We'll be recording our next episode soon, so I've been researching drug use and misuse in the teens years.
Here are ten great facts about teen alcohol and drug abuse we thought you might like to know:
1. Some teens are at higher risk due to genetics, the age when they start using, and socioeconomic circumstances.
2. Casual drug use can lead to abuse and addiction, causing health issues, financial problems and legal trouble.
3. Today’s marijuana is much stronger than it was in the past, making it more dangerous.
4. Many teens with addiction also have a co-occurring mental health disorder.
5. A teenager’s brain is much more susceptible to addiction because it is still developing.
6. Addiction, whether in a teenager or adult, is a disease, not a moral failing.
7. As a caregiver or parent, remind yourself: you did not cause it, you cannot control it and it cannot be cured. Addiction can, however, be managed over the course of a lifetime just like any other chronic disease, like diabetes or hypertension.
8. The best prevention is to talk with your kids. Spend time with them, and let them know what your expectations are, what the rules are and what the consequences are if they break the rules.
9. Addiction treatment works; lives can be restored.
Source: @hazeldenbettyford
