Health | Parents Anonymous

Marijuana Use Declining Among Young Adults

Marijuana leads the list of scariest drugs for some because it is the most widely used illicit drugs in the world. For several decades now, the drug has remained popular because of the happy sensation it creates and the perpetuated feeling that it has no harmful effects. Indeed, as far as illicit drug go, pot is considered to be safe by many members of society. However, there is some good news. Marijuana use seems to be declining in the age groups where it is most popular. These group include:

1.) Junior High Students- No one likes to think about junior high kids doing drugs but we can’t pretend they aren’t either. 2010 statistic have show that the rate of user in the prior month has declined from about 7 percent to closer to 5 and a half percent in the last year. This is a measure of the percentage of eighth graders who used pot in the previous thirty days. Also, the rate of users who tried pot at least once is also down. Here, there are about 14 percent of 8th grade students who tried pot once compared to about 16 percent just last year.

2. College Students- By the time kids reach college, they are most in danger of smoking a lot of marijuana. For students under 21, pot may be even easier to get than alcohol therefore making it a more enticing opportunity. By the time a student arrives in college, about 42 percent of them have tried marijuana at least one time. This is an improvement however as just a year ago it was about 45 percent of students who had tried pot at least one time.

Even if marijuana use is declining, it isn’t by much. Too many members of the general public do not treat pot with the same regard as harder drugs like cocaine, heroin, or crack. The relative safe nature leads to overuse, which can cause many problems including loss of memory, bronchitis, and too much money wasted.

Filed Under: Drug Abuse, Drug Rehabilitation Tagged With: Cannabis, Health, Illegal drug trade

Teenagers and Alcohol Poisoning

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The social realm of drinking has become popular among teens, but many do not realize the danger of alcohol poisoning. Some teenagers are able to judge when they have had enough, but others put themselves at risk. Consuming too much alcohol on an empty stomach can cause the alcohol to react with the acids of the stomach, which turns into poison.

Many believe that alcohol poisoning is directly related to alcoholism, but a social drinker has the same risks. Alcohol poisoning is a chronic disease of the body. Many teens are more prone to alcohol poisoning because of their body is not developed enough to handle the substance.

Alcohol poisoning of the human body causes paralysis, insensibility, and swelling of the body. Ethanol, a toxic element of alcohol, releases into the bloodstream and the more alcohol in the bloodstream a greater risk of poisoning occurs. An individual who suffers from poisoning of the blood becomes disoriented, unresponsive, and sometimes unconscious with an early symptom of labored breathing. An individual who has drank too much may vomit in order to eliminate some of the alcohol in the body. Although vomiting is common for those who have drank too much, it should not be taken lightly because it triggers major diseases and damages the respiratory function of the brain.

Many teens believe that they can overcome alcohol poisoning with remedies they have heard from others but these remedies do nothing to help the poisoning. The consumption of black coffee, taking a shower, or sleeping it off will not remove the toxins from the body. Alcohol depresses the nerves of the human body that can control unintentional actions such as gag reflexes and breathing. If alcohol poisoning is suspected, the individual should be taken to the emergency room immediately. If the poison is in their system for an extended period of time, long-term damage could occur.

Filed Under: Alcohol abuse Tagged With: Acute alcohol intoxication, Addictions, Alcohol, Alcohol abuse, Alcohol Addiction, Alcoholic beverage, Health, Human body, Risk, Substance abuse

Teen Depression on the Rise

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A bad mood is not considered depression or even short bouts of melancholy, but teen depression is a problem that is on the rise. If a teenager is depressed and it goes untreated, it could lead to serious problems in school and at home. If the problem is ignored it could lead to violence and suicide while setting the teenager up for a lifetime of sadness.

If diagnosed, teenage depression has many treatments. Parents, teachers, and teenagers can learn the signs and symptoms of depression so they can be ready to help with treatment when the warning signs occur. There are many support groups that are available to help the teenager that suffers from depression and parents who are trying to help their children through a challenging disease.

Many misconceptions surround teenage depression. One main misconception is that all teens are depressed. A teen does have many challenges in balancing school, activities, and their social life, but not all teenagers are depressed. A bad mood here or there and acting out is a part of being a teenager, but parents need to be able to recognize when these signs begin to point to something more dangerous.

Many believe that teen depression is increasing, but the reality is that we are just now being more open to the fact that teenagers do develop depression. Depression is treatable, but less than 20% of teenagers suffering from depression get help. Teenagers do not have the ability to get assistance by themselves so it is important for parents to be involved in their child’s care. Drug therapy has shown improvements in teenage depression, but medication and support groups have a better effect on teenagers. Support groups and group therapy are so successful because it lets the teenager know they are not alone in how they feel.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: Adolescence, Depression, Drug Addiction, Health, John Curry, Major depressive disorder, Mental health, Parent, Support group, Teen Issues

The Necessary Confrontation: TheCyn.com

The days have become desperate. The evenings have been strained. Your home is not filled with the smiles and laughter that it once was. It has instead shifted into a tense situation with every appearance from your child. He is little more than a stranger to you now. You don’t recognize the sunken expression, the dull eyes, the body transformed too thin. He’s an echo of himself and the consequence is your distrust. An addiction is feared — there can be no other cause. He’s too altered. He’s too secretive. And you believe you must do something. You simply don’t know what.

