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
Family Conflict: 10 Signs a Parent is Upset with their Teenager
by Sue Scheff on Jan 24, 2012
Raising teens today can be contentious and get your blood pressure boiling. The lack of respect towards parents and most authority is very disturbing in today’s society. I often say the sense of entitlement issue can be a large cause of today’s defiant teens. Either way, parents are struggling with kids that are literally holding parents hostage in their own homes.
Here is a great guest post by Barbara Williams:
Working as a nanny can be a rewarding and fulfilling job for people who love children. However, getting along with the parents can sometimes be a challenge. The important thing to remember is, no matter how much you love the children, the parents are the boss. You need to make sure they are happy with your work because the parents are ones signing your paychecks. It might not always be obvious that you’re doing something to displease them, so here are 10 signs a parent is upset with you.
- Not speaking – Some parents aren’t good at communicating their displeasure so they’ll give you the silent treatment. Instead of a light banter at the end of the day they’ll only answer direct questions with short terse statements. If this starts happening you better find out if you did something wrong or if they’re just having a bad day.
- Exasperated sighs – Another unspoken sign a parent is upset with you is the exasperated sigh. Nannies who hear this better be on their toes. You should probably find out what the parent is unhappy about.
- Facial expressions – It’s important for nannies to be able to read the parent’s facial expressions. A furrowed brow or tenseness around the mouth could be a sign you did something wrong.
- Schedule a talk – When parents tell you they want to schedule a little talk, you may be in trouble. They may say something about having to go over a few things or the need to reevaluate your duties. Uh-oh!
- Send you home early – Another sign you made them unhappy is when they send you home early for no apparent reason. This could mean they are so upset they don’t even want to have you around.
- Day off for no reason – Getting an unscheduled day off could seem like a good thing at first, but you might want to beware. This could mean the parents are reevaluating your position. They may even be scheduling interviews with other potential nannies.
- Unreasonable demands – Some parents will do just the opposite and start making unreasonable demands when they’re upset with you. This could be their way of punishing you for whatever misdeeds you’ve done.
- Exaggerated niceness – Some parents will express their displeasure by treating you with exaggerated niceness. This forced and fake kindness that is dripping with sarcasm is a clear sign they’re upset.
- Kids tell you – Of course kids don’t have filters on their expressions like adults do, so they are more likely to tell you when their parents are upset and why. Nannies can often rely on the children to let something slip if there’s a problem the parents won’t tell them about.
- They tell you – Of course the best way to find out a parent is upset with you is for them to tell you. It’s much better for them to let you know right away if you’re doing something they don’t like so you can rectify the situation.
Everyone handles conflict differently and some people are very uncomfortable with confrontations. They’ll do anything to avoid unpleasantness. The best thing to do is have good communication between both the parents and the nannies. It’s not good to let problems fester when they can re resolved quickly and amicably. Nannies should watch for these signs that the parents are upset and work hard to resolve the situation.
Source: Find a Babysitter
Join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter for more information and educational articles on parenting today’s teenagers.
Tags: At Risk Teens, Defiant Teens, Disrespectful Teens, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Problem Teens, Teen Help, Teen Issues, Troubled Teens, Wits End
Horizon Academy – Red River Academy – Specialty Boarding Schools or Not?
by Sue Scheff on Jan 12, 2012
Who do you trust behind the screen?
Troubled teens, teen help, struggling teens, at-risk teens, problem teens, difficult teens, boot camps, military schools, behavior modification, specialty schools, specialty programs, teen help programs, boarding schools, residential treatment centers, residential therapy, emotional growth programs, therapeutic boarding schools, wilderness programs, defiant teens, manipulative teens, disengaged from the family, family conflict, hopelessness, WIT’S END….
You have about reached your wit’s end when you are searching the web and typing in about every keyword you believe describes what you think you are looking for. Glorified websites appear – maybe some not so beautiful, maybe you want a Christian setting, maybe you think a good boot camp or have that traditional thinking of an old fashioned military school…. however you will soon realize this isn’t 50 years ago. There are legitimate residential therapeutic schools today and it is a parent job to do their research to be sure they find a safe and quality program that fits their individual needs.
After hours – days – even weeks (I have actually spoken to parents that have spent months) on the Internet, sometimes the confusion can deepen, which is why I did create Parents’ Universal Resource Experts.
