Impaired Driving Prevention – 3 Things to Know

National Impaired Driving Prevention Month is celebrated annually in December, and the message is simple – “Don’t Drive Impaired.” So why is it that after a night of partying a person can think, “It’s only a few blocks, I can drive.” Or after dinner out, a person can say, “What’s the big deal? She’s only…

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Detaching With Love – A Mother’s Story

Margaret Searle is a mother; a mother whose son, David, developed the disease of addiction. In the last month of David’s life, he became a missing person, walking out of his home and out of the lives of all who loved him. Devastated – fighting for his life against those in society who should have…

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Why Just Say No Typically Doesn’t Work

Just Say No is a well-intended message and prevention effort. Unfortunately, it typically does not work with young people due to four key problems with the message. But, thanks to new imaging technologies of the past 10-15 years and the intensive, extensive studies of the live human brain in action, over time, under the influence,…

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Give Their Brain a Break | Underage Drinking Prevention

This year, I am focusing on Underage Drinking Prevention in celebration of SAMHSA’s National Prevention Week 2013 – “Your voice. Your choice. Make a Difference.” SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) is the sponsoring organization for this national celebration and, as usual, has created an arsenal of resources and toolkit materials for each…

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Want to Get Through to Teens – Talk to Their Brain

Want to Get Through to Teens – Talk to Their Brain – really! In my decade of research and writing on brain development and the brain disease of addiction, understanding the whole story about puberty and the brain’s evolution [see Image 2 below] gave me the pieces that finally completed the puzzle on how/why teens…

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