Troubled Teens Resources

One of the first concerns that parents of ADHD teens express is that medicating their teen will set them up for full blown teen age drug abuse.If nothing else, some parents feel that it will introduce them into a life long habit of seeking answers from a pill bottle. Though such concerns are understandable, there is no definitive research to support those fears.

What research has shown is that animals used in testing did later demonstrate drug seeking behavior, but the doses that they were administered were 50-200 times higher than any human would ingest.

“What is relevant is what we know about adults and teens who were give medications as children. Ten studies that have addressed this important issue.

• Six of the studies demonstrate clearly that earlier treatment results in reduced substance abuse.
• Three studies show no difference.
• One study shows higher risk for substance abuse connected to earlier treatment.
• No study shows any increased risk of substance abuse when the severity of ADHD is factored in.

Treatment isn’t all that matters. So does treatment response. Studies show that adolescents with ADHD who respond well to their medications are at lower risk for substance abuse compared than those who respond poorly to their medication.

In summary:

• Stimulant treatment of ADHD appears to result in reduced alcohol and drug problems, not increased substance abuse.
• Some ADHD youth and adults self medicate with substances to treat their ADHD and self esteem problems. Treating ADHD with medication may reduce this phenomenon.”

(source)

Maybe there would be far less need for teen crisis intervention if parents would just sit down and talk to their kids on a regular basis. Parents had no trouble talking to their teens when they were five and six about the dangers of strangers. It has been proven that parents who are just as adamant about warning their teens about the dangers of drugs exert a good deal of influence on their teens behavior.

“Jill Spineti, the president and chief executive officer of the Governor’s Prevention Partnership, said in the release, “Numerous studies reveal that parents’ attitudes and beliefs are a factor in a teenager’s decision making. Parents who talk to their teens often about the threats of substance abuse are less likely to use than those who don’t. There’s no minimizing the importance of parents staying informed about existing and new threats and relaying their expectations in a clear, forthright manner. For parents, the risk isn’t in speaking up; it’s in staying silent.

The most recent partnership survey also showed that parents are looking for guidance. Nearly one-third say they have a need for more information about drugs; 30 percent say they need tips on how to start a discussion about drugs; and 37 percent report they want information on how to tell if a child is using drugs.”

(Source)

Other important influences are parents who demand to know where their teens are at all times. Teens at risk need to know the rules and the consequences of breaking them. Another important factor is having those family dinners together at least twice a week.

Teen crisis intervention programs have been organized nation wide in an effort to stem the tide of teen age crime and drug abuse. One such popular program, Drug Court, has had measurably good success with re-offenders.

The cycle of drug abuse is rarely ended after the first cycle of rehab for many teenagers. A run through a boot camp or brat camp, if there are even any available, is rarely enough in hard core cases. It is difficult to equip a teen to deal with the pervasive influence of drugs if they live in the midst of a neighborhood that is rife with dealers and gangs. Teen programs such as Drug Court give teens a last chance to reform before the system swallows them up.

“Teenagers who repeatedly land in juvenile court for drug- and alcohol-related crimes have a new opportunity to get clean.
[..]
The program aims to reduce recidivism and teach teenagers how to be responsible human beings with no drug or alcohol abuse…
[…]
Drug court, which takes between 12 and 18 months to complete, consists of five phases, each a bit less intense than the last.

Offenders accepted into the drug court program suffer from addiction and, without serious intervention, they risk being taken from their homes and put in a youth center for in-patient treatment.
[…]

Offenders with diagnosed substance abuse or dependency who need treatment with a juvenile record are eligible for the program. The substance abuse treatment is done through the Washington County Health Department, Bricker said.
[…]
“It’s a last-ditch effort prior to going to placement,” said Cherity Shahan of the Department of Juvenile Services.”

(Source)

Family dinner has become an anachronism. Who in the world has the time to make a family dinner, let alone gather the entire tribe around the table at one time? But then, who has the heart and time to deal with the tragedies that ensue when a family has no traditions, no basis for connection, other than that they live in the same house and share the same last name.

Who has time for troubled teenagers, bad grades and
teen age drug abuse? If the “family dinner” has been proven to be a tool in the chest used in teen crisis intervention, than it certainly doesn’t hurt to give it a try.

” The tragedy of a child’s substance abuse can strike any family; there are no silver bullets, but one factor that does more to reduce teens’ substance abuse risk than almost any other is parental engagement, and one of the simplest and most effective ways for parents to be engaged in their teens’ lives is by having frequent family dinners.

This nation’s drug problem is all about kids. A child who gets through age 21 without smoking, abusing alcohol or using illegal drugs is virtually certain never to do so. The CASA survey and 12 years of my life devoted to understanding this problem lead me to this bottom line: America’s drug problem is not going to be solved in court rooms, legislative hearing rooms or classrooms, by judges, politicians or teachers. It will be solved in living rooms and dining rooms and across kitchen tables–by parents and families.”

(Source)
(H/T: Ann Kroeker)

It isn’t the dinner folks, it’s the connection, it’s the communication, it’s the heart of the family staying healthy and teenagers observing a model of the family that works. The link above will give you the data to support the facts.

It is often the case that a teen abusing drugs also suffers from emotional problems,but,not always. Sometimes teenage drug abuse may be the result of peer pressure or simple rebellion. Yes, that would indicate that the troubled teen lacked a sense of self sufficient to resist pressure but it doesn’t necessarily indicate emotional or psychological problems.

Addict or Rebel

Aaron and Justin were busted smoking a joint on school property.

“I was just mad,. I didn’t even really like the feeling pot gives me but my folks are pissing me off so , who cares.”

This from young Aaron who used drugs, not to escape a painful reality, but as an act of rebellion. Young Aaron has some maturity problems but he is emotionally healthy and not at high risk for teenage drug abuse.

Justin on the other hand has been using pot for over a year and was beginning to play with ecstasy. Justin was rebellious as well as angry. A quiet boy with few friends and an abusive father,he fell into a different category than Aaron and was at high risk for a long run at addiction.

How can a parent determine if a teen is simply rebelling or has started using drugs because of underlying psychological problems?

Categories of Substance abuse

Here are three categories of substance abuse that give you a range of severity.

Use: The occasional use of alcohol or other drugs without developing tolerance or withdrawal symptoms when not in use.

Abuse: The continued use of alcohol or other drugs even while knowing that the continued use is creating problems socially, physically, or psychologically.

Dependence: At least three of the following factors must be present:

• a. Substance is taken in larger amounts or over longer periods of time than the person intended.
• b. A persistent desire with unsuccessful efforts to
• control the use.
• c. Large periods of time spent obtaining, taking, or recovering from, the substance.
• d. Frequent periods of intoxication or detoxification especially when social and major role obligations are expected (school, social situations, etc.)
• e. Continued use even while knowing that the continued use is creating problems socially, physically, and/or psychologically.
• f. Increased tolerance
• g. Withdrawal symptoms
• h. Substance taken to relieve withdrawal symptoms.

(Source)