Teensavers: Home Drug Test Kits – Don’t be a parent in denial….
by Sue Scheff on Feb 04, 2012
Parent-Tested, Parent-Approved
I am asked almost weekly by parents about how they can drug test their teens. I am not a doctor and I can’t endorse any product that I haven’t personally used. I know many parents have used over the counter products from both Walgreens and CVS as well as have had their family doctors perform blood tests, if they have a cooperative teens (wink wink).
I was asked to share a recent press release with parents. Although I haven’t used this product, some of you may find it useful and may want to look further into it. I know these products are in high demand, and I also know a parent in denial is only going to harm your teen in the long run. If you suspect your child is using drugs, it is better to find out now, while you can get help. Don’t wait for addiction to knock on your door. Yes, addiction is treatable – death isn’t.
Teensavers® Home Drug Test Kit — #1 recommended by addiction specialists — now selling at CVS.com
Teensavers Diagnostics Inc. is proud to announce that CVS Pharmacy and CVS.com has added the entire family of Teensavers® Home Drug Test Kits.
“CVS.com and the CVS/Caremark family are absolute leaders in the home health care industry. Families rely on the CVS family for every day products and life saving prescriptions. We value the support that CVS.com has shown the Teensavers® family, including our family branded drug tests in their diagnostics category. We share the importance and enthusiasm for families looking to lead a healthy life,” said Teensavers Diagnostics Inc. President Steve Stahovich.
Teensavers Diagnostics Inc. created the Teensavers® Home Drug Test Kits with the family in mind. Government statistics show that 4,000 teens try drugs for the first time every day. 2,500 of those kids are experimenting with pills. Many parents are seeing the explosion of teen prescription drug use in our community. But they don’t know what to do about it. The Teensavers® Home Drug Test Kits can help detect possible opiate use. It can help deter kids from taking pills, prescribed for a legitimate patient, from the medicine cabinet to use recreationally.
“We are proud that parents can find our total family solution, from the same chain where they are getting their prescriptions. Just as any health ailment requires immediate attention, potential teen substance abuse requires the same immediate attention and care. Teensavers® Home Drug Test Kits provide more than a positive or negative result. Our complete kit helps parents understand through the entire process, whether it’s diagnosing the drug use, or finding the best solution for your family,” said Stahovich.
There are five different Teensavers® Home Drug Test Kits available on CVS.com ranging from a 1-panel (THC only) test to a comprehensive 12-panel test. The prices range from $16.99 to $39.99.
2011 Winner Parent Tested and Parent Approved
Stahovich says choosing the right test is based on alert and informed parenting. Stahovich says, “Choosing the right drug test kit not only depends on your family and the child’s exposure to drugs, but the drug culture of the community. It is critical for parents to be proactive by talking with other parents in the neighborhood, finding out about drug issues in the schools, and within the community. Some communities have marijuana and cocaine problems. We are seeing an explosion of prescription drug abuse across most of the country. Parents may want complete tests for popular pills. Proper home drug testing involves pro-active parenting”
The Teensavers® Home Drug Test Kit is 99.9% accurate, made in America, and approved for over-the-counter sales by the FDA. The test is endorsed by America’s Parenting Coach, Tim Chapman, a 30-year treatment veteran. The Teensavers® Home Drug Test Kit was recently named a 2011 “Top Products” Winner by Parent Tested, Parent Approved, one of the most reliable and valuable online resources for parents.
===Product Specs===
– 1-panel ($16.99) Marijuana (THC) test.
– 3-panel ($21.99), screens for Marijuana, Cocaine, and Methamphetamine.
– 5-panel ($25.99) screens for the previous three drugs, plus Oxycodone and Opiates.
– 7-panel ($29.99) screens for the previous 5 drugs plus Benzodiazepines and Ecstasy (MDMA.)
– 12-panel test ($39.99) is the most comprehensive Teensavers® Home Drug Test Kit. It screens for Marijuana, Cocaine, PCP, Opiates, Amphetamines, Methamphetamine, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines, Oxycodone, Methadone, Ecstasy (MDMA), and Tricyclic Antidepressants.
# # #Founded by President Steve Stahovich, a long time recovery and addiction specialist, Teensavers Diagnostics Inc. (http://myteensavers.com) is an ally to parents who suspect their teen may be using narcotics. We are the latest generation in home drug testing kits, offering a total solution, and not just results. We are endorsed by America’s Parenting Coach, Tim Chapman, founder of Chapman House.