With this – I am only sharing my own experiences…. and it has to do with the affiliated programs with the title of this Blog….
Are you confused yet? Looking for teen help and realizing this is a BIG BUSINESS?
So, your teen is driving your crazy. You are at your wit’s end. You have finally decided you need outside help. You have exhausted all your local resources. Local therapy doesn’t help, heck, you can’t even get your teen to attend. Your teen is failing in school, he/she is very smart yet doesn’t want to attend school and believe they know it all. Many say, “typical teen“, but as a parent, we know it is more than that.
Where did our good kid go? Good kids making bad choices – and they don’t need to be placed in an environment that will make them worse in my opinion – learn from what happened to me!
As a victim of the WWASPS organization – I am often called or receive many emails about our (my daughter and I) experiences with them. Obviously not pleasant. Though I am happy to say the program she was at, Carolina Springs Academy, which attempted to go through a name change to Magnolia Christian Academy (or School) depending on the day you Googled it, is finally closed – it has been rumored some of the staff is now at their affiliate program – Red River Academy.
Let me be clear for legal purposes – these are rumors – but if I were placing my child in program, I personally wouldn’t take any chances – and furthermore, Red River Academy is clearly named in the current lawsuit which is extremely disturbing with allegations of fraud, abuse, neglect and much more – (click here) that is current.
Then we come to Horizon Academy. Another alleged WWASPS facility. Why say alleged? Maybe they will deny they are affiliated – yet look at their staff, again, you will see they were once employed at other WWASPS programs. Jade Robinson was at the program in Mexico (named in that lawsuit with alleged abuse and neglect) Casa By the Sea, then went on to Bell Academy, which didn’t last long, and I assume is trying to continue at Horizon Academy.
So when the “sales rep” tells you that “Sue Scheff” is a disgruntled parent – I say – YES, I was – you put my daughter in a box for 17 hours, she was mentally and emotionally abused – food and sleep deprived – I was complete defrauded – and she also missed out on 6 months of education. None of which I had signed up for. Grant it, this was 10 years ago – a lot has changed – but those original owners haven’t – so in my humble opinion – I wouldn’t trust any of their programs with my pets….. BTW: I am the only parent to have defeated WWASPS in a jury trial.
Most of the other (many) lawsuits have settled out of court with silence agreements. I don’t have one, which is why I can still share my story – which is why I get slimed online – which is why their sales reps have all sorts of stories about me – including “the jury made a mistake” – neglecting to tell you I won the appellate court too. No one condones child abuse – period.
I have been called a crusader (and not in a flattering way) though I take it that way. I have made it my mission to find the better programs and schools, since I do know what it is like to be at your wit’s end. I know what parents need help. I am not against residential therapy, which brings us to many of my stalkers that were formally abused in programs that believe all programs should be closed down. That is being extreme – they are not a parent trying to save their child’s life and future.
I will share with you that there are more safe and quality programs than there are bad ones – it is just about doing your homework and research. Today you are more fortunate than I was – you have more access to information and you can learn from my mistakes and my knowledge.
Please – take 10 minutes to read my story and see the list of programs that are and were once affiliated with Carolina Springs Academy – and from there, you make your own choices for your child.
I had one parent that almost went to Red River Academy that actually said the sales rep said they could have their teen “extracted” within a few hours? Extracted? Really – is your child a tooth? Please don’t get rushed into a quick decision – this is a major emotional and financial decision.
My organization is Parents’ Universal Resource Experts – and no matter what those “sales reps” or the Internet fiction – I don’t own, operate or manage any schools or programs! We are about educating parents when they are looking for help for their at risk teen…. Don’t get scammed when you are at your wit’s end.
Oh – and when these “sales reps” send out these defamatory links about me – another FACT they neglect to tell you is I won the landmark case for Internet Defamation that awarded me $11.3M in damages for what was said about me online! Lies and twisted facts! Here is my recent appearance on Anderson Cooper.
This is strictly my opinion on my own experiences – you are free to make your choices…
Tags: Difficult Teens, Educational Consultants, Horizon Academy, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Problem Teens, Red River Academy, Struggling Teens, Sue Scheff, Teen substance abuse, Troubled Teens, Wits End
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 Runaways: When Your Teen Doesn’t Want to Be Part of Your Family
by Sue Scheff on Nov 29, 2011
Holidays can be a time of joy and a time of turbulence in some households. Is your teen starting to become withdrawn? Hanging with a different group of friends? Do you suspect he/she is using drugs or drinking? Are they leaving your home and not coming home? Do they think they know it all?
