Troubled Teens Resources

Teen age drug abuse is ultimately fought successfully by only one person and that is the teen himself. The teen who chooses to go against peer pressure is one who will benefit greatly for the training and discipline necessary to fight “group think”.

I asked my teenage son if he was ridiculed much during his high school days when he refused to get high. He claims that, handled correctly, that no one makes a big deal about it. You just have to be able to stand your ground and then blow the subject off as unimportant.
“Peer pressure can go the other way too. If you treat drugs as a boring waste of time , that get’s attention too. My trick was more than saying no - it was to make them think I had something better to do and that I was cooler for it.”

Health24.com has some easy responses that your teen can give when asked to partake in “getting high”.

• Thanks, but no thanks and it’s not up for discussion.
• My parents always have ways of finding out these things and then you’ll be in trouble too.
• No, I’m saving all my money to buy a motorbike.
• No, I’m really not into that stuff.
• No thanks, I tried it once, hated it and threw up all over the couch.
• No thanks, I need all the brains I’ve got.
• No thanks, I know someone who died from that stuff and I couldn’t do it to my parents.
• No thanks. I’ve heard it takes one’s sex drive away.
• No thanks, doing illegal stuff just doesn’t turn me on.
• My life’s difficult enough without having to deal with this added hassle.