smoke them occasionally after that without becoming regular users, but that's extremely rare -- don't count on being one of those people. And there are also many people who become addicted after their very first cigarette, so it's definitely not something to mess around with. And it's something that, if you do it regularly, most likely *will* kill you eventually. Or at least cause permanent medical problems. And not necessarily when you're that old, either. I know someone who smoked, not even all that heavily, from his late teens until his mid 30s. Even though he'd quit when his son was born, over two years before, he was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer at the age of 38. He endured multiple surgeries, months of chemo and radiation, lost his hair, and ultimately had to have his larynx removed. Although he was lucky enough to not only survive, but regain the ability to eat normally (there was a very real possibility he would never be able to eat solid food again, and would need a feeding tube the rest of his life), he will have a hole in his neck the rest of his life, which he breathes through, and has to clean regularly (it's quite gross really) to make sure it doesn't get blocked, as it lacks the natural filters of the nose and mouth, and he will never be able to speak naturally again, and will have to use an artificial speech device for the rest of his life.
And not only will they probably kill you, but cigarettes won't even make you feel much better anyway -- although it's highly addictive, the psychoactive effects of nicotine (i.e. it's effects on how you feel and think) are pretty minimal. So really, if you haven't already tried the cigarettes, keep it that way, and if you have, don't do it again -- it's something that you *will* regret sooner or later.
Posting on here is definitely good (although this board doesn't usually move as fast as some of the other support forums, and might not be the best part of RYL if you need more urgent support). Just talking through things can help a lot, and maybe you can try to talk through whatever is going on that made you want to turn to drugs/alcohol to deal with it. If that doesn't help enough, and you're not already seeing a therapist or counselor, then I'd recommend you at least consider it. Maybe talk to your parents about it and try to get in to see a therapist. Or your school probably has a counselor you could try talking to (although school counselors aren't always so great -- some are, but some aren't). Or if neither of those is a good option, many areas have various types of free counseling services for teenagers, and you could try to look into those options (if you'd like, you're welcome to PM me with where you live (city and state), and I can help you look for local services as well).
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