|
Bridgeburner
Not spiritual at all.




Registered: 09/16/06
Posts: 20,010
|
Drugs and youths: Abuse in the Mid-Ohio Valley — Parents need to know the warning signs
#7490572 - 10/06/07 06:46 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
http://www.mariettatimes.com/news/story/new1211_106200715747.asp
Most parents would probably be surprised if their child came home drunk or under the influence of drugs.
But should they be?
One in five seniors smoked marijuana in the past month and almost three-quarters of seniors drank alcohol, according to a recently released study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The goal for parents should be to avoid the knee-jerk tendency to over-react, said Phil Washburn, a local therapist with more than 30 years experience in dealing with juvenile drug and alcohol abuse.
Washburn said parents need to keep calm, know they aren’t alone and keep communication channels open.
“There are many, many reasons kids abuse substances,” Washburn said. “Parents should attempt to find out what those reasons are.”
Washburn said high school students abuse drugs out of boredom, to get attention, to change a mood or to solve some other kind of problem.
“Drugs and alcohol may solve one problem, but what kids sometimes don’t understand is that it creates other problems,” he said.
Many parents tend to ignore or miss the obvious signs of drug abuse, Washburn said.
“They don’t want to think their child could be involved and sometimes overlook the obvious signs,” he said.
Indicators include changes in personality, bad grades or attitude toward school and dropping out of sports or other interests.
“The No. 1 thing for parents to look for —the best indicator — is if their child’s friends do drugs,” Washburn said. “If you find out your kid’s friends use drugs or alcohol, you’ve really got to start to think: Is he or she really going to hang around these people and not be involved?”
Washburn said a first step should be for parents to talk to their child about their concerns. Next, parents should talk with the parents of their child’s friends.
“Kids start to get scared when parents get together,” Washburn said. “Generally speaking, kids are a lot more organized than adults. They have cell phones, text messaging, Internet and Internet messaging. They’re way ahead of most of us. But when parents start talking, they start thinking.”
If parents suspect their child’s experimentation with drugs or alcohol has grown to become a chemical dependency problem, Washburn said parents should talk with a family doctor or licensed drug and alcohol counselor.
Cathy Harper, coordinator for the local anti-drug abuse group The Right Path, agrees parents need to be mindful of their approach in dealing with children who abuse drugs or alcohol. She’s the mother of five children, ages 10 to 26.
“The hardest thing is going to be keeping the lines of communication open,” Harper said.
Establishing family rules and expectations and keeping open and honest communication will help families deal with most problems, Harper said.
“There must be understanding and forgiveness for mistakes,” Harper said. “And parents should not be afraid to ask questions. You shouldn’t be ashamed or embarrassed. If you are talking about it, you are usually helping more than just yourself.”
--------------------
|
them0oninites
Left Of The Dial



Registered: 09/27/07
Posts: 115
Loc: Akron, Ohio
Last seen: 16 years, 3 months
|
Re: Drugs and youths: Abuse in the Mid-Ohio Valley — Parents need to know the warning signs [Re: Bridgeburner]
#7490696 - 10/06/07 08:09 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
hah i live down there lol
--------------------
|
moon_glue
Orwell's Post9/11 Era



Registered: 01/20/07
Posts: 2,264
Loc: Earth, today...
Last seen: 8 years, 10 months
|
Re: Drugs and youths: Abuse in the Mid-Ohio Valley — Parents need to know the warning signs [Re: them0oninites]
#7490838 - 10/06/07 09:19 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
youre better off telling them what each drug does and showing them healthy habits in use before they learn it wrong form thier snot nose friends.
|
igloo
Stranger
Registered: 09/16/07
Posts: 47
Last seen: 15 years, 2 months
|
Re: Drugs and youths: Abuse in the Mid-Ohio Valley — Parents need to know the warning signs [Re: moon_glue]
#7491903 - 10/06/07 04:08 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
moon_glue said: youre better off telling them what each drug does and showing them healthy habits in use before they learn it wrong form thier snot nose friends.
That is dumb. You are saying a parent who has never used drugs them self should sit down and discribe the effects of each drug and recommend moderation and usage limits? That is absolutely stupid. Parents don't want their kids doing drugs at all. Moon Glue you are obvioulsy not a mother and you are uneducated.
|
MikeRamos9
shrooms make mehappy


Registered: 09/15/07
Posts: 56
Loc: Here and There
Last seen: 15 years, 10 months
|
Re: Drugs and youths: Abuse in the Mid-Ohio Valley — Parents need to know the warning signs [Re: igloo]
#7492349 - 10/06/07 07:12 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
yea parents dont want kids doing drugs, but if the kid wants to he will. so if parents teach them the effects and dosage they should use, there less likly to do drugs that they dont know what the effects are. if your doing shrooms and dont know what it does, its really easy to have bad trip because of friends who tell myths about shrooms and such. if the child has a better understanding of the drug, it will more likly be a better trip and would lower the chances of the child hurting themselves.
|
DNKYD
Turtle!

Registered: 09/23/04
Posts: 12,326
|
Re: Drugs and youths: Abuse in the Mid-Ohio Valley — Parents need to know the warning signs [Re: igloo]
#7492463 - 10/06/07 07:49 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
igloo said:
Quote:
moon_glue said: youre better off telling them what each drug does and showing them healthy habits in use before they learn it wrong form thier snot nose friends.
That is dumb. You are saying a parent who has never used drugs them self should sit down and discribe the effects of each drug and recommend moderation and usage limits? That is absolutely stupid. Parents don't want their kids doing drugs at all. Moon Glue you are obvioulsy not a mother and you are uneducated.
MoonGlue may not be a mother, but saying he is uneducated seems like a bit of a stretch. Perhaps uneducated in the ways of raising a hellspawn (see: child) in today's drug and sex infused world, but not altogether uneducated.
There is no easy way to go about this kind of thing. Kids and teens want to try new things, experience new emotions and ways of thinking, and, to some extent, "get fucked up". The best way to keep people safe when dealing with drugs is for the user to be informed and responsible. And given the correct information they can make responsible choices.
Of course parents don't want their kids doing drugs. Parents don't want their kids having sex. Wanting and hoping and wishing doesn't make the problem go away. However much their parents don't want them to do it, some kids still will. How do you keep those kids from ending up in the ER after eating the wrong mushroom, or keep their ass out of the morgue after eating too many Triple C's? Last time I checked hopes and dreams didn't save lives. Educated and responsible choices do.
|
them0oninites
Left Of The Dial



Registered: 09/27/07
Posts: 115
Loc: Akron, Ohio
Last seen: 16 years, 3 months
|
Re: Drugs and youths: Abuse in the Mid-Ohio Valley — Parents need to know the warning signs [Re: DNKYD]
#7495602 - 10/07/07 06:19 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
i dont think accusations are relevant in this forum stick to the topic thanx
--------------------
|
|