Turns out, actor Cory Monteith couldn’t be more different from his squeaky clean onscreen person on TV Show Glee, Finn Hudson: Monteith recently discussed having a serious teen drug addiction problem that was so severe that he dropped out of high school at age 16.

Says Monteith:  “I burned a lot of bridges. I was out of control.”

Though Monteith reports that he attended drug rehab at the age of 19, he said he didn’t really begin the process of fighting against drug addiction until he had an experience that he calls a “crystallizing event.”

Monteith tells his story: “I stole a significant amount of money from a family member. I knew I was going to get caught, but I was so desperate I didn’t care. It was a cry for help. I was confronted and I said, ‘Yeah, it was me.’ It was the first honorable, truthful thing that had come out of my mouth in years.”

His parents then staged an intervention for him and he agreed to go to drug addiction treatment. Says Monteith: “That’s when I first went to rehab. I did the stint but then went back to doing exactly what I left off doing.”

It was at that time that Monteith moved to a small town in Canada and stopped abusing drugs and alcohol. He returned his focus to school and earned a diploma as well and began to work on his acting career. It paid off: he soon landed a part on the hit TV, Glee, and hasn’t looked back.

Monteith doesn’t necessarily view his story as a success story that should be emulated.

Says Monteith:  “I don’t want kids to think it’s okay to drop out of school and get high, and they’ll be famous actors, too. But for those people who might give up: Get real about what you want and go after it. If I can, anyone can.

“I’m not Finn Hudson. I’m lucky on so many counts—I’m lucky to be alive.”

Hopefully, Monteith’s story will reach the right ears. Thousands of teenagers watch Glee religiously, and it’s likely they’ll hear Monteith’s story. While he doesn’t view his story as a success story, any story that includes drug addiction and ends with a clean and sober person living a healthy and balanced life is definitely a story of accomplishment, and it’s spreading the word that rehabilitation is possible that will encourage those living with addiction to get the help they need.

If you or someone you love is living with an active drug addiction, contact us today for more information about our California drug rehab program here at The Canyon.

If hearing another’s personal experience with drugs is the best way to understand the true nature of drug addiction and if making connections with others who are struggling with drug addiction will help us become stronger in our recovery, then one Laguna Beach, California, mom is doing everything she can to help both sides of addiction.

Drug Addiction and Radio

Leyla Fatima is a single mother of two sons, both of whom struggled for almost 10 years with drug and alcohol addictions. With time spent in emergency rooms, drug rehabs and jail visitation as a result, Fatima decided to launch a radio show to talk about her experiences and reach out to other parents who are going through the same thing.

Fatima says, “Watching our kids self-destruct is one of the most horrible, difficult things we can go through as parents. Society often places blame on us for our kids’ problems, which also makes us feel further disconnected from the world.

“I was a present, engaged and good mother. This is a disease — it’s no one’s fault.”

Connecting with Parents of Drug Addicted Children

Her positive view of getting through the drug addiction of family members is spread through “Parenting the Addict Child,” her radio show which first aired on cable Internet a year ago and has since been picked up for national syndication by Intravision. Starting February 1, it will air from 12 noon to 2 PM on Sundays on KLSX 97.1 FM.

Fatima says, “I really want to create change so that we [as a society] come to a place where addiction is accepted and is not associated with failure or shame. Parents should not be ashamed of their children, but should feel open to talk about it, share their stories and educate one another in order to help their children.”

Sharing Offers a Gift to Both Sides

It’s a relief to vent and share whether we’re struggling with our drug addiction or someone else’s. It’s also comforting to know that we’re not alone in what we’re dealing with and listening to someone else’s story provides that support. “These parents are a gift, and they have no idea what they give me,” Fatima says.

According to Ashley Breeding at the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot, “Fatima encourages her listeners with words of compassion and humor, and lends advice to mostly parents of young and adult addicts based on her own experiences. Her message to listeners is that they must redefine “love” as parents and deal with addiction as a disease. She encourages them to support their children’s fight against these addictions while maintaining their own independence.”

Fatima says, “It is important to laugh through it and still find pleasure in life despite our grievances. What else can we do?”

Family Culture Affects Drug Use Choices

You’ve had all the talks, you’ve stressed the importance of staying away from drugs and alcohol each and every time he leaves to go hang out with his friends, you’ve made yourself available to talk about pressures from school or troubles with relationships, and he knows every speech before the first words even leave your mouth. Clearly, he’s listening. So why do you still feel troubled?

“How acceptable children thought it was for adolescents to drink alcohol was explained by their own self-views, not by their mothers’ beliefs about them. And that’s not surprising given that what you think about yourself is going to be strongly tied to what you think is acceptable behavior,” says Stephanie Madon, associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University.

In other words, “the more acceptable teens believed adolescent alcohol use was, the more alcohol they tended to drink themselves.”

Clear Communication has Positive Effects for Children’s Alcohol Use

Science is just now catching on to what women for centuries have referred to as maternal instinct. Moms have their own beliefs about drugs and alcohol use that were likely influenced heavily by their mothers and grandmothers before them. The challenge, then, is to instill those beliefs – those moral values – into our children so that they become second nature before the itch to leave home and experience life on their own starts kicking in.

