Praise for My Teenage Zombie
My Teenage Zombie is an essential tool for any parent. Dont let your zombie teen scare you. Pick up this book instead and get to know the zombie within. You just might find that theres life in the dead zone.
M ELANIE W ELLS
F AMILY T HERAPIST AND F OUNDER OF T HE L IFEOLOGY I NSTITUTE
Parents will find inspiration from the wisdom, humor, and practical strategies in My Teenage Zombie. This book is filled with real-world examples that parents will be able to apply starting day one. In my thirty years working with parents and adolescents I have found it rare for a book to so effectively translate the complex struggles and emotions of modern teens into tools that parents can understand and use. Davids hands-on approach to offering immediate solutions for parents struggling to support their teens will speak directly to both parents and professionals. Our practice will be offering this resource to all of our clients.
S COTT D. C ANTER
M ANAGING P ARTNER , A CADEMIC A NSWERS DFW
As a former teenage zombie struggling with eating disorder, substance use, and self-esteem issues, I wish my parents had this book available to them. A must-read for all parents.
B RIAN C UBAN
A TTORNEY AND A UTHOR OF S HATTERED I MAGE : M Y T RIUMPH O VER B ODY D SYMORPHIC D ISORDER
My Teenage Zombie should be required reading for all parents trying to raise healthy teens! It offers hope for those who may think their family situation is too far gone and will help parents better understand and help their children navigate the tumultuous teenage years to successfully enter society with confidence and vision.
B ECKY V ANCE
P RESIDENT & CEO, D RUG P REVENTION R ESOURCES
Dr. Henderson has hit a home run with his latest book about a very important, yet frequently overlooked topic for all parents raising teenagers in these tumultuous times. Relevant, clearly written, and engaging, My Teenage Zombie is a must-read for everyone interacting with todays teenagers, in order to help them successfully evolve into the leaders of the next generation of our society. Most importantly, since his recommendations and guidance are centered on evidenced-based principles, parents can trust that Dr. Hendersons book can make a real difference in how they help their teenager grow into a healthy, emotionally-mature, and successful adult.
D R . H AROLD U RSCHEL III
B OARD -C ERTIFIED A DDICTION P SYCHIATRIST , C O -F OUNDER OF E NTERHEALTH , AND N EW Y ORK T IMES B ESTSELLING A UTHOR OF H EALING THE A DDICTED B RAIN
As parents we often joke that children dont come with an instruction manual. Finally, we have one. Dr. Henderson does a masterful job of laying out a blueprint for parents that is rich in practical tools and strategies gleaned from years of experience as a psychiatrist working with adolescents and families. This book teach parents not only how to navigate those tumultuous teenage years, but also how to build a foundation in the early years of life that will pave the way for stronger relationships and better equip them with a lifelong sense of motivation, direction, and determination. I would put this book at the top of every parents reading list.
V ANITA H ALLIBURTON
P RESIDENT , G RANT H ALLIBURTON F OUNDATION
Converting our precious babies into confident, contributing members of society is daunting at best, and sometimes downright terrifying. As a recurring guest on Mornings with Jeff & Rebecca, Dr. Henderson has been a wealth of wisdom and resources for us personally, and for hundreds of thousands of our listeners. You will be better equipped because of this book!
R EBECCA A SHBROOK C ARRELL AND J EFF T AYLOR
M ORNING S HOW H OSTS ON 90.9 KCBI, D ALLAS F T . W ORTH
2016 by David L. Henderson, MD
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Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016945747
ISBN 978-0-7180-3124-4
ISBN 978-0-7180-3127-5 (eBook)
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CONTENTS
D o you believe in zombies? I sure didnt. But then I encountered something in my clinical practice unlike anything I had ever seen before. It was early in my career as a physician, and I was working in a psychiatric emergency room in downtown Dallas. A nineteen-year-old man was escorted (I use that term loosely) into the building by five police officers, all burly men who could barely control the 170-pound mass of writhing, screaming, intoxicated fury who had once been an above average, courteous, and ambitious college student at the local state university.
Mesmerized by the scene before me, I only faintly heard the call from the nurse assigned to him. Uh, Dr. Henderson, can I get a verbal order here, please? She wasnt asking.
Any allergies or other medical problems that we know of? I asked.
Nothing that we know of at this point, she replied.
Okay, lets do a 10250 IM, please. It was an order for one of the most powerful sedative combinations we use in psychiatry: 10 mg of Haldol, 2 mg of Ativan, and 50 mg of Benadryl, all given intramuscularly while the patient is restrained, held prostrate on the floor. Id seen staff members get seriously injured during an intervention like this, so it was absolutely crucial that everyone involved know their role exactly. As much as possible, the patients safety was our first priority, but we were also acutely aware of the need for forceful restraint, due to how much danger he posed to himself and others. Once the medication started to take effect, we released the young man and quickly exited the room, locking the door behind us.
Within seconds he was on his feet again, pacing the room, eying me through the small Plexiglas window in the door that separated us. He growled, pounded his fist against the door, shouted a stream of unintelligible threats, and then went silent for a brief moment, long enough for the two of us to observe each other.
In that moment of unsettling tranquility, I felt a rush of fear and sadness. Fear of my own fragility as a human reflected back upon me by this suffering individual who was someones son, brother, boyfriend, classmate. But also sadness at the thought of how quickly life can take an unexpected turn for the worse. The young man before mewe later discovered his name was Briannever intended to end up in a hospital, let alone a psychiatric ward. Most likely, he had planned a fun evening with his friends to escape the stress of a tough semester. Along the way, however, something went seriously wrong.
Toxicology reports showed that Brian had ingested several drugs, including ecstasy, alcohol, cocaine, and phencyclidine (PCP) while at a fraternity party. These mind-altering chemicals swept through his brain like a flash flood, tearing down any dams of self-restraint he possessed, leaving no barriers between his feelings and his actions. In neuropsychological terms, we would say that Brian had lost his ability to make executive decisions. His actions were based purely on impulse without reasoning, planning, or self-reflection.