Underage Drinking | Drug Use Prevention
Myth: The best thing for a drunk friend is to let them sleep it off.
by Lisa Frederiksen REALTY: Alcohol is a depressant that works on the central nervous system. It slows down the heart rate, lowers the blood pressure and slows a person’s breathing rate. If a friend passes out, s/he has consumed an amount of alcohol that puts him/her dangerously close to the amount of alcohol that can…
Read MoreMyths About Drinking – Throwing up, drinking coffee, taking a cold shower or walking around the block will sober you up
True or false? Throwing up, drinking coffee, taking a cold shower or walking around the block will sober you up. As with other myths about drinking, the answer is FALSE. Why the Myths About Drinking – Throwing up, Drinking Coffee, Taking a Cold Shower or Walking Around the Block – Do Not Sober You Up…
Read MoreRaising the Bottom – Helping a Loved One Seek Recovery
Raising the bottom – it’s true – we don’t have to let a person “hit bottom.” There are healthy ways we can intervene to help a loved one raise their bottom. Why is this important? Addiction is a developmental disease and the earlier its progression is interrupted, the better. Raising the Bottom – Helping a…
Read MoreBrain Development and Underage Drinking
Brain Development and Underage Drinking – understanding the connection is critical to helping teens make healthy decisions about drinking – for their brains’ sake. For anyone working to reduce underage drinking, one of the keys to helping coalitions, parents, and young people better understand the “reasons” is to share the new science — the science-based…
Read MoreTalking About Alcohol Poisoning With Your Teen | Young Adult
Talking about alcohol poisoning with your teen | young adult is so important because it just might save a young person’s life. It seems at least once a week I read a story about a young person’s death due to alcohol poisoning – often with friends in the vicinity. Talking about what it is, what…
Read MoreRace to Nowhere – Pressures on Today’s Teens
The pressures on today’s teens are extraordinary. I remember when preparing for the S.A.T. test was, “Do you have an extra #2 pencil – I forgot mine?” Today, children are pressured to take AP classes, volunteer, play a varsity sport, excel in all classes, strive for a 4.+ GPA – watching my own daughters go…
Read MoreNew Research Findings on Adverse Childhood Experiences and Brain Development
The connection between adverse childhood experiences and brain development and of that connection on a person developing a substance misuse problem is the result of brain research of the past 10-15 years. Jane Stevens reported in her article, “Traumatic Childhood Takes 20 Years Off Life Expectancy,” published today by Lawrence Journal World and News, the…
Read MoreHow Can Parents Help Teens Decide Not to Drink?
How can parents help teens decide not to drink? And should they – shouldn’t they be “teaching” their teens to drink? These are common questions among parents (and teens, for that matter). There’s an underlying perception that “all teens drink” or “I [parent] drank and am fine, so what’s the big deal?” Reasons to Help…
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