Unfortunately some parents experience this type of teen behavior and it can escalate during the holidays when they have more free time.
The authorities all but tell you (or they do tell you) “typical teen” they will show up eventually. In the meantime you are a nervous wreck.
What do you do? Here are some quick tips for you:
- Keep an updated phone list with the home and cell numbers of your teen’s friends. Using the phone list, call every one of your teen’s friends. Talk immediately with their parents, not their friends, as teenagers will often stick together and lie for each other. The parent will tell you anything they know, including the last time contact was made between their child and yours. They will also know to keep closer tabs on their own child.
- Keep an updated photo of your child on hands at all times. With this photo, create one-page flyers including all information about your teen and where they were last seen. Post these flyers everywhere your teen hangs out, as well as anywhere else teenagers in general hang out. Post anywhere they will allow you to.
- Immediately contact your local police. It is advised that you actually visit the office with a copy of the flyer as well as a good number of color photos of your teen. Speak clearly and act rationally, but make sure that they understand how serious the situation is.
- Contact the local paper in order to run a missing ad. Also, contact any other printed media available in your area; many will be very willing to help.
- Contact your local television stations, as well as those in nearby counties. Most stations will be more than happy to run an alert either in the newscast or through the scrolling alert at the bottom of the screen.
Be sure to contact National Runaway Switchboard and if you need residential therapy, please contact Parents’ Universal Resource Experts.
Join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter for more information and educational articles on parenting today’s teenagers.
Tags: At Risk Teens, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Struggling Teens, Teen Depression, Teen Drug Use, Teen Help, Teen Issues, Teen Runaways, Troubled Teens
Ecstasy: What is it? Is your teen using it?
by Sue Scheff on Oct 31, 2011
Does it start with marijuana? Advance to pills? On to needles?
There can be so many different paths your teen can take to the road to addiction, but the one path they need to realize is they don’t need to start to begin with. Understanding the risks and dangers is the beginning of teaching prevention.
October 31st through November 6th is National Drug Facts Week.
This is an opportunity to shatter the myths about drug and substance abuse as well as become an educated parent and build a stronger drug-free community.
What is ecstasy?
“Ecstasy” is a slang term for MDMA, short for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a name that’s nearly as long as the all-night parties where MDMA is often used. That’s why MDMA has been called a “club drug.” It has effects similar to those of other stimulants, and it often makes the person feel like everyone is his or her friend, even when that’s not the case.
MDMA is man-made—it doesn’t come from a plant like marijuana does. Other chemicals or substances—such as caffeine, dextromethorphan (found in some cough syrups), amphetamines, PCP, or cocaine—are sometimes added to, or substituted for, MDMA in Ecstasy tablets. Makers of MDMA can add anything they want to the drug, so its purity is always in question.
What Are the Common Street Names?
There are a lot of slang words for MDMA. “Ecstasy” is one of the most common. You might also hear “E,” “XTC,” “X,” “Adam,” “hug,” “beans,” “clarity,” “lover’s speed,” and “love drug.”
How Is It Used?
Most people who abuse MDMA take a pill, tablet, or capsule. These pills can be different colors, and sometimes have cartoon-like images on them. Some people take more than one pill at a time, called “bumping.”
How Many Teens Use It?
According to a 2010 NIDA-funded study, over the past 10 years smart young teens have turned their backs on MDMA. Since 2001, the percentage of 8th graders who have ever tried MDMA dropped from 5.2 percent in 2001 to 3.3 percent in 2010. The drop among 10th graders and 12th graders was similar. However, between 2009 and 2010, some increases were seen in the abuse of MDMA by 8th and 10th graders. For example, past-year use of MDMA increased among 10th graders from 3.7 percent in 2009 to 4.7 percent in 2010. Also, fewer 10th graders saw “great risk” in occasionally using MDMA, which means that they may not understand the health risks of using MDMA as well as they should.
Is MDMA Addictive?
Like other drugs, MDMA can be addictive for some people. That is, people continue to take the drug despite experiencing unpleasant physical side effects and other social, behavioral, and health consequences.
No one knows how many times a person can use a drug before becoming addicted or who’s most vulnerable to addiction. A person’s genes, living environment, and other factors play a role in whether they are likely to become addicted to MDMA.