Tags: At Risk Teens, Drug Abuse, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, peer pressure, Struggling Teens, Substance Abuse, Teen Drug Abuse, Teen drug addiction, Teen Drug Use, Teen Help, Teen Help Programs, teen home drug test kits, Teen Issues, Teensavers
Problem Teens, Teen Help and Parents Searching the Internet
by Sue Scheff on Jan 09, 2012
When is enough - enough?
Second semester. Some teens have had enough. They don’t want to go to school anymore. They believe they know it all. It is easier to get a GED, after all, some of their so-called friend are doing it!
Your once happy, bouncing toddler that strolled into kindergarten, brought that artwork home for your refrigerator, and may have end participated in the school plays has now decided that hanging out with a new group of peers that are less than what you would have selected for them, is their thing….
As much as you are trying to ignore or just say it is a phase, you notice your teen is withdrawing from the family, failing in school, smell alcohol, maybe even marijuana, cigarettes, and overall have become a child you no longer recognize with a personality that is defiant and totally disrespectful the the family boundaries – what do you do?
Most parents try local therapy – which is a great first step, but when happens when therapy doesn’t work? You can’t be afraid to take that next step! A parent in a denial only harms your teenager. Don’t be held hostage in your home by your teen’s behavior.
Sending a child to a residential program/school is a major decision. It is not one to be taken lightly or to be decided on overnight.
Usually a teen’s behavior has been slowly escalating and a parent knows that deep down things are not getting better. As much as you hope and pray that things will change, this is only typical teen behavior, sometimes it just isn’t.
With drug use and substance abuse rising – more dangerous and deadly ingredients being used, such as spice and inhalants, parents have reason to be concerned. It isn’t your marijuana of generations prior – it is so much worse and in many cases – addictive and deadly.
If you have reached your wit’s end and now surfing the Internet for help, remember, anyone can build a website. Anyone can put up nice pictures and create great content. You need to do your due diligence.
Years ago I struggled with my own teenager. I was at my wit’s end. I didn’t realize what a big business this “teen help industry” was. Yes, my child needed help, but what we received was anything but that. My story is a cautionary tale – not one to scare you into not using a program, however on the contrary, you have to get your child help, but you have to do your research in getting them the right help.
You can do it without spending thousands!
Here are some quick tips:
- Your child is not for sale, try to avoid those marketing arms selling you a list of programs that are not in the best interest of your child’s individual needs.
- Always speak with an owner or director – Someone that has a vested in your teen’s recovery. Their reputation is on the line.
- Wilderness and other short term programs are usually nothing more than a band-aid that will fall off as quickly as the program lasted. They are expensive camping trips and in most cases the Wilderness program will tell you at about 4 weeks that your teen will need to continue on to a longer term program. What? Yes, now you go back to the research board and worse than that, your teen will be deflated when he finds out he/she isn’t coming home in 6-9 weeks as they were lead to believe – and they will be starting all over again with a new therapist – new schedule – and new setting. Don’t get caught up in this “shuffle.” Start and finish with the same school/program.
- The average stay should be about 6-9-12 months, depending on your teen. Anything less is probably non-effective. Anything more, you may be creating abandonment issues in my opinion.
- Do you really need an Educational Consultant? Absolutely not. You are the parent and no one knows your teen better than you do – with a few tips, you will be able to make some sound choices.
For more helpful hint and tips, please contact www.HelpYourTeens.com for a free consultation. After the ordeal I went through, I created this advocacy organization to help educate parents on finding safe and quality programs.
Join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter for more information and educational articles on parenting today’s teenagers.
Tags: At Risk Teens, Boarding Schools, Defiant Teens, Difficult Teens, Educational Consultants, Entitlement Issues, good kids bad choices, High School Dropouts, IECA, NATSAP, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Problem Teens, Residential Treatment Centers, Struggling Teens, Teen Help, Therapeutic Boarding Schools, Troubled Teens, Wits End
Teen Drinking Prevention: Alcohol Screening – Intervention for Youths
by Sue Scheff on Oct 25, 2011
If you manage the health and well-being of 9- to 18-year-olds, this Guide is for you.
“Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention for Youth: A Practitioner’s Guide” is designed to help health care professionals quickly identify youth at risk for alcohol-related problems. NIAAA developed the Guide and Pocket Guide in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics, a team of underage drinking researchers and clinical specialists, and practicing health care professionals.