The answer is all too simple, and all too worrisome: you must confront him. Though no parent relishes the thought of such a conversation, no parent could likewise deny the necessity of it. Your child must be asked the question you most fear to ask — and the reply may be one that shatters you. The cost of ignorance, however, would be far greater. A dialogue must be established and the truth must be discovered. It’s only through this that healing can begin, and centers such as TheCyn.com can be sought.

Choose a secure environment for your conversation — one where your child will feel at ease and will be receptive to you. Don’t sling out accusations. Instead remain calm and willing to listen. Assure him of your affection, even as you remind him of the need for aid. Don’t turn the moment into one of angry words and unfortunate phrases. Stay steady and sympathetic. Understand his reasons and then work to counter them through positive solutions. Stress that you will be providing him with the help he needs. This is not a choice. It’s a requirement and one he must meet. Establish rules; establish trust; have the confrontation.

Filed Under: Drug Abuse, Rehab Programs, Rehabilitation Centers Tagged With: Cyn.in, Education, Health, Parent

Internet Addiction

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Internet addiction is on the rise. Especially in teenagers. Glued to their dynamic computer screens, teenagers find the virtual world more enticing than the real world. The Internet is such an ocean of diverse information, that teenagers can’t help their Internet addiction problems.

Teenagers who are glued to the virtual world eventually end up depressing themselves. They somehow find salvation of their embroiled energies in the random world of the Internet. At this time anything is their disposal through this medium. Be it movies, shopping, dating, and games.

Teenagers find Internet games a big hook-on. Facebook, the popular social media, has cut through this market with interactive games. People can play Facebook games with their friends or anyone from any part of the world. With such technology, it is very apparent that addiction to the virtual world is for real.

Teenagers take to games on the Internet faster. When new games are introduced, things get even more interesting, and the internet addiction becomes stronger. More than ten hours a day are spent by teenagers in front of computer screens scouring the abysses and surfaces of the internet.

What can all this do to teenagers? Teen issues related to poor eyesight, lack of concentration, poor academic orientations, rebellious behavior can be attributed to the rise of the multimedia content on the Internet. Due to architecture of the Internet in allowing free content on most aspects, it becomes easier for teenagers to sit on their chairs and look at the world that’s happening in front of their eyes. Somehow they are convinced about the virtual world.

When Internet addiction in teenagers increase, lack of sleep sets in, creating stress. Stress creates discord. Teenagers will become irksome, emotionally unstable, and repulsive. The situation will worsen if the Internet viewing activity is not moderated.

Such technology is awaited that can moderate the Internet, in that ISP’s can deliver only select content to homes based on personal preferences. Much like what we see in companies.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: Addiction, Adolescence, Facebook, Health, Internet addiction disorder, Online game, Video game, Virtual world

Addicted to Alcohol

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If you have a teen and suspect that they may have a drinking problem, you must get them help immediately. It involvs more than calling Canada 411 and finding out what to do. You must gather their friends and family to work together to get the teen help. The longer you wait, the worse the problem may become.

First, identify the signs of an alcoholic. Does your teen try to hide their drinking or are they open about it? Do they suffer from frequent blackouts where they aren’t sure how they got from one place to the next? Do they not even remember what they did the night before because they drank so much? If your teen has gone through any of this, they may be an alcoholic.

Try staging an intervention. Bring together the teen’s family as well as a few friends. Talk to the teen about their drinking behavior. Explain to them that they are only hurting themselves and that you only want the best for them. Make sure to speak calmly to them. If the teen feels like you are overbearing, they will become defensive and may even walk away from the situation. You will then be worse off than you were before.

If your teen agrees with you, take them immediately to rehab before they have a chance to change their mind. They won’t be able to get better if they aren’t ready to. They have to want this for themselves just as much as you want it for them.

Feel free to take the teen to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. There they will meet people that are going through the same issues, and may even feel comfortable telling their own story in order to start the healing process.

Filed Under: Addiction Recovery, Alcohol abuse, Child Health Tagged With: Addiction, Adolescence, Alcohol, Alcoholics Anonymous, Alcoholism, Canada, Health, Substance abuse

What to do with a violent teenager

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Teenagers can get violent. When an explosion of hormones is brewing in them, they are susceptible to get volcanic once in a while. But not always. If it is always, then there is a problem. Violence is one among those teen issues that is dangerous. Because violence itself is dangerous. And dangerous is death.

