Talking to Your Kids About Drugs and Alcohol
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.
Tags: drug-rehab, teen drug abuse, teen drug addiction, Teen Drug Addiction Treatment, Teen Drug Rehab