Why use this tool?
- It can detect risk early: In contrast to other screens that focus on established alcohol problems, this early detection tool aims to help you prevent alcohol-related problems in your patients before they start or address them at an early stage.
- It’s empirically based: The screening questions and risk scale, developed through primary survey research, are powerful predictors of current and future negative consequences of alcohol use.
- It’s fast and versatile: The screen consists of just two questions, which can be incorporated easily into patient interviews or pre-visit screening tools across the care spectrum, from annual exams to urgent care.
- It’s the first tool to include friends’ drinking: The “friends” question will help you identify patients at earlier stages of alcohol involvement and target advice to include the important risk of friends’ drinking.
Download or order the Guide and pocket guide.
You may also be interested in related resources to support you, your patients, and their families
Join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter for more information and educational articles on parenting today’s teenagers.
Tags: Alcoholism, Parenting, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Teen Depression, Teen Drug Use, Teen Help, Teen Help Programs, Teen Issues, Teenage Drinking, Teens Drinking
Teen Help: When Your Teen is Simply OUT-OF-CONTROL
by Sue Scheff on Oct 11, 2011
What happens when your teen just won't listen to you anymore?
Summer is over – school is into their first quarter and your teen’s behavior is only escalating! You are soon driven to your wit’s end!
When a parent is reaching their wit’s end, they are most at risk for making mistakes – mistakes that can cost them financially as well as emotionally.
Good kids – bad choices: Where did my innocent toddler go?
When therapy isn’t working
- This is not a science, in most cases when a belligerent, defiant and entitled teen is faced with a therapist or counselor, they will either close up like a clam, or tell the most amusing stories – which can be called – manipulation.
- Did you know it was your fault? It really isn’t, but in some cases the teen can actually convince a therapist that it is the parents that have the problem, not them. Again, another example of manipulation.
- Are you ready for a residential program?
- Have you exhausted all your local options?
- How do you know if you truly need a residential boarding school/program?
How to be a perfect parent
- There is no such thing as a perfect parent; however there is such a thing as being an educated parent. This is not about book smarts or academics; it is about first hand experiences from parents that have been where you are.
- Becoming an educated parent in the teen help industry is possible with time and due diligence.
Blame Game
- Not my kid, it is the kids he/she is hanging with.
- My child was caught with pot, but he swears it was his friend’s.
- It’s the schools fault.
- If I only had sent him to another school.
- If I only had given into the cell phone.
- His grandparents spoil him rotten.
- When safety trumps privacy. When is it appropriate to read your teen’s journal, text messages, emails, social networking sites etc?
The differences between Boot Camps – Wilderness – TBS – RTC – Click here.
Making sure your teen is not out of their element – Click here.
How to make the calls to parent references – Click here.
- If you could change one thing about the program, what would it be?
- Be sure to get references of the same gender and age. Important to compare apples to apples.
- Can always get off the list by asking the parent if they know of any other parents they can talk to.
Will my teen hate me? – NO – initially, they may have a lot of anger and resentment – but choosing the right program that fits your teen’s individual needs should stimulate them in a positive direction.
Order today!
You are not alone!!!! Learn more about the possibility of sending your teen to residential therapy by ordering, Wit’s End! Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out-of-Control-Teen.
By not doing anything, you are not being a responsible parent – there may come a time – when that one hour once a week is simply not enough to make significant positive changes.
Get a free consultation today at www.HelpYourTeens.com.
Join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter for more information and educational articles on parenting today’s teenagers.
Tags: Boot Camps, Military Schools, Parenting, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Books, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Residential Therapy, Residential Treatment Center, Sue Scheff, Therapeutic Boarding Schools, Troubled Teens, Wilderness Programs, Wits End
Red Ribbon Campaign: Help Stop Teen Drug Use
by Sue Scheff on Oct 07, 2011
Did you know: Children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are 42% less likely to use drugs than those who don’t, yet only a quarter of teens report having these conversations.
SAMHSA invites you to participate in the 26th annual Red Ribbon Week.
Red Ribbon Week—the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the Nation—is a way for people and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drugs. This year’s theme, “It’s Up to Me To Be Drug Free,” reminds us that we each share individual responsibility in creating a drug-free environment.
WHAT IS RED RIBBON WEEK?
