|
DANGER:
Alcohol and
Other Drugs
We all
know that being a teenager is not easy. You may feel bombarded with
pressures from school, home and from your friends. Sometimes life seems
overwhelming and many teens turn to drugs or alcohol looking for a quick
fix. These days, drugs and alcohol can be found everywhere, and it may seem
like everyone's doing them. Some reasons that teens use alcohol and other
drugs are:
It’s hard
to know if you will be able to experiment with drugs and alcohol and stop,
or whether you will go on to develop a serious problem. Substance use is
associated with many negative consequences, including increased risk of
serious substance use later in life, failing classes in school, and poor
judgment, which may put you at risk for accidents, violence, unplanned and
unsafe sex, and suicide. If you look around your classroom, at least two
students will develop a serious problem with drugs or alcohol, and there is
no way to predict if you will become a person with an addiction. So when
you say, “Oh, that won’t happen to me,” you really have no way of knowing
that.
How Can I Avoid Drinking or Using
Drugs?
Let's face
it: if all your friends drink or smoke pot, it may be hard for you to say
"no thanks." Not doing what many others do can be hard, especially for teens
whose friends are really important to them. No one wants to risk feeling
rejected or different.
If saying no to alcohol or drugs makes you feel
uncomfortable, one effective strategy is to blame your parents or another
adult for your refusal. Saying, "My parents are coming to pick me up soon,"
or "I already got in major trouble for drinking once, I can't do it again,"
can make saying no a little bit easier.
You can also make sure that you and your friends have
plans to do something besides just hanging out in someone's basement
drinking beer. Plan a trip to the movies, the mall, a concert, or a sports
event - anything that gets you out of the house and keeps you active and
entertained. You might also organize your friends into a volleyball,
bowling, or softball team - any activity that gets you moving.
Warning Signs for
Yourself
Top of Page
Recognizing that you may have
a problem with drugs or alcohol is the first step in helping yourself. Read
through this list of typical signs and symptoms:
Psychological symptoms:
- Do you see drugs and/or
alcohol as the solution to problems?
- Do you spend a lot of
time figuring out how you can get drugs?
- Do you steal money or
sell belongings to be able to afford drugs?
- Have you been
withdrawing from your relationships with your friends or family?
- Have you lost interest
in school, sports, or hobbies that used to be important to you? Have your
grades slipped?
- Are you experiencing
anxiety or depression?
- Are you keeping secrets
from your friends or family?
- Do you only hang out
with friends who use drugs?
- Have you tried to stop
using drugs and/or alcohol but can't?
- Do you feel like you
can't control your moods? Have friends or family members expressed concern
about your mood swings?
Physical symptoms:
- Have your sleeping
habits changed?
- Has your physical health
been affected by drugs and/or alcohol?
- Do you feel shaky or
sick when you try to stop using drugs?
- Do you need to take more
of the drug or drink more alcohol to get the same effect?
- Have your eating habits
changed? Have you lost or gained weight for no apparent reason?
Common signs and symptoms of addiction may be helpful
if you are concerned about yourself or your friend, but similar signs and
symptoms may actually be caused by other conditions, too, such as depression
or eating disorders. That's why it's so important to get help, no matter
what the problem is.
Warning Signs for a Friend
Are you concerned that your friend may have a problem
with drugs or alcohol? Read through this list of typical signs and symptoms:
Psychological symptoms:
Top of Page
- Does your friend see
drugs and/or alcohol as the solution to problems?
- Is your friend always
preoccupied with how he can get drugs?
- Does your friend steal
or sell belongings to be able to afford drugs?
- Does your friend seem
anxious, irritable, or depressed?
- Has your friend
withdrawn from you, other friends, or family members?
- Has your friend lost
interest in school, sports, or hobbies that used to be important to him?
Have his grades slipped?
- Has your friend become
really secretive or private?
- Does your friend only
hang out with friends who use drugs?
- Has your friend tried to
stop using drugs and/or alcohol but couldn't?
- Does your friend have
intense mood swings?
Physical symptoms:
- Have your friend's
sleeping habits changed?
- Has your friend been
having health problems since he started using drugs? Does he seem to get
sick a lot?
- Does your friend need to
take more of the drug or drink more alcohol to get the same effect?
- Has your friend lost or
gained weight for no apparent reason?
- Is your friend an
athlete? (Some teens who are athletes or weight trainers may try using
anabolic steroids to build muscle. Steroids can cause physical changes
such as acne and severe mood swings.)
It may be hard to answer some
of these questions. You may not be able to witness some of your friend's
behaviors if he's pulled away from your friendship. Some students ask, “If I
think a friend is doing drugs, should I tell his parents or a teacher?”
Drugs can kill. It is that simple. A true friend cannot stand by and watch a
friend hurt himself. You must get help by telling their parents, teacher, or
another responsible adult about the abuse.
If you feel that you have a problem with drugs or
alcohol you should talk to your parents. If you do not feel comfortable
talking to your parents, talk to another trusted adult such as a guidance
counselor, social worker, or school psychologist who can assist you in
finding the help you need.
Other Resources:
www.kidshelp.org
www.teengrowth.com
Written by:
Jennifer Flatley, Psychologist, CHS |
|
THE TRUTH ABOUT DRINKING
Top of Page
The
first thing students must understand about drinking is that it is illegal
to buy or possess alcohol if you are under the age of 21.
The
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information gives us very clear
facts about drinking:
- ALCOHOL AFFECTS YOUR BRAIN.
Drinking alcohol leads to a loss of coordination, poor judgment,
slowed reflexes, distorted vision, memory lapses, and even blackouts.
Individuals under the influence of alcohol can make some very poor
decisions.
- ALCOHOL AFFECTS YOUR
SELF-CONTROL. Alcohol can cause an individual to make poor decisions
due to his/her loss of self-control. Drinking can lead to risky
behaviors, including having unprotected sex or hurting a friend or loved
one.
- ALCOHOL CAN KILL YOU.
Drinking large amounts of alcohol can lead to coma or even death. The
leading causes of death for 15 to 24 year-olds are automobile crashes,
homicides, and suicides; alcohol is a leading factor in all three.
- ALCOHOL CAN HURT YOU--EVEN IF
YOU’RE NOT THE ONE DRINKING. Even if you have made the choice to not
drink, you are at an increased risk if you hang around people who drink.
You could be seriously injured in a car crash or become the victim of
violent acts. In addition, you could be in the uncomfortable position of
having to take care of friends who are sick, out of control, or unable to
take responsibility for themselves.
The National Clearinghouse for
Alcohol and Drug Information concludes that the bottom line is:
- If you know someone who has a
problem with alcohol, urge him or her to stop or get help.
- If you drink--STOP!
The
longer you ignore the real facts, the more chances you take with your life.
It is never too late to start to make a better decision. There are many
people that you can turn to; you can talk to your guidance counselor, a
doctor, a teacher or another adult that you trust.
References:
SAMHSA’s National Clearinghouse
for Alcohol and Drug Information
1-800-729-4889
www.samhsa.gov
Al Anon Info Services
(631) 669-2827
http://al-anon-suffolk-ny.org
Written by: Jessica Salveson, Social Worker, CMS |
