SOME WEBSITES ON DRUG ABUSE IN TEENAGERS:
WEBSITES FOR HELP GROUPS FOR ADDICTS, ALCOHOLICS, AND FAMILIES THEREOF:
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/ (ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS)
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/ (ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS)
http://www.na.org/ (NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS)
http://www.al-anonfamilygroups.org/meetings/meeting.html (ALANON - FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF ALCOHOLICS)
http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/ (ALATEEN IS FOR TEENAGERS!)
http://nar-anon.org/index.html (NARANON IS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF ADDICTS)
DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE AMONG TEENAGERS - ONE OF THE FIRST SYMPTOMS OF DRUG AND OR ALCOHOL ABUSE IS NOT DOING WELL IN SCHOOL. OF COURSE THERE ARE ALSO DOZENS OF OTHER SYMPTOMS THAT CAN HELP YOU IDENTIFY DRUG OR ALCOHOL ABUSE. IT IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS STUDENTS DROP OUT OF SCHOOL. WHAT DOES A PARENT DO IF THAT IS SUSPECTED? AGAIN I AM NOT A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, BUT I HAVE RUN INTO SEVERAL CLIENTS OVER THE YEARS WHOM I SUSPECTED OF DRUG ABUSE AND IT WAS LATER CONFIRMED (THESE STUDENTS WENT TO DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND CAME OUT WONDERFULLY). THIS IS A VERY SENSITIVE ISSUE, AND AS A TUTOR I WOULD NEVER FEEL COMFORTABLE SUGGESTING TO A PARENT THAT THEIR STUDENT IS ABUSING DRUGS UNLESS I WAS ALMOST 100% SURE. TOO MANY PARENTS WOULD TAKE THIS AS AN INSULT. DRUG ABUSE IN THE UNITED STATES IS A GIVEN, ESPECIALLY AMONG YOUNGER POPULATIONS. IN FACT, I BELIEVE IT IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. THIS IS A COMPLEX ISSUE AND THIS SITE IS NOT FOR THAT. HOWEVER, SUFFICE TO SAY THAT IF YOU AS A PARENT ARE NOTICING A DECLINE IN YOUR CHILD'S GRADES DO NOT RULE OUT DRUG ABUSE. THERE ARE DEFINITE SIGNS OF DRUG ABUSE. MARIJUANA IS NOT AT ALL HARMLESS. IT IS A DEADLY, ILLEGAL DRUG THAT IS ALWAYS A GATEWAY DRUG TO WORSE DRUGS. I WOULD INCLUDE ALCOHOL ABUSE UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF DRUG ABUSE.
SO IF YOU IN ANYWAY SUSPECT DRUG/ALCOHOL ABUSE THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO. YOU CAN GET A URINE TEST. HOWEVER, URINE TESTS ARE VERY POOR AT DETECTING ALCOHOL USE AND THEY CAN BE DEFEATED. THE BEST TEST TO USE IS A HAIR TEST. THIS IS SOMETHING QUITE NEW. YOU CAN GO TO ANY LOCAL PHARMACY AND PURCHASE A HAIR DRUG TEST KIT. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS COLLECT A SAMPLE OF THE SUSPECT'S HAIR (YOU CAN GET THIS FROM THEIR COMB) AND MAIL IT IN. HAIR TESTS CANNOT BE FOOLED EASILY AT ALL AND THEY GO BACK 6 MONTHS IN TIME!! THIS IS GREAT. THEY WILL GIVE YOU A DETAILED PICTURE OF ANY DRUG USE GOING BACK 6 MONTHS! THERE ARE MANY THINGS ONE CAN DO TO GET HELP. ALMOST EVERY COMMUNITY IN THE USA HAS SOME TYPE OF DRUG TREATMENT ABILITY. IF YOU FIND THAT YOUR CHILD HAS USED DRUGS YOU CAN ALWAYS TRY AND HANDLE IT ALONE. I WOULD NEVER DO THAT! DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE IS A VERY COMPLEX PHENOMENON. YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST GET PROFESSIONAL HELP. YOU CAN GO TO A COUNSELOR OR PSYCHOLOGIST OR PSYCHIATRIST WHO SPECIALIZES IN THIS AND GET HELP THROUGH THEM. YOU CAN ALSO GO TO ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (AA) OR NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS (NA). THEY HAVE PROGRAMS FOR THE USER AND THE FAMILY MEMBERS (ALANON OR NORANON ARE FOR FAMILY MEMBERS.
BOTTOM LINE HERE IS THAT IF YOU SUSPECT ALCOHOL OR DRUG ABUSE IN THE SLIGHTEST MANNER DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! AT LEAST CHECK THEM WITH A HAIR TEST (YOU CAN DO THIS WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE SO IF YOUR WRONG NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW!). YOU WILL BE TERRIBLY SORRY LATER ON IF YOU WERE RIGHT BUT DID NOTHING ABOUT IT EARLY. CATCHING THIS PROBLEM EARLY IS A KEY INGREDIENT IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM! PLEASE GET YOUR EGO'S OUT OF THE WAY. SAVE YOUR CHILD. ALSO CHECK THE ABOVE WEBSITE FOR SYMPTOMS OF DRUG OR ALCOHOL ABUSE.
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