It is an ideal way for people and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drugs. Show your personal commitment to a drug-free lifestyle through the symbol of the Red Ribbon, October 23 – 31st.
WHY?
The Red Ribbon Campaign was started when drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered DEA agent Kiki Camarena in 1985. This began the continuing tradition of displaying Red Ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the use of drugs. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a DRUG-FREE AMERICA.
WHO?
The National Family Partnership is the national sponsor of the Red Ribbon Campaign. We are helping citizens across the state come together to keep children, families and communities safe, healthy and drug-free, through parent training, networking and sponsoring the National Red Ribbon Campaign.
WHY SUPPORT THE NATIONAL THEME?
A theme unifies each year’s campaign and helps to broadcast one message creating a tipping point to change behavior.
HOW?
Plan a Red Ribbon celebration. Order and display Red Ribbon materials with the National Red Ribbon Theme. Proceeds from the sale of Red Ribbon theme merchandise helps support prevention programs across America. Order for your family, students, staff, patients, employees and customers and encourage them to wear the Red Ribbon symbol during Red Ribbon Week, October 23rd-31st.
Sponsored by National Family Partnership.
Join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter for more information and educational articles on parenting today’s teenagers.
Tags: Drug Prevention, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Red Ribbon Campaign, Teen Depression, Teen Drug Use, Teen Help, Teen substance abuse, Teens using drugs, Troubled Teens
Momtourage: Parent Chat on Parenting Teens -No Mom Can Do It Alone
by Sue Scheff on Apr 27, 2011
Join me April 28th, 6pm – 8pm EST on www.Momtourage.com for a parenting chat and QA forum!
Are you at your wits end with your teenager? Are you having trouble communicating, disciplining and enforcing rules? We’ve seen your questions in our Q&A tool and we’ve got expert help for you. Join Sue Sheff, parent advocate and author of Wit’s End! A Parent’s True Story, Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out-of-Control Teen who will be on hand in our Q&A tool answering your questions about helping teens who are behaving badly.
Sue knows personally the turmoil mother’s experience when their household is being disrupted by bad teen behavior. Out of desperation she turned to teen specialty schools and behavior modification programs for her own daughter but that only worsened the situation. If you have questions about helping your teen before you reach your breaking point, talk to Sue. If you’ve been considering alternative education or therapy for your unruly teen, talk to Sue.
Sue Scheff has been featured on ABC News, 20/20, The Rachel Ray Show, Dr. Phil, CBS Nightly News with Katie Couric, Lifetime, Fox News, CBC, BBC, CNN Headline News, InSession Court TV and noted in major publications as USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Miami Herald, Forbes, Sun-Sentinel, Asian Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, LA Times and many more.
In 2001, Sue founded and created Parents’ Universal Resource Expert (P.U.R.E.) and has been helping families with at-risk teens for over a decade. Her specialty is educating parents on the daunting industry of teen help and locating safe and quality residential programs when parents are at their wit’s end.
Here’s how it works: Just sign in to Momtourage.com and post your question starting with “ASK SUE” beginning at 5:45 p.m. Sue will be live in our tool from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. responding to questions and helping moms.
Tags: Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Sue Scheff, Teen Help, Teen Issues, Troubled Teens, Wits End
Teen Drug Use Increases According to New Study
by Sue Scheff on Apr 06, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Embargoed: April 6, 2011, 12:01 a.m. EDT
Shocking new study: Teen Drug on the Rise
Josie Feliz: (212) 973-3505
Candice Besson: (212) 973-3517
On the Web: drugfree.org
National Study Confirms Teen Drug Use Trending in Wrong Direction: Marijuana, Ecstasy Use Up Since 2008, Parents Feel Ill-Equipped To Respond
62 Percent of Teens Who Reported Alcohol Use Had First Drink by Age 15
New York, NY – April 6, 2011 – Following a decade of steady declines, a new national study released today by The Partnership at Drugfree.org and MetLife Foundation indicates that teen drug and alcohol use is headed in the wrong direction, with marked increases in teen use of marijuana and Ecstasy over the past three years. The 22nd annual Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), sponsored by MetLife Foundation, affirms a disturbing trend that has emerged among American teens since 2008 and highlights that as underage drinking becomes more normalized among adolescents, parents feel unable to respond to the negative shifts in teen drug and alcohol use.