Learn more – click here.
Join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter for more information and educational articles on parenting today’s teenagers.
Tags: Addiction, At Risk Teens, Drug Addiction, Ecstasy, MDMA, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Teen Drug Use, Teen Help, Teen Help Programs, Teen Issues, Teen Rehab, Teen substance abuse, Troubled Teens
Shatter the Myths of Teen Drug Use: National Drugs Fact Week
by Sue Scheff on Oct 28, 2011
IT’S NOT JUST POT ANYMORE!
When parents share with me that their teen is “only smoking pot” I am dumbfounded that they don’t realize the risk of this statement. Although many don’t like the term, “gateway drug”, it can be absolutely true.
Marijuana is not what it was in the sixty’s. The chances of it being laced with higher levels of PCP or other ingredients that can cause addiction are very good. Don’t be a parent in denial!
What Is It?
Marijuana is a mixture of the dried and shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the cannabis sativa plant. The mixture can be green, brown, or gray.
A bunch of leaves seem harmless, right? But think again. Marijuana has a chemical in it called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC. A lot of other chemicals are found in marijuana, too—about 400 of them, many of which could affect your health. But THC is the main psychoactive (i.e., mind altering) ingredient. In fact, marijuana’s strength or potency is related to the amount of THC it contains. The THC content of marijuana has been increasing since the 1970s. For the year 2007, estimates from confiscated marijuana indicated that it contains almost 10 percent THC, on average.
What Are the Common Street Names?
There are many slang terms for marijuana that vary from city to city and from neighborhood to neighborhood. Some common names are: “pot,” “grass,” “herb,” “weed,” “Mary Jane,” “reefer,” “skunk,” “boom,” “gangster,” “kif,” “chronic,” and “ganja.”
How Is It Used?
Marijuana is used in many ways. The most common method is smoking loose marijuana rolled into a cigarette called a “joint” or “nail.” Sometimes marijuana is smoked through a water pipe called a “bong.” Others smoke “blunts”—cigars hollowed out and filled with the drug. And some users brew it as tea or mix it with food.
How Many Teens Use Marijuana?
Some people mistakenly believe that “everybody’s doing it” and use that as an excuse to start using marijuana themselves. Well, they need to check the facts, because that’s just not true. According to NIDA’s 2010 Monitoring the Future study, about 8 percent of 8th graders, 17 percent of 10th graders, and 21 percent of 12th graders had used marijuana in the month before the survey. In fact, marijuana use declined from the late 1990s through 2007, with a decrease in past-year use of more than 20 percent in all three grades combined from 2000 to 2007. Unfortunately, this trend appears to be slowing, and use may even be increasing. Between 2009 and 2010 daily marijuana use increased among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders. In 2010, 6 percent of 12th graders reported using marijuana daily, compared to 5.2 percent in 2009.
What Are the Short-Term Effects of Marijuana Use?
For some people, smoking marijuana makes them feel good. Within minutes of inhaling, a user begins to feel “high,” or filled with pleasant sensations. THC triggers brain cells to release the chemical dopamine. Dopamine creates good feelings—for a short time. But that’s just one effect…
Imagine this: You’re in a ball game, playing out in left field. An easy fly ball comes your way, and you’re psyched. When that ball lands in your glove your team will win, and you’ll be a hero. But, you’re a little off. The ball grazes your glove and hits the dirt. So much for your dreams of glory.
Such loss of coordination can be caused by smoking marijuana. And that’s just one of its many negative effects. Marijuana affects memory, judgment, and perception. Under the influence of marijuana, you could fail to remember things you just learned, watch your grade point average drop, or crash a car.
Also, since marijuana can affect judgment and decision making, using it can cause you to do things you might not do when you are thinking straight—such as engaging in risky sexual behavior, which can result in exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, like HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, or getting in a car with someone who’s been drinking or is high on marijuana.
It’s also difficult to know how marijuana will affect a specific person at any given time, because its effects vary based on individual factors: a person’s genetics, whether they’ve used marijuana or any other drugs before, how much marijuana is taken, and its potency. Effects can also be unpredictable when marijuana is used in combination with other drugs.
THC Affects Brain Functioning
THC is up to no good in the brain. THC finds brain cells, or neurons, with specific kinds of receptors called cannabinoid receptors and binds to them.
