Edward Lynam - The Everything Parents Guide to Teenage Addiction: A Comprehensive and Supportive Reference to Help Your Child Recover from Addiction

PARENTS GUIDE TO

Avon, Massachusetts

The Everything Parents Guide to Teenage Addiction is dedicated to the memory of my father, Dr. G.D. Bowers, who instilled in me a love of books and ideas. I still hold warm images of him, sitting in his favorite chair in the kitchen, reading newspapers and books, every night. E.B.

Unfortunately, many parents today have to raise their children in a drug-filled world. Legal or illegal, recreational or medicinal, found in your bathroom cabinet or in your garage, sold in the drugstore or on the streetmood- and mind-altering substances can be found just about anywhere. Its no secret that the adolescent years are ripe for experimentation with these drugs.

So, what are you as a parent supposed to do? Since you cant change the world, does that mean you are helpless to protect your child from the dangers of alcohol and drugs? No! You cant actually control your childs choices when it comes to alcohol and drug use, but you can definitely affect those choices by giving her the best information and understanding you have. You can inform your child about the nature of the problem, about the risks involved, and about staying safe if she does indeed decide to experiment with dangerous substances.

According to Mark Gold, psychiatrist and eminent scholar at the University of Florida College of Medicine, lifestyle habits formed during the teen years are likely to be present for the rest of your teens life, as the adolescents brain is still developing. Those who smoke as teens are likely to smoke as adults. Those who binge-drink in adolescence are likely to abuse alcohol in later years. Those who misuse prescription medications are likely to abuse pharmaceuticals, and so on.

Addiction is a serious health problem in the United States, and many of the attitudes, policies, laws, and approaches to this ever-present issue are clouded with denial and confusion. Holding on to opinions that addiction is a moral issue or something a person just has to white-knuckle through and stop can get in the way of deliberate, rational understanding and action. Add shame and guilt to the mix, and parents can easily become paralyzed in the tangled, twisted road to understanding addiction in teenagers.

It is a very human reaction to blame yourself; however, as you may have already discovered, it is not good to stay in that state of mind. It is true that you have to look at personal responsibility and choices, but a lot of what results in addiction is simply out of your personal control. Accepting your lack of control can make deciding what you need to do somewhat more manageable.

In todays world, drug use has become so widespread that news of a celebrity going into rehab isnt shocking. No one bats an eye at a politician, corporate official, or famous athlete going into rehab. Its almost like a badge of acceptance into the fast-paced world of entertainment. There is even a kind of mystique attached to the relationship between artistic gifts and addiction, making figures like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Michael Jackson, and Heath Ledger into icons of sacrifice, something strangely positive.

Drug use is different now, compared to one or two generations ago. The boomer generation who dabbled in drugs as a part of the 60s and 70s experience is shocked at the heroin use and alcohol abuse among youths today. Because of complex social forces, drug use is rampant. This type of cultural climate makes it a challenge for a parent who discovers that his teenager is using or behaving addictively. However, the challenge is not insurmountable. This book can help you negotiate the unique situations you may encounter as a parent of a child who struggles with addiction. With the proper education, information, strategies, and a bit of personal unlearning and re-learning, you will be able to navigate your way through the labyrinth of coping with teenage addiction.

At the conclusion of this book, youll find an appendix featuring interviews and case histories of people who have traveled a road similar to yours. The names have been changed and identifying details altered in order to protect the anonymity of those whose stories are told. Youll also find a wealth of additional resources to further assist you and your teen as you move out of the grips of addiction and into recovery.

Addiction and substance abuse can take many forms. There are multiple levels of drug and alcohol use, ranging from occasional experimentation to full-blown addictions. Its incredibly important to first determine the level of your childs dependency before you decide how to proceed. What if your teenagers drug use and behavior is just a passing phase instead of a complex addiction? This is an important distinction to make, as it may affect how you deal with the problem at hand and what type of treatment you choose for your teenager. It is also important to remember that dependence involves physiological changes that may lead to an addictive process. Repeated abuse of substances and addictive behaviors can develop into rigidly set habits, and either abusing or being dependent upon a substance or pursuit can diminish your teenagers ability to fully participate in and enjoy everyday life.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) notes that addiction is characterized by the inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with ones behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death.

Other definitions emphasize that the user continues to use the destructive substance despite knowing that it is causing harm. An important component of addiction is that the addicted behavior (drinking, etc.) becomes the primary focus of the addicts life. Work, significant relationships, and former enjoyable hobbies fall by the wayside, as the most important aim of the user is to keep the substance or behavior available. Two important hallmark elements are present with addictiondenial and the inability to stop. Most substance abusers or those who are addicted to destructive behavior will swear that they do not have a problem, and that they can stop at any time. This attitude makes it quite challenging for the addict to seek help and treatment, as she does not think she needs it. Why she is unable to stop using the substance or performing the troublesome behavior is a mystery, even to the addict. Sometimes she remembers her first drink of the day, for example, and then everything else is blank.