Middle school and high school kids don’t fare well when someone in their immediate family is deployed. A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reports that kids in this situation are at a higher risk of abusing drugs and alcohol, especially when the deployed serviceman or servicewoman is a parent or sibling. […]
Commonly Abused Substances
Teen substance abuse is a major problem in the United States and all over the world. As a parent, educating yourself about the disease of addiction and how to treat it can make the difference in helping your teen through a difficult time, and into a successful and rewarding way of living.
“Across the United States substance abuse in all its forms is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. In Northern California, there is a major lack of high-quality adolescent treatment programs. Scott Sowle has been responsible for the development of nationally recognized treatment programs for adolescents and their families. Muir Wood is an exceptional program that addresses the key elements in effectively treating adolescents with substance abuse and co-occurring issues.” – David Smith, MD, FASAM, FAACT
Emotion Management Can Decrease Teen Alcohol Abuse
Personality issues can be hugely problematic for teenagers, especially when they contribute to social awkwardness or an inability to get emotional and other needs met at home and at school. A new study looked into the efficacy of a high school program that offered teens the tools to manage problematic personality issues with the goal […]
Whether or Not Your Son Drinks May Depend Upon His Best Friend
Peer influence is a huge factor in the development of teen drug abuse, but a new study suggests that the opinions of your son’s best friend may have the biggest impact on whether or not he opts to have that first alcoholic drink. If your son has friends who drink, this is one of the […]
Pediatricians Are Not Asking Teens About Drinking Habits
A survey of about 2,500 teenagers found that most teens are not asked by their doctors about their drinking behaviors. Of the participants, about 80 percent had gone to their physician within the last year, but only 54 percent had doctors who inquired as to whether or not they drank alcohol, and only about 40 […]
Teens Struggle With Mental Health & Substance Use
It’s not uncommon for teens who struggle with mental health symptoms to also be diagnosed with a drug and/or alcohol abuse issue. In fact, a study published in the British Medical Journal Open reports that about 10 percent of teens in mental health treatment smoke cigarettes, use marijuana, or drink alcohol. The older they grow, […]
Earlier Drinking Age Contributes to Increase in Teen Alcohol Abuse
A study published by the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and reported on CollegeDrinkingPrevention.gov indicates that when the minimum drinking age is reduced, significantly more problems with teen alcohol abuse occurs along with all related issues. These include: Car accidents Accidental deaths Alcoholism and addiction Increased rates of teen abuse of other substances It’s an […]
Choice of Beverage Increases Dangerous Effects of Alcohol
The choice in mixer can increase the danger inherent to alcohol abuse in teens, says a CBS News report. Both diet soda and energy drinks have been determined to increase the effects of alcohol, but energy drinks have been identified as specifically hazardous for teens because mixing the drinks with liquor is a popular choice […]
5 Tips for Curbing Teen Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Your Home
Not sure how to help your child avoid the risks of drug and alcohol abuse in the teen years? Here are a few tips to get you started: Set a good example. You may not think that your son is watching or cares about your behavior, but the fact is that kids are paying very […]
Prescription Painkillers: The Gateway Drug for Young Adults?
No longer is marijuana considered the gateway drug responsible for helping teens bridge the gap between experimentation with alcohol to hardcore use of needles and dangerous street drugs. Today’s gateway substance, says The Fix, could be prescription painkillers, because they are the number one reason for a recent resurgence in the numbers of teens addicted […]
Teen Drug Abuse Prevention Efforts on the Decline
In 2002, more than 83 percent of teenagers reported seeing drug and alcohol abuse prevention messages from media sources. But the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that by 2011 that number had dropped to about 75 percent. In the same way, the anti-drug message received by teens at school reached more […]
Faking ADHD Symptoms to Get Prescriptions
When most parents consider the dangers of teen drug abuse and alcohol, they imagine their child experimenting with marijuana with friends or sneaking a bottle out of the liquor cabinet at home. Few recognize the drug addiction dangers that can come in the form of a legitimate prescription for a doctor—especially for medications designed to […]