What you say, what you do, and what you expect will effect your teens choice to drink or use illegal drugs. One third of teens who have seen one or both of their parents drunk are more likely to drink themselves, three times more likely to use marijuana, and three times more likely to smoke cigarettes then teens that have never seen a parent drunk.
How you as a parent feels about drinking and how you relay those feeling to your teen also plays a role in if your teen is at a higher risk of drinking. Compared to teens who believe their father is against them drinking, teens who believe their father is okay with them drinking are two and a half times likelier to get drunk in a typical month. Compared to teens who are living with no father in the home, teens who believe their father is okay with them drinking are more than one and a half times likelier to have had a drink.
Parents who expect that their teen is likely to try marijuana are 10 times likelier to have tried marijuana, compared to teens of parents who say future drug use by their child will never happen. Parents are key to preventing substance use in their kids by merely relaying the right messages through their actions, words, and expectations. Parents who send ambiguous messages to their kids about drinking and drug use or--worse yet--parents who encourage such use through their own words and actions are enablers of teen substance use.
If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/
Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow
Showing posts with label drug abuse prevention. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drug abuse prevention. Show all posts
Monday, March 22, 2010
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Knowledge is Protection
I’m sure you have all heard the saying, “I didn’t know the gun was loaded.” Just the other day I overheard a teen say, I didn’t know all drugs were bad for you. With that statement in mind, there are things everyone should know and understand about drugs, both legal and illegal.
Cigarettes and alcohol are considered drugs. While they are both legal, neither of them is healthy. Light to moderate drinking may be acceptable for adults, but smoking and excessive drinking are not healthy for adults and not only are they not healthy, they are off limits for kids.
While illegal drugs are not good for anyone they are especially bad for teens and pre-teens because their bodies are still developing. Drugs can damage the brain and heart. Other organs can be affected to lesser degrees. Cocaine can cause a heart attack, even in a child.
People who use drugs almost always have a reason why they do it. The thing is, no matter what reason you use to try to escape reality, that reason will still be there after you use the drug. It will not go away, and you need to find a safe way to deal with it. The escape only lasts as long as the effect of the drug. This will not solve the problem and it may even create more.
Addiction is a possibility. Casual drug use often leads to addiction. You take a stimulant drug to get hyped or energized. You take a depressant to slow yourself down. It’s a cycle that some people live with. Hallucinogens change your mood and may make you see, hear or think things that aren’t really there. Inhalants are sniffed or huffed to produce an immediate rush, followed by sleepiness, staggering, dizziness and confusion. Narcotics dull the body’s senses, and relieve pain.
Know the terminology, the drugs and what they do, the symptoms of abuse, and the danger to your mind and body. If you know and understand all of these things there is less of a chance that you will be tempted to try them in the first place. But if you do, and you find yourself in trouble, please know that there is help available to you. A Better Tomorrow knows what you are going through. They understand and they can help. Don’t be afraid to make the call, they are waiting for you.
If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/
Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ABTomorrow
Cigarettes and alcohol are considered drugs. While they are both legal, neither of them is healthy. Light to moderate drinking may be acceptable for adults, but smoking and excessive drinking are not healthy for adults and not only are they not healthy, they are off limits for kids.
While illegal drugs are not good for anyone they are especially bad for teens and pre-teens because their bodies are still developing. Drugs can damage the brain and heart. Other organs can be affected to lesser degrees. Cocaine can cause a heart attack, even in a child.
People who use drugs almost always have a reason why they do it. The thing is, no matter what reason you use to try to escape reality, that reason will still be there after you use the drug. It will not go away, and you need to find a safe way to deal with it. The escape only lasts as long as the effect of the drug. This will not solve the problem and it may even create more.
Addiction is a possibility. Casual drug use often leads to addiction. You take a stimulant drug to get hyped or energized. You take a depressant to slow yourself down. It’s a cycle that some people live with. Hallucinogens change your mood and may make you see, hear or think things that aren’t really there. Inhalants are sniffed or huffed to produce an immediate rush, followed by sleepiness, staggering, dizziness and confusion. Narcotics dull the body’s senses, and relieve pain.