Madon advises mothers to communicate in every way possible the message that alcohol use during adolescence is out of the question. When kids begin to internalize this message and repeat it over and over again for themselves, claiming it as their own belief, what tends to form is an equally unacceptable view of underage drinking, both for themselves and for their friends.

Delivering the Message about Teenagers and Alcohol

There are many ways to get the point across that teenagers are not yet ready to use alcohol. But just telling them not to do something is the surest way to actually get them to do it. There must be a reason you’re telling them not to, and if you’re not offering any explanation to reinforce the directive, kids will have to find out what you’re talking about the hard way.

The most important thing you can do to instill a firmly-rooted belief is to start early. We don’t wait until our children are ready to host a fancy dinner party then give them a crash course in table manners. From the time they are small children sitting in a high-chair and learning to feed themselves, basic rules come into play (keep your plate on the table, don’t throw your food or put your fork in your eye) to keep order and avoid disaster.

The skills we learn at a very young age develop into some of our greatest strengths as we begin to mature. So give your kids videos about how to say no to drugs, attend community presentations about drug safety, ask questions to the firefighters and police officers who volunteer at the events, point out the repercussions of dependence and addiction to alcohol by using friends and neighbors as examples.

Whenever you see evidence of drugs and alcohol being used, ask your child what he would do if faced with the same situation and you weren’t there. Teaching our kids how to avoid the dangers in life is not the same thing as telling them. Get them thinking about alternative solutions and you’ll be giving them the tools they need to successfully navigate in the real world.

Tell Us: Do you think drugs or alcohol would be such a struggle for you now if your parents had explained more about them before you had a chance to experiment?

Adolescent Drug Use Linked to Insomnia

A study just released in the October issue of Sleep journal has discovered a definite link between chronic sleeplessness in teenagers and mental illness. Author Brandy M. Roane, MS, elaborates, “The current study suggests adolescents with insomnia are more prone to developing mental disorders, specifically depression. Previous research in adults has found similar results to this study.”

Sleep Study Links Insomnia with Mental Illness and Drug Abuse

Adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 years at the beginning of the study were re-evaluated after six or seven years – a total of 3,582 young people in all, of which, 9.4 percent reported having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep nearly every night.

Of the 336 individuals with sleep difficulties, rates of depression were 2.3 times more prevalent in adulthood compared to those who did not report symptoms of insomnia. Drug and alcohol use as well as thoughts and attempts at suicide were also higher among the group suffering from insomnia.

Teenager Sleeplessness a Risk Factor for Depression and Mental Illness

In short, the findings of the study point to a greater risk of teenage insomniacs developing mental health issues and increased severity of the symptoms to boot. These conclusions suggest that insomnia could be a risk factor for mental illness and drug addiction – valuable information for parents, teachers, coaches, pastors, and mentors who play the major roles of keeping teens clear of danger.

There are many theories of why sleep is necessary for healthy functioning, and what exactly happens while our bodies rest. Studies abound on the effects of sleep related to memory, cognitive ability, motor function and control, wound healing, growth, even hormone production. While no one fully understands what happens inside our bodies while we sleep, one thing we do know for certain is that extensively long periods without sleep can kill you.

Tell Us: What do you think is the link between restful sleep and sound mental health? Is it dreams? Rapid eye movement? The difference between daylight and darkness?

Talk to Your Teen About Drug Abuse

The other day we talked about divorce and its impact on teen drug abuse. This and other stressors can push your child to look for refuge in alcohol and illicit substances. The new school year approaching brings with it a slew of new stresses as well as access to multitude of drugs. But going back to school is also a great time to talk to your kids about the dangers of using drugs and alcohol. When you’re shopping for new clothes and school supplies, ask your child what her goals are for the coming year. Listen quietly and offer positive feedback, then chime in with a few suggestions of your own–especially concerning drug abuse and addiction.

Staying drug free is a high priority for accomplishing your goals and meeting unexpected challenges. But unless kids know about other alternatives to relieving stress, they run the risk of using because they trust their friends and think it won’t hurt them just to try it.

Hidden Dangers of Teen Drug Abuse

Teenagers have a way of conceptualizing events that translate into present tense. They’re not thinking about the future and the consequences of their actions, only how it relates to the here and now. As a result, the long-term dangers of drugs and alcohol are either ignored, or completely unknown.

Most public schools used to have drug education programs, D.A.R.E. for example, but with massive budget cuts across the nation, you can bet that these programs will quickly go the way of the do-do if it hasn’t happened already. That means the first line of defense you have against your child using drugs is you.

Prevent Teen Drug Addiction

Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, realizes “there’s a real disconnect between what teens are thinking and feeling and what parents believe about their teens when it comes to attitudes about drug use.” In a recent survey done by the Partnership, 73 percent of teenagers admit to using drugs as a way to cope with stressors from school, while only 7 percent of parents considered it an option.

The reality is, drugs and alcohol are available to your child at any time. It’s not a matter of knowing the “right” person, because kids who use drugs are everywhere. There is no stereotypical drug user, or dealer for that matter.