Certain parts of the brain have high concentrations of cannabinoid receptors. These areas are the hippocampus, the cerebellum, the basal ganglia, and the cerebral cortex. The functions that these brain areas control are the ones most affected by marijuana.
For example, THC interferes with learning and memory—that is because the hippocampus—a part of the brain with a funny name and a big job—plays a critical role in certain types of learning. Disrupting its normal functioning can lead to problems studying, learning new things, and recalling recent events. The difficulty can be a lot more serious than forgetting if you took out the trash this morning, which happens to everyone once in a while.
Do these effects persist? We don’t know for sure, but as adolescents your brains are still developing. So is it really worth the risk?
Smoking Marijuana Can Make Driving Dangerous
The cerebellum is the section of our brain that controls balance and coordination. When THC affects the cerebellum’s function, it makes scoring a goal in soccer or hitting a home run pretty tough. THC also affects the basal ganglia, another part of the brain that’s involved in movement control.
These THC effects can cause disaster on the road. Research shows that drivers on marijuana have slower reaction times, impaired judgment, and problems responding to signals and sounds. Studies conducted in a number of localities have found that approximately 4 to 14 percent of drivers who sustained injury or death in traffic accidents tested positive for THC.
Marijuana Use Increases Heart Rate
Within a few minutes after inhaling marijuana smoke, an individual’s heart begins beating more rapidly, the bronchial passages relax and become enlarged, and blood vessels in the eyes expand, making the eyes look red. The heart rate, normally 70 to 80 beats per minute, may increase by 20 to 50 beats per minute or, in some cases, even double. This effect can be greater if other drugs are taken with marijuana.
For more information on the long term effects – click here.
Join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter for more information and educational articles on parenting today’s teenagers.
Tags: At Risk Teens, Drug Abuse, Marijuana dangers, National Drug Facts Week, NIDA, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Smoking Pot, Struggling Teens, Teen Depression, Teen Drug Use, Teen Help, Teen substance abuse, Teen Substance Use, Troubled Teens
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
RAD – Reactive Attachment Disorder: Coping with the Effects in Adopted and Foster Teenagers
by Sue Scheff on Oct 24, 2011
Order today!
Reactive Attachment Disorder is increasingly being recognized as a trauma-based diagnosis in children who have insecure or disrupted early bonding relationships with their biological mother. In the 1980’s RAD as it is commonly known became a formal diagnosis based on the recognition that deviant forms of attachment led to marked behavioral and emotional difficulties in children (1) and are caused primarily by maternal deprivation and severe abuse and/neglect.
So why do children develop RAD, can it be prevented, or is it as one caller asked me over the radio – CAUSED by foster care placement? Very thought provoking!
RAD develops from the primary loss of the mother-infant/child bond. The key deficits lie in two areas. These are in terms of capacities to socialize effectively, and to form stable relationships over time.
Characteristics of RAD Children:
- Severe neglect and/or abuse by biological mother prior to the age of five years
- Difficulties in developing meaningful social relationships with others
- Easily attaches to complete strangers who become caregivers and treats every caregiver as if they share a very close and intimate bond or will be detached from any caregiver and move from one to another without any distress.
Effects of RAD in Teenagers:
In teenagers, the ongoing symptoms of detachment remain. What is different is the presentation. The hormonal mood changes along with the feelings that they are not loved enough, not wanted, and feeling abandoned and rejected worsen their fragile self-confidence and they can become very affectionate one moment and violent and aggressive the next. Foster/adoptive teens can express these emotional and behavioral changes with symptoms of running away, impulsively breaking things, punching, kicking, fighting, crying, and screaming and cursing. These behaviors are often misdiagnosed as Bipolar Disorder and the young teen is placed on mood stabilizers that work as temporary Band-Aids. Meanwhile, parents are bewildered, fearful of getting hurt or seeing the child hurt, and in efforts to get help use behavioral methods to enforce discipline. Most of these techniques fail hopelessly and in severe cases, the teen’s condition worsens to the point that residential treatment and hospitalization become the new homes for these teens. Later, untreated severely RAD teens experience homelessness as young adults, engage in substance abuse, crime, and unstable, high risk relationships. All of these factors lead these teens into severe depression, suicide attempts, abusive relationships, and hospitalizations.