Now the question arises, why are teenagers violent? Researchers dealing with teen issues feel that teen violence erupts from a lot of factors. The issues might be lack of harmony in the family. Addiction problems of the teenager. A general ferocious disposition. Attitude problems. Problems with the academic system. Substance abuse and so on.

Groups that teenage boys are part of play a big role in how the temperaments of a teenager shape up. Physically violent teenagers are mostly boys, though there are physically violent girls too. However, the percentage of physically violent girls is less as compared to boys.

Teenagers who have addiction problems have the highest violence problems. When their addiction is being treated at rehab centers, their violence reaches morbid peaks from the withdrawal symptoms they experience. Even before treatment is taken, teenagers with alcohol or drug addictions get violent the moment they are denied the addictive substance. The violence can take even fatal proportions. It is not surprising to see addiction-prone teenagers behind bars for murder, and assault.

Dealing with a violent teenager is tough. Before starting off, a root cause analysis has to be done. One needs to ascertain what causes the teenager to be violent. After finding the answer, concerted steps have to be taken to solve that problem.

Root causes can be plenty. It might be a personality disorder. Even a personal breakup issue. The teenager might be taking to drugs and alcohol. There could be a sex addiction problem. Academic grades might be low and so on.

By getting to the root of the problem and fixing it, teenage violence can be stemmed up to a certain level.

Filed Under: Counselling Tagged With: Addiction, Adolescence, Health, Root cause analysis, Substance abuse, Substance dependence, United States, Violence

A Parent and A Smoker

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One of the most unappealing controlled substances in the world is nicotine. While smoking is tolerated in some countries, it is regularly seen as an unattractive and ultimately dangerous habit. Once people start smoking, most of them soon wish they could stop but find it difficult to do so. One of the main reasons is that the majority of smokers start at such a young age that it becomes an ingrained habit. Many people spend years trying to break their smoking habit. If they are parents, they especially don’t want their children to start.

In today’s day and age, children are bombarded with images that may be harmful. In TV and movies, drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes are rampant. Most people trying to be good parents believe they should tell their children that these substances are disgusting and dangerous habits, but what if you also partake in one of these unsavory habits?

Being a parent can be difficult enough, but it can be even more difficult if you have to tell your child not to do something that you do. Many people believe they have tried everything to help them quit. They believe that there is no way they will be able to. But, with new innovation and technology, there are new ways that can help you quit.

The next time that you wish to quit why not try electronic cigarettes? These electronic gadgets give you the sensation of smoking without many of the negative side effects. While most electronic cigarettes do still give you nicotine, they do not use tar and other chemicals as binders, which are a high contributor to the harmful effects of cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes are a great way to wean yourself off the habit. The time to break the unhealthy cycle is now. Make sure you use all possible tools at your disposal to make it as pleasant as possible.

Filed Under: Drug Abuse Tagged With: Cigarette, Electronic cigarette, Health, Nicotine, Religious habit, Smoking (cooking), tobacco, Tobacco smoking

Myths about teenage substance abuse

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Substance abuse in teenagers is a problem that is steadily rising. World-wide teenagers are getting into substance addiction problems very fast and are finding it very difficult to escape it. Given that teenage years are trying out years, teenagers easily fall into the den of drug addicts, and alcoholics.

Teenagers are introduced to addictions by their friends. Otherwise it is not possible for a teenager to just venture out and get into a drug-addiction zone. That’s why it is important for a teenager to have the right set of friends during that time.

Any repetitive use of a substance causes addiction. The brain is wired to fall into patterns. And these patterns become habits. Habits become obsessions. Obsessions become addictions. Unfortunately the brain is not that smart to detect all these things, although the mind is. The brain is a creation of the body, whereas the mind is a creation of the personality.

Addiction in teenagers has a lot of myths doing the rounds. Parents need to take cognizance of such myths.

Myth 1: A teenager’s addiction problem will solve on its own

Absolutely wrong. A teenager’s addiction problem will not solve on its own, but swallow the teenager alive. Teenage addictions rarely phase out completely, unless special preventive attention is given. Teenagers need to be helped out of the addiction problem. They are at an age when they can’t think for themselves. So how can teenagers solve their addiction problems?

Myth2: Parents are to blame

This is another popular myth. Parents are not the architects of a teenager’s substance addiction problem. Even the best of parents have had the worst of kids with alarming teen issues.
Myth 3: A teenager’s addiction should not be cured with medication. Since medication is also a drug.
Agreed medication is a type of drug. But it is not a psychoactive drug. It does not stimulate the nervous system, and cause addiction problems. Medication is merely a prohibitory mechanism to suppress the addiction tendencies of the teenager.

Filed Under: Drug Abuse Tagged With: Addiction, Adolescence, Brain, Health, Parent, Psychoactive drug, Substance abuse, Substance dependence