Posts Tagged teen drug addiction

Important Role of Parents in Keeping Child Drug-Free

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Prevention, Raising Healthy Kids on April 23rd, 2011

The first and most important people that can affect a child’s growth and development are the parents. There are a lot of ways they can influence their child’s behavior and decisions as he/she grows up. They are, after all, the first group of people that the child will know and they will still be the same people with whom most children will grow up with.

fighting parentsBefore parents can do their part in helping children solve their problems, there might be a need to first resolve issues of their own. Parents should know that when children live in difficult situations where violence and substance abuse thrive, their children can be easily swept away into the same paths of life when they become adults themselves.

Again and again, it has been proven that domestic violence greatly affects how a child perceives his life. Most of the time, when they see and hear the violent actions that their parents manifest in their early childhood stages, chances are very high that they too will adapt the same violent ways that the family had. Drugs and alcohol abuse by parents also result to children with the same dangerous and lethal habits in later years.

When these situations occur in the household, values and roles of parents are put in a muddled condition. Teens in troubled families feel isolated and alone, making them turn to drugs or alcohol and in turn create violent behaviors. This is why we hear of reports involving teens in petty crimes like shoplifting to more serious cases like robbery and assault.

Parents should therefore put things in order before they can become effective in what they are supposed to do. Only then will they be able to help their children in troubling situations such as that of an alcohol and drugs addiction. There are many ways to help a child accept that he or she needs treatment.

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Alcohol and Drug Abuse Up for LGBT Teens

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Addiction, Raising Healthy Kids on April 22nd, 2011

While there may be a decrease in alcohol and drug abuse rates in some parts of the country, the problem persists and continues to increase for teenagers in America, and one group is specifically in focus; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender teens or LGBT teens.

teen drug abuseAccording to a study by Dr. Michael P. Marshal of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, compared to drug and alcohol abuse rates for heterosexual teens, LGBT teens are likely to be affected by the problem by almost 190% more than the other group. In some cases, subgroups within the LGBT group even perform worse, like that of the bisexual group which has a 340% more drugs and alcohol abuse prevalence and the lesbian group with almost 400%.

The main culprit why LGBT teens turn to alcohol and drugs is the pressure brought about by the society’s discrimination of their sexual preference. An oppressed group of people usually suffer by not having equal opportunities as others, making them turn to such dangerous vices as drugs and alcohol. This is clearly manifested in the gay youth community and only proves that the problem does exist in their society.

There have been alarming findings about LGBT teens with respect to their involvement in drugs and alcohol. The U.S. Department of Health has previously released a study showing most LGBT teens attempt to commit suicide and that 30% of all successful acts are by gay, lesbian, or bisexual teens. It was also found out that one in every LGBT teen is under severe drugs and alcohol problems.

What these studies are trying to tell people concerned is that there is a continuous growth of drugs and alcohol problems within the youth of America. This problem is much more magnified for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender teens. While it may not be true in all cases (as there are many LGBT teens living happily and healthily), there is still a need for authorities to address such conditions to protect the younger generation.

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How to Get Drug Addicted Teens Into Rehab

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Addiction, Drug Rehabilitation, Tobacco Abuse on April 17th, 2011

Drug addiction is one problem that most families dread. Today’s changing times have made it even more difficult for teenagers to say no to this dangerous habit, and sometimes they get hooked with drugs no matter how school and parents try to educate them.

teen drug abuseIf this situation ever comes in the family, they would have to adopt measures to treat kids of drug and alcohol addiction. When it becomes too hard to deal with the problem by yourselves, you can always enlist the aid of rehab facilities. Within these institutions, the needs and concerns of drug addicted teens are addressed through the guidance of medical and professional experts.

A child is into drug abuse when he or she uses illicit substances (for teens, alcohol and tobacco are still illegal) for purposes not related to health development. Drug abuse can easily turn into drug addiction. When a person becomes an addict, he or she becomes physically and psychologically dependent on any drug. An individual makes decisions based on his cravings and are into activities where drugs are included. This is the time when a drug rehab is crucial.