Know the terminology, the drugs and what they do, the symptoms of abuse, and the danger to your mind and body. If you know and understand all of these things there is less of a chance that you will be tempted to try them in the first place. But if you do, and you find yourself in trouble, please know that there is help available to you. A Better Tomorrow knows what you are going through. They understand and they can help. Don’t be afraid to make the call, they are waiting for you.
If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/
Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ABTomorrow
Monday, September 14, 2009
Marijuana – The Gateway Drug for our Youth
What is the most popular used drug amongst the youth of today? The answer - Marijuana. Not much different from previous generations, marijuana remains the drug of choice among 60% of the youth that use drugs.
In the 60’s when marijuana stood as an icon of the era, the drug was far less potent then it is today. Today, the youth buying marijuana on the streets can easily find them selves in possession of marijuana that has been laced with other more potent drugs. Yearly, 100,000 teens are treated for marijuana dependency and with that dependency comes withdrawal. Although withdrawal of marijuana dependency is not near as severe as many other drugs, there are still physically symptoms associated with it.
Marijuana has always been proven a gateway to harder drugs and should never be looked at as “just a phase” ones youth may be experiencing. Research has proven that the earlier teens start using marijuana the more likely they are to become dependent upon marijuana or other drugs later in life.
Although a small percentage may try marijuana out of curiosity and never use it again, others use it as an escape or to fit in amongst peers and develop a dependency to it. There are various reasons why a teen may start using from home life difficulties to simple curiosity. The key is to know your child at all levels so you can quickly determine if drugs have become a part of their life. By having an open communication line to where your child feels safe in coming to you if they have tried marijuana even out of curiosity can make the difference between a one time thing to a dependency that can lead to harder drugs.
Some of the signs teenagers exhibit when using marijuana are: dizziness and trouble walking, red bloodshot eyes, trouble remembering things that just happened, sleepy, and they often appear silly and giggly for no apparent reason. Some teens feel no effects from marijuana the first few times they smoke it. Others can sometimes experience bad effects from marijuana. They may become highly paranoid or have feelings of anxiety or dizziness (N.I.D.A.).
There are many mixed messages being sent out to the youth today about marijuana use. It is up to the guardians to make sure the correct message is being sent - marijuana is an illegal substance that affects teens in many harmful ways. The earlier you start discussing marijuana and other drugs with your children, being open and honest with them, and letting them know you are available to them for discussion at anytime you automatically lower the statistics of your child becoming dependent upon any drug.
If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/
Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ABTomorrow
In the 60’s when marijuana stood as an icon of the era, the drug was far less potent then it is today. Today, the youth buying marijuana on the streets can easily find them selves in possession of marijuana that has been laced with other more potent drugs. Yearly, 100,000 teens are treated for marijuana dependency and with that dependency comes withdrawal. Although withdrawal of marijuana dependency is not near as severe as many other drugs, there are still physically symptoms associated with it.
Marijuana has always been proven a gateway to harder drugs and should never be looked at as “just a phase” ones youth may be experiencing. Research has proven that the earlier teens start using marijuana the more likely they are to become dependent upon marijuana or other drugs later in life.
Although a small percentage may try marijuana out of curiosity and never use it again, others use it as an escape or to fit in amongst peers and develop a dependency to it. There are various reasons why a teen may start using from home life difficulties to simple curiosity. The key is to know your child at all levels so you can quickly determine if drugs have become a part of their life. By having an open communication line to where your child feels safe in coming to you if they have tried marijuana even out of curiosity can make the difference between a one time thing to a dependency that can lead to harder drugs.
Some of the signs teenagers exhibit when using marijuana are: dizziness and trouble walking, red bloodshot eyes, trouble remembering things that just happened, sleepy, and they often appear silly and giggly for no apparent reason. Some teens feel no effects from marijuana the first few times they smoke it. Others can sometimes experience bad effects from marijuana. They may become highly paranoid or have feelings of anxiety or dizziness (N.I.D.A.).
There are many mixed messages being sent out to the youth today about marijuana use. It is up to the guardians to make sure the correct message is being sent - marijuana is an illegal substance that affects teens in many harmful ways. The earlier you start discussing marijuana and other drugs with your children, being open and honest with them, and letting them know you are available to them for discussion at anytime you automatically lower the statistics of your child becoming dependent upon any drug.
If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/
Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ABTomorrow
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