What are the proposed solutions to solve the problem of addiction:
Prevention: Parents can prevent drug abuse! Parents are the best protection youngsters can have against drug abuse. Prevention is the process, which builds children resistance to drug abuse, so that drug abuse never begins. Also, prevention is a simple concept but it requires constant work to be successful. Prevention is a positive process. It’s a process that can’t start too soon. Research indicates that children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD are at greater risk of alcohol and drug abuse than children and adolescents in a normal society. Here are important elements in helping children resist getting involved with drugs and alcohol:
1. Love and tenderness as the child grows.
2. Consistent and fair discipline.
3. Opening channels of communication for thoughts and feelings.
4. Opportunities for successful experiences at home and at school.
5. A stable family atmosphere (family time together, family rituals).
6. Tolerating the child’s mistakes (not belittling him).
7. Strong, thoughtful and poetic adult models.
8. Accurate information about today’s developmental problems (sexual activity, drugs, crime, etc.)
Suggested solutions to the problem of addiction
There is nothing more important in preventing substance abuse than spending time with your children. Take time to do what they enjoy, to share some skills, to build family rituals and intimacy.
What else can be done? Educate yourself, have enough facts to make your point, and talk to your children. Unfortunately, many parents wait until after their child has taken drugs or alcohol to sit down and talk to them. Don’t make this discussion a one-time thing; Children and adolescents should be constantly reminded of the attitude of their parents. They also need parents who listen to them without criticism and without overreacting.
Finally, your attitude and use of drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) will affect your children. Children learn more by watching what their parents do than by what their parents say. Children need role models from strong, responsible adults who are familiar with their chemical use. One of the reasons we see younger and younger children abusing alcohol and drugs is that they are “second generation” users, simply molding the behavior of their parents.
Zero tolerance for drug/alcohol use in our children and teens is the most logical stance for their long-term well-being. Part of prevention is taking reasonable action as soon as possible. This means that a parent should be alert for subtle signs and symptoms as discussed in the previous article and take immediate action when use is suspected.
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Most common drug use By far, the most common types of drugs among teens are cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana. If that wasn’t bad enough, use of all three subjects roughly triples from middle school to high school. Even worse, teens with ADHD have a 35 percent greater likelihood of being involved in illicit substances. As parents of children with ADHD, the more you know, the more you can help your child in a preventative and remedial way.
According to statistics, about one in four teenagers reports that they are currently a smoker. Boys and girls reported similar frequency of use. Regular alcohol use has been reported less frequently than regular cigarette use. Just under one in five teenagers say they drink alcohol (including beer and wine) more than once a month. Nearly 10 percent admitted to drinking at least once a week. The highest levels of alcohol abuse are found among young people who live in the suburbs. Nearly 25 percent of all teens reported having smoked marijuana at least once in their lives and nearly 19 percent reported using them one or more times in the previous month. Nearly one in five teens reports regular marijuana use.
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The numbers show that parents can sometimes abuse alcohol, especially older teens. If so, parents should think again! In small doses, like all types of depression, alcohol has a calming effect but heavy long-term use affects the liver, muscles, rewards, digestive system, heart and brain. For some, alcohol can provide an easy escape from dealing with boredom, fears, depression, ADHD symptoms, and frustration. However, the main problem with alcohol is that teens and alcohol don’t mix. Impulsive and easily influenced by their peers, teens often underestimate the dangers of drunk driving. They lack experience as to how alcohol affects cognition, coordination, and judgment.
A quarter of all young adults have reported smoking marijuana at least once. Long-term studies show that marijuana can cause serious physical and mental problems. Of particular concern is the effects of marijuana on young adults who smoke while their bodies and minds are still rapidly developing. Marijuana, like alcohol, can affect a person’s memory, ability to drive, and school performance. It is especially dangerous for an impulsive teen to use marijuana. Would you care if you found out that the driver of the car you were in was high on marijuana? What about your son or daughter?
Steps to solve the drug problem: (suggested solutions to solve the problem of addiction)
1. Identify the problem in your home. If you are not sure, but suspect there is a problem, consult a trusted professional. It is often difficult to tell if a teen is using drugs. We’ve seen families where both parents were medical professionals, yet a major alcohol/drug problem was overlooked.
2. Talk to your teen about your concerns. Listen to what he has to say. Your teen may become very angry, defensive, uncommunicative, hostile or disgusting. do not worry. Most teens when confronted will either deny or minimize the problem significantly. If your teen refuses to talk about a drug problem and you’re still worried, you should act because a teen with a drug problem won’t make the first move. Take your teen to a trusted professional (doctor, psychologist, etc.) for evaluation. Your actions must convince your child that you mean action.
3. Put your plans into action! Firm rules must be established. As a parent, you need to realize that you cannot stop your teen from using drugs if he really wants to. However, you can control drug use in some environments (such as your home) and can be a major reason for their decision to stop using drugs. Research clearly shows that parent/family bonding and parental attendance (before school, after school, dinner, and bedtime) are specific protective factors in alcohol and drug use.
Finally, because substance abuse is often such a complex problem, many parents find outside professional support necessary. Family physicians or psychologists trained and experienced in treating teen drug abuse are the best sources of help. Although the road to success and living drug-free is sometimes painful, long and difficult, we have personally experienced many successes.