Treatment of RAD:
The good news is that surprisingly RAD treatment is astonishingly simple. Major inroads into the workings of the human brain have identified the locations for traumatic emotions that are responsible for 99% of the teen’s behavioral and emotional imbalances. The primary area is located deep within the brain and cannot be accessed through talk therapy. Various forms of RAD therapy are successful. These are:
- Attachment Therapy: Based on the premise that RAD children do not know how to give or receive love
- Holding Therapy: Based on the idea that the teen has suppressed rage from the lack of maternal love as a child and needs to re-experience it. In one study (2) foster children between 5-14 years old were held down and restrained while being prodded, poked, tickled, and yelled at until the child finally stopped fighting back. When that happened, the child was released to the foster parent to attach to and be held. Criticism of this technique is of the trauma of being confined and tied up.
- Attachment and Bio-behavioral Catch-Up Therapy
- Parent-Child Interactional Therapy (PCIT)
- Behavior Management Therapy (BMT)
- EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing
Further information and education regarding RAD and treatment for forms of RAD can be found in “The Supportive Foster Parent” www.thesupportivefosterparent.com and on Amazon. Or the author can be contacted at 219-736-1000/drgbook@gmail.com.
References:
- Volkar, Fred (1997). DSM IV ® Sourcebook. Chapter 15. http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Q6xkh3QdyGEC&oi=fnd&pg=PA255&dq=reactive+attachment+disorder&ots=tBr0Z9U3kp&sig=soQ2z0up4zF4CFjk–30e1VUTPg#v=onepage&q=reactive%20attachment%20disorder&f=false
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10422354
About the author and contributor Dr. Kalyani Gopa:
I am a licensed clinical psychologist with over 25 years of experience in diverse clinical settings. I was trained as a clinical psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in India, began my doctoral training in clinical psychology in Vanderbilt University and completed my training at Alliant University. My areas of interest are in parenting, becoming a foster parent, child and adolescent psychopathology, attachment issues, foster care assessment, adjustment, and training, child forensic assessments and treatment, juvenile delinquency, child sexual abuse expert witness testimony, long term sequelae of child sexual abuse, media relations, and immigrant experiences. I am fortunate to be on the Lake County Child Protection Team and provide consultation in handling complex foster care issues. And, on the Lake County Child Fatality Team. In 2002, I was the recipient of the Outstanding Service to Lake County award. Currently, I hold the position as President/Clinical Director, Mid-America Psychological and Counseling Services in Merrillville, Indiana and supervise three outpatient clinics in Indiana and Illinois. Currently, I also play the role of President-Elect, Clinical Psychology of Women, APA, Division 12, Section IV and the Statewide Liason for Public Health for the Illinois Psychological Association.
Tags: Adopted Teens, Foster parents, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Books, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, RAD, RAD in Teenagers, Reactive Attachment Disorder
Teen Help for Good Kids Making Bad Choices
by Sue Scheff on Oct 18, 2011
Are you wondering what happened to once happy-go-lucky, kind, polite and studious child went?
Teens can be a challenge – especially in today’s ever changing world with technology and a society that is making our kids grow up so much faster.
Common parent statements:
“My teen is so smart! His/her IQ is superior, but they are not working up to their potential.”
“My teen is so beautiful/handsome – good looking – even has many friends.” (Of course, the peer group has changed and you don’t know why.)
“My teen is very athletic! He/she made the varsity team at a young age, has won all sorts of awards, but now has dropped out and has zero interest in this sport.”
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 Parent’s Universal Resource Experts.
Blame Game and Parent Denial
- 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 is it appropriate to read your teen’s journal, text messages, emails, social networking sites etc?
- When safety triumphs privacy! Is your teen withdrawn, secretive, changing friends?
- Be a parent first, friendship is built on that foundation.
Common mistakes parents make:
Major misconception of parents: Almost all parents that contact us have that next Einstein or Dan Marino, but the fact they are either changing friends, smoking pot, not attending classes or school at all, wanting to drop out of school all together and just get a GED, are all signs you are heading down a very negative path. This road usually escalates before it gets better.
Get help today – contact www.HelpYourTeens.com.
Tags: At Risk Teens, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Problem Teens, Struggling Teens, Sue Scheff, Teen Drug Abuse, Teen Drug Use, Teen Help, Troubled Teens, Wits End
![[Valid RSS]](valid-rss-rogers.png "Validate my RSS feed")