The hardest task comes in when you would have to convince your child to get into rehab. Before anything else, parents need to confront their kids on their drug addiction. As parents, you should expect denials as kids will just say they’re fine and will not own up to their mistakes. It’s up to you now to determine the necessary steps that you would have to take to find the remedy to your child’s problem. Families should act fast regarding drug addiction; every second counts and the need to control long-term damage is pivotal.

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Schools and Parents to Unite to Fight Teen Drug Addiction

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Raising Healthy Kids on April 2nd, 2011

The fight against drug and alcohol addiction among teens is a never-ending battle faced not only by teens, but also parents and the community as well. A lot has been said about the subject matter, but one thing is clear and that is the involvement of parents, school and the community is needed in order for teens to win the fight.

teen drug abuseSchool officials from the Springfield High School and director for Secondary Teaching and Learning Dr. Monica McHale-Small presented a report on the survey that they commissioned in order to see if students from grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 become affected with drug and alcohol addictions the same way that students in the same level were affected in 2005.

McHale claims that survey results were accurate and that they were kept confidential. Among the 788 students that participated, only 22 were deemed invalid and were taken out of the total survey results. The survey concentrated on questions connected to but not limited to illegal drugs, prescription drugs, use of alcohol and inhalants. The specific time frame also took into consideration their whole lifetime which translates to whether respondents, at any given point in their lives, used these illegal substances, used them in the last 30 days, or just in a matter of few days.

Results showed that adolescents tend to look for support and guidance in making decisions through their family, school and the community. Their set of friends also helps influence them in making the right or wrong choices in life’s most important issues such as drugs and alcohol.

In their district, drug and alcohol abuse information are included in their school’s health education. Unfortunately, budget constraints make it difficult for third party organizations, which are on the same advocacy as their schools, to be in their district for added sources of information on the subject.

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Dealing with a Child Suffering from Drug Addiction

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Addiction, Raising Healthy Kids on January 6th, 2011

Teenage years are a time of experimenting and one of the most dangerous things to experiment with is drugs. Statistics shows that around fifty percent of teens have tried illegal drugs. Despite the fact that not all who tried drugs become addicts, this can still have a detrimental effect on the child and his family. Thus, parents should know how to deal when there child suffers from drug addiction.

Open Communication

drug talkIf you suspect that your child is using drugs, you should discuss it with your spouse or partner immediately. You need to discuss your concerns as parents to your child, but be careful not to sound accusing. You should listen to what your kid has to tell you. It is important that once you suspect something, take an action immediately so it won’t get worse.

House Rules

You must discuss with your child that you should impose rules that they should follow. Tell them the things that you do not allow, like using drugs.  Explain clearly what the consequences will be when they break the rules.

Professional Intervention

When it comes to teen drug addiction, it would be best to seek the help of the professionals. You should find the right medical professional or treatment center that can help your child. Make sure it is accredited and is run by qualified professionals.

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Teen Recovery Day in Tulsa: Many Teens Need Substance Abuse Treatment

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Addiction, Drug Rehabilitation on September 30th, 2010

On Tuesday, Teen Recovery Day was observed at Tulsa Community College (TCC) through various events, which included group discussions, prevention workshops, an art project, and presentations by Alateen, a part of Al-Anon, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control.

According to a report on Tulsa World, more than 100 teens from various high schools and recovery programs in Oklahoma     attended the event, which was held in the Northeast Campus of TCC. During the small group discussions, there were stories of peer pressure, depression, loneliness, experimentation, and a history of addiction in the family.

teen drug abuseThe Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services revealed that nearly 6 percent of teenagers in the state – roughly 20,000 – need treatment for addiction to alcohol or drugs. Sharolyn Wallace, associate professor of human services, and director of the Center for Addiction Prevention Recovery Support at TCC, said that the issue of drugs among teens is “pretty widespread.”

TCC student and recovering addict Becca Sullivan shared her story in one of the small-group sessions. She had experimented with drugs and alcohol as a teenager, and said: “Everything I did that felt good for a second… became a nightmare. I felt hopeless. I was worse than dead. I was spiritually dead.” She shared further that she began to drink and do drugs to fit in. Sullivan has been in recovery for two years, and is currently taking classes at the TCC, hoping to get into counseling in the future.

According to Wallace, TCC is one of the few schools in the country that has a collegiate recovery center.

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