According to the three-year trend confirmed in this year’s 2010 PATS data, there was a significant 67 percent increase in the number of teens who reported using Ecstasy in the past year (from 6 percent in 2008 to 10 percent in 2010). Similarly, past-year marijuana use among teens increased by a disturbing 22 percent (from 32 percent in 2008 to 39 percent in 2010).
Youth Drinking More Normalized: Majority of Teens Surveyed Report First Alcohol Drink by Age 15
The new data underscore alarming patterns in early adolescent alcohol use and found that teens view drinking alcohol – even heavy drinking – as less risky than using other substances.
- Of those teens who reported alcohol use, a majority (62 percent) said they had their first full alcoholic drink by age 15, not including sipping or tasting alcohol.
- Of those teens who reported alcohol use, one in four (25 percent), said they drank a full alcoholic drink for the first time by age 12 or younger.
- Among teens who reported drinking alcohol, the average age of first alcohol use was 14.
“As teen drug and alcohol use take a turn for the worse, a heavier burden is placed squarely on the shoulders of parents – who need to take an active role in preventing substance abuse in their families, take action if they suspect their child is using and get immediate help for a child who has developed a problem with drugs or drinking,” said Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org. “We are troubled, but not completely surprised, by these numbers because, in schools and communities across the country, support for drug education and prevention programs has been cut drastically due to budgetary pressures.”
Teens See Little Risk in Heavy Drinking; Parents Feel They Can’t Stop Risky Behavior
Weak perceptions of risk and a perceived “normalization” of underage drinking underlie the PATS survey data on adolescent alcohol use.
- Almost half of teens (45 percent) reported they do not see a “great risk” in heavy daily drinking.
- Only 31 percent of teens strongly disapprove of teens and peers their age getting drunk.
- A majority of teens, seven out of 10 (73 percent), report having friends who drink alcohol at least once a week.
While the number one reason teens reported using alcohol is that they think “it’s fun to drink” (60 percent), a significant number of teens reported using alcohol to deal with stress.
- One in three (32 percent) teens said they drank “to forget their troubles.”
- Almost one in four (24 percent) said they used alcohol to help them “deal with problems at home.”
- One in five (20 percent) teens reported they drank to “deal with the pressures and stress of school.”
It’s important to note that teens who begin drinking before the age of 15 are much more likely than other teens to develop problems with alcohol as adults.[1]
The PATS survey also found that parents feel unprepared to respond to underage drinking by their children. Almost a third of parents (28 percent) feel “there is very little parents can do to prevent their kids from trying alcohol.” One in three teens (32 percent) thinks their parents would be ok if they drank beer once in a while; yet only one in ten parents agrees with teens drinking beer at a party.
“These findings should serve as a call to action for parents,” said Dennis White, President and CEO of MetLife Foundation. “We encourage parents and caregivers to pay attention to the warning signs of teen drinking and other drug use, in order to intervene early and effectively. If you suspect a problem, do not wait to get help for a child who is struggling with substance abuse or addiction.”
Time To Get Help: Resource to Help Parents Intervene and Get Treatment for Addiction in Their Families
For parents who suspect or know their child is using drugs or alcohol, The Partnership at Drugfree.org created Time To Get Help, a first-of-its-kind website and online community to provide parents of teens and young adults with lifesaving information when families are in crisis and facing a child’s addiction.
With teen drug and alcohol use on the rise, the likelihood that more young people will need treatment increases. Of the nine million American teens and young adults needing treatment, two million are between the ages of 12-17, and ninety percent of those are not getting the help they need.[2]
Time To Get Help offers parents and caregivers comprehensive insight into adolescent alcohol and drug abuse, dependence and addiction; support from top experts and other parents who have been there; and treatment options for their child and family.
No Improvement in Teen Abuse of Rx/OTC Drugs, Inhalants, Cigarettes, Meth, Cocaine/Crack, Heroin
According to the PATS survey, teen abuse of prescription (Rx) medicines continues to be an area of major concern, with abuse rates holding steady and at levels that should be worrisome to parents. The data found one in four teens (25 percent) reported taking a prescription drug not prescribed to them by a doctor at least once in their lives, and more than one in five teens (23 percent) used a prescription pain reliever not prescribed to them by a doctor. Teen past-year use of over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine has remained at roughly one in ten (11 percent).