Everyone is susceptible to the pressures of life, it’s knowing what to do when the pressure gets to be too much that makes all the difference. For ideas on how to talk to your kids about keeping clear of drugs, visit TimeToTalk.org and register for the Partnership’s free talk guide for realistic information related to teen drug use.

Teen Drug Addiction

Parents cope with the stinging pain of divorce in different ways. As adults, we know how life is filled with constant ups and downs and can easily trick ourselves into thinking “it’s not so bad.” When we can no longer ignore the pain, heartache, anger and frustration, we seek out other ways to steel ourselves so we can carry on through another day.

Our children, who bear witness to it all especially in the wake of divorce are confused and bewildered, lonely and ashamed. They see their parents having trouble getting along and try to figure out what it was they did to make things turn ugly. Mom and Dad are busy going through their own emotional turmoil and aren’t as available to lend an ear as they once were. Some, in an effort to numb the pain or escape the fighting, may turn to drug abuse and addiction.

Grief and Loss Contributes to Drug Addiction

Loss is something we all experience throughout the course of life. A lost dog, a favorite toy, a best friend who moves away, grandparents passing on; it’s part of the give and take that makes life meaningful. For every loss, including divorce, we are subjected to the accompanying wave of grief, sometimes more powerful and incapacitating than other times. A child may not express her loss to you in words, but it is there nonetheless, as powerful and consuming as the grief that consumes you over the loss of your former life. Divorce can leave your teen agitated with unanswered questions. Rather than bother you with their questions or concerns they may begin to experiment with crystal meth, alcohol, marijuana, prescription painkillers… whatever drugs are available to them.

Teen Drug Abuse

Struggling and Coping with Teen Drug Addiction

The National Longitudinal Sample of Adolescent Health sponsored by the Mapping America project, reveals that teenagers whose parents have divorced are four times more likely to use drugs than teens whose parental relationships are intact – even after they reach adulthood.

Trying drugs leads to using drugs, which quickly escalates into dependency and abuse, and finally, addiction. It’s not a pretty picture, but for anyone weighed down with the emotional baggage of divorce, little else can appear to be able to solve the problem.

A Positive Step Toward Fighting Teen Drug Abuse

When we aren’t feeling well physically, we go see a doctor. But when we feel emotionally unwell, most of us just try to suffer through it hoping it will clear up on its own. Would you try that tactic if you thought you had the flu? Probably not, because the consequences of missed days at work and a potential for developing bronchitis or pneumonia are just too great. Your friends and family would do everything they could to persuade you to see a doctor because you could die if you don’t get help.

Emotional and mental illnesses are no different. Most mild cases can be treated with outpatient talk therapy an hour a week at a counselor’s office. Your child’s school most likely has a school counselor on staff that can offer advice or referrals to get the right help for your situation. In more serious circumstances, inpatient or outpatient drug addiction treatment centers may be necessary. Emotional pain doesn’t just vanish. We must identify and accept that it is a valid response to a crisis and open ourselves to the possibility of healing through patience and understanding.

Gay and Lesbian Drug Addiction

We’ve talked a little bit recently about drug and alcohol abuse among different groups: medical professionals, women, teenagers. Today we’re going to talk about the high risk of drug and alcohol abuse among gay and lesbian youth because it is so high, it is irresponsible to ignore it.

What the Research Says about Drug and Alcohol Abuse Among Gay and Lesbian Youth

Did you know that lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are 190 percent more likely to use illegal substances than heterosexual teens of the same age? According to Medical News Today and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, that’s not all. Apparently, lesbian teens are 400 percent more likely to get high or drunk and bisexual teens are 340 percent more likely.

Michael P. Marshal, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC. He led the study and says, “Homophobia, discrimination and victimization are largely what are responsible for these substance use disparities in young gay people. History shows that when marginalized groups are oppressed and do not have equal opportunities and equal rights, they suffer. Our results show that gay youth are clearly no exception.”

What Can We Do About the High Risk for Drug Abuse Among Gay and Lesbian Teens?

First of all, we can begin by making it clear that sexual orientation can be a risk factor. Currently, this is not mentioned in any of the substance abuse prevention and intervention literature published by organizations like the American Medical Association, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism and the Institute of Medicine. More research needs to be done on the subject and this research needs to be made available to substance abuse treatment and medical professionals.

Says Dr. Marshal, “It is important to remember that the vast majority of gay youth are happy and healthy, despite the stressors of living in a violent, homophobic society. More than anything, gay youth need love, support and acceptance from their family members and friends. It also is imperative that health care providers offer a safe, confidential environment to discuss health care needs with gay teens.”

Do You Know a Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual Teen Struggling with Drug and Alcohol Abuse?

If you or someone you know is using drugs and alcohol as a way of dealing with sexual orientation issues, family issues, stressors at school or at work, the sooner you get help for yourself or them the better. The earlier that you get involved in drug addiction treatment, the better chance you will have of enjoying a life without drugs and alcohol destroying your health and relationships. If you have questions about the options available to you or if you need help setting up an intervention for your gay or lesbian teen, call us at The Canyon today.