Past-year teen inhalant abuse remains at 10 percent, yet only 60 percent of teens strongly agree that “sniffing or huffing things to get high can kill you,” significantly less than the 70 percent of teens who said the same in 2008. Inhalant abuse merits careful monitoring – as teen attitudes towards inhalant abuse weaken, abuse is more likely to increase.
Teen smoking rates have remained stable with 27 percent of teens reporting smoking cigarettes in the past month. Among teens, past-year methamphetamine use is holding at 5 percent and cocaine/crack is at 9 percent. Teen use of heroin use remains low at 4 percent for lifetime use.
For more information, or to view the full PATS report, please visit drugfree.org.
PATS Methodology
The 22nd annual national study of 2,544 teens in grades 9-12 and 831 parents is nationally projectable with a +/- 3.6 percent margin of error for the teen sample and +/- 3.4 percent for the parent sample. Conducted for The Partnership at Drugfree.org and MetLife Foundation by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications the 2010 PATS teen survey was administered in private, public and parochial schools, while the parent survey was conducted through in-home interviews by deKadt Marketing and Research, Inc.
# # # #
About The Partnership at Drugfree.org
The Partnership at Drugfree.org is a nonprofit organization that helps parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children. Bringing together renowned scientists, parent experts and communications professionals, this public health nonprofit translates current research on teen behavior, parenting, addiction and treatment into easy to understand resources at drugfree.org. The organization also reaches families through its community education programs which focus on local drug and alcohol issues of concern for parents, youth and the Hispanic community. The Partnership at Drugfree.org depends on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and the public sector and is thankful to SAG/AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity.
About MetLife Foundation
For over 20 years, MetLife Foundation has provided support for initiatives focusing on substance abuse prevention and education. Since 1999, the Foundation has collaborated with The Partnership at Drugfree.org on a national public awareness campaign to help parents and caregivers communicate with children about the risks of drug use. MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 by MetLife to carry on its long-standing tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. For more information about the Foundation, visit metlife.org.
[1] DeWit, J. Adlaf, E. et al. (2000) Age at First Alcohol Use: A Risk Factor for the Development of Alcohol Disorders, Am J Psychiatry 157:745-750.
[2] 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (SAMHSA)
Tags: At Risk Teens, Parenting, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Tips, Struggling Teens, Sue Scheff, Teen Drinking, Troubled Teens, Underage Drinking
Teen Drinking: Dangerous Drinking Games
by Sue Scheff on Apr 01, 2011
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, it is also a time when proms and graduation party plans are underway. Teen drinking is illegal – don’t be fooled by home parties.
Teen drinking is not a game!
A modest meeting amongst friends on campus can be enhanced immeasurably with the introduction of a fun, buzz-inducing drinking game. Of course, drinking in general is associated with the college experience, in which young adults assert their independence by going buck wild. Such behavior usually comes with the lack of a true understanding of the consequences of alcohol, and thus reckless behavior — albeit fun behavior — ensues. Consequently, some drinking games can turn a lively shindig into a deadly or at least vomit-inducing debacle. Here are a few to avoid if you value the function of your liver (or eyeball).
- Vodka Eyeballing: Originating in the UK, the Vodka Eyeballing craze has spread across the Atlantic Ocean thanks to YouTube, and now it’s catching on with numbskull American teens and college students. Unlike other drinking games, the feared repercussion isn’t alcohol poisoning; it’s the potential of losing eyesight. Vodka eyeballers test their eyeball’s strength by pouring vodka directly onto it with the purpose of achieving a quicker buzz. The results can be less than pleasant, however, as the potent liquor causes the removal of eye’s protective membrane covering, burning and scarring the cornea.
- Power Hour: Partaking in Power Hour is a great way to end the night drowning in a pool of your own vomit. Traditionally, participants in the game take a shot of beer each minute for 60 minutes, ending the hour completely sloshed — if they’re not sloshed much earlier. The rate of consumption at which participants are required to drink can be very unhealthy, especially if they’re small in size. The rapid increase in blood alcohol content ensures a quicker buzz, thus making the game an extremely difficult one to conquer.
- 21 for 21: Power Hour has inspired a couple of offshoot games — 21 for 21 and 60 Seconds, neither of which are any less dangerous. In the case of 21 for 21, it exclusively occurs on a participant’s 21st birthday, a night of heavy drinking regardless of whether or not drinking games are involved. At the behest of one of their friends, the birthday boy or girl downs 21 shots of liquor or mixed drinks. It’s a way to celebrate a rite of passage, making the most of their first night of legal drinking. But overdoing it can trigger tragic results; there are numerous documented cases of people dying of alcohol poisoning on their 21st birthdays, including one who apparently played 21 for 21.
- 60 Seconds: Sixty Seconds is the game of choice for wannabe speed drinkers looking to prove their mettle while in the presence of their drinking buddies. Each player selects a number between one and 60, chugging a pint continuously for a minute when the second hand on the clock passes their number. The game proceeds until there’s one person left standing, which usually is the problem. Just like its forerunner Power Hour, 60 Seconds causes each player’s blood alcohol content to rise quickly, and as you probably know, rapid consumption can produce dire results.
- Edward Fortyhands: When Edward Fortyhands was “in” on college campuses a few years ago, it was met with resistance by opponents of youth alcohol abuse. Notably, the chairman of the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Joseph Califano, made it explicitly clear that participants could be rewarded with a trip to the morgue. The game — if you’re not already familiar with it — is a race in which each participant strives to finish two forty-ounce bottles of malt liquor that are duct-taped to their hands. The inability of participants to use their hands, particularly when they need to use the bathroom, motivates them to finish fast. In some circles, upon finishing, participants must break the bottles to free themselves. So not only do they face the danger of quickly chugging a beverage with high alcohol content, but, while in their drunken stupors, their hands become recklessly operated weapons equipped with shards of glass.
- Beat the Barman: You may notice that most games on this list are simple and to the point. None of them require a lot of thinking — just a lot of booze. Set in your favorite not-so-crowded bar, Beat the Barman involves cash, a cool bartender, quick drinking and that’s it. Each participant separately orders a shot from the bartender, pays in more cash than its worth, and finishes it off before the bartender returns with change. The process repeats until a drinker falls over or the bar closes. In other words, there really are no winners; alcohol poisoning is a distinct possibility. Beat the Barman is also dangerous because the participants, in most cases, partake in the game at a bar that?s beyond walking distance from home.
- Beer Race: A singe match of Beer Race won’t cause major harm to a participant, but nobody plays just one match — and therein lies the problem. Each participant chugs a full pint of beer hoping to finish first, proving their superior manhood or womanhood — usually manhood. The first finisher indicates they’re the winner by putting their empty glass on their head, and everyone else must follow by doing the same with their unfinished glasses. In most cases, the competitive spirits of the participants override reason, and they play until they’re lying unconscious in a pool of their own vomit — pools of vomit are common parts of these games — ironically stripping them of their manly or womanly pride.
- Kill the Keg: Once “Kill the Keg!” is screamed by a fellow partygoer, participation is immediate and mandatory. A few lucky guys and gals line up at the keg and down the remaining beer goodness. Of course, the actual luckiness of the guys and gals is highly dependent on when “Kill the Keg!” is yelled and how many thirsty people are attending the party. If partygoers are called to action at 9 p.m., for example, when just a handful of people are hanging around and the keg is full, then the game is much, much less enjoyable.
- Dead Man Walk: If your primary goal is to get messed up as quick as possible, ignoring the process by which you reach that end, then Dead Man Walk is the game for you. The title is self-explanatory: participants take a drink for each step they make, seeing who can walk the farthest without face-planting. Because someone inevitably does faceplant, the game yields painful results. The authors of the game — drinking game authors are always looking out for the greater good — urge participants not to drink spirits, as the use of them “will probably result in a premature death.” Sound advice.
- Death Ring: Death Ring is a fittingly ominous title. The rules of the game are slightly complicated, so we’ll refrain from detailing them here, but they are included in the link. Hopefully, the people dumb enough to partake in it are also too dumb to consistently follow the rules. The game requires a deck of cards and a few cases of beer, which tend to disappear quickly as each player takes about umpteen drinks during each of their turns. If participants escape death, they’ll undoubtedly wake up the next day feeling like death.
Tags: Alcohol Awareness Month, At Risk Teens, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Sue Scheff, Teen Drinking, Teen Help, Teen Issues, Underage Drinking
Troubled Teens and Teen Help for Parents
by Sue Scheff on Feb 28, 2011
Parents of at-risk teens have many common thoughts, here are some of them:
My daughter is so smart, she is highly intelligent.
My son is extremely handsome, very athletic and always had lots of friends.
My daughter is beautiful, was the captain of her cheerleading team etc….
My son has an IQ of 170, yet is failing.
My daughter wants to drop out of high school.
My son wants to get his GED and is not attending school.
My daughter made the varsity team and yet dropped out.
My son was swim captain and now was asked to leave the team. (He was caught with pot, but said it was his friends.
My daughter smokes pot, but it is only recreational.
My son likes to drink beer, but it isn’t all the time.
Excuses for parents:
It is the friends he/she is hanging with.
The teacher doesn’t like my son/daughter.
The school has zero tolerance.
His father isn’t around enough.
The coach expects too much.
If it wasn’t for this one neighbor, we wouldn’t have these issues.
Okay, these lists could go on for a long time but at the end of the day, week, month, year – it is YOUR son/daughter making the choice to hang with a certain friend, be a part of an undesirable peer group, and smoke that joint with a swig of alcohol!
Parents that continue to live in this ship of denial will end up with many regrets.
Parent that believe that sending their teen to a residential therapy program for help is a sign of their (the parent’s) failure, are very much mistaken.
Parents that hope and pray things will change – we only wish them the best, in some (very rare) situations, it will get better.
Parents that believe changing schools will make a difference, think twice.
Parents that literally move and believe things will change with a fresh start, think again.
Like adults that attempt to run from their problems, your teens are no different. If they are struggling now, chances are very good they will be struggling shortly after the change again.
HelpYourTeens.com
You are not a failure, this is not your fault – and it is time to stop the blaming and start the healing. After exhausting all your local resources – it may be time to find outside help, and that can mean residential.
True, you don’t want to put your teen in a program that houses hard-core teens, but it is also true you need to find a program that has strong emotional growth (clinical), fully accredited academically (don’t miss out on an education), as well as the critical component of enrichment programs. You need to find the passion in your teen to help stimulate them to a positive direction in life.
Learn more by visiting www.helpyourteens.com.
Residential Treatment Centers (RTC), Therapeutic Boarding Schools (TBS), Emotional Growth Programs, Wilderness Programs, State Funded Programs, Programs for Low-Income, Boot Camps, Scared Straight Programs, Tough Love, Summer Camps, Short Term Programs, Traditional Boarding Schools, Military Schools, Reform Schools, JAIL.
Tags: At Risk Teens, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Sue Scheff, Teen Help, Teen Issues, Troubled Teens, Wits End
Teen Drinking: Underage Drinking Getting a Pass on Football Days?
by Sue Scheff on Dec 30, 2010
Jacksonville Florida, college football and a few beers.
Sounds great if you are of legal age to drink.
Usually getting caught with a beer while under the legal drinking age in Jacksonville means a trip to the courthouse and leaving with $300 to $400 in fines. However when football or Gator Bowl day or Florida-Georgia day comes around, that same fine is reduced to $75.00.
According to the St. Augustine Record, prosecutors and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office say it’s a necessary evil to prevent overcrowding in the jail and avoid over-penalizing a minor offense that’s committed mostly by out-of-state college students. But some advocates say it sends the wrong message about the consequences for drinking illegally.
Todd Rosenbaum, executive director of MADD Florida, praised Jacksonville’s traditional efforts to combat drunk driving and underage drinking and said he didn’t understand why they would offer a different penalty during the games.
“This is a huge issue, and it’s disappointing not to have the ability to enforce it the same way as they do the rest of the year,” Rosenbaum said. “We would advocate for tougher penalties to include removing the person from the venue, to let everyone know it’s a serious issue.”
Although there are some parents that are believe it is only one day and not a big deal, you will find more parents like Sarah from Ponte Vedra Beach, who believes that MADD has a valid point to show the other kids that underage drinking is not acceptable. “If my 17 year-old son was caught drinking at the game, I would want him to be removed safely. My biggest concern is people driving drunk and many of the kids don’t realize when too much is too much,” says Sarah.
Buzzed driving is drunk driving. If your teen or anyone under the legal age has just a couple of drinks, their driving will be impaired. You are risking not only your child’s life, but the life of thousands of others on the road.
Statistic: This year, 10,839 people will die in drunk-driving crashes – one every 50 minutes. – MADD
Tags: At Risk Teens, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Sue Scheff, Teen Drinking, Teen Help, Teen Issues
![[Valid RSS]](valid-rss-rogers.png "Validate my RSS feed")