The Strength to Intervene (PDFA Decoder)

Janice Lynch Schuster: “I insisted that first one child and then another be admitted to a substance-abuse recovery program, a residential program that specializes in treating children, like mine, who are alcoholics and drug addicts. Just writing that is painful and foreign; it is as difficult as speaking in the snake’s tongue. The language of addiction is full of loss — lost opportunities, lost lives, lost potential, lost families, lost time. Now both children are in what is called recovery — they have been clean and sober, one for about eight weeks and the other for scarcely more than two.”

From Joe Keenan at The Partnership for a Drug-Free America: "For those of you who can relate to Schuster’s story, I highly encourage you to check out Intervene, our newly launched blog here at the Partnership. We’re so proud of Intervene because it’s more than just a website – it’s a supportive community of parents and caring adults concerned about a beloved teen or young adult’s drug use. Right now, we have some very inspiring guest bloggers posting, including two authors with new books out and one wonderful woman who has been running marathons all over the world to raise funds and awareness for drug addiction and treatment."

Intervene: A Community for Parents Concerned about their Teens' Alcohol & Drug Use ~ www.intervene.drugfree.org

20th Annual PATS Report (PDFA): Teen Drug Use & Attitudes

This year, PATS showed that 37 percent of teens reported "learning a lot" about the risks of drugs from their parents in 2008 - a significant 16 percent increase over the previous year, and the first major increase since the inception of the study. But despite the increase in parent-teen discussions, just 24 percent of teens report that their parents have discussed the dangers of abusing prescription (Rx) drugs and only 18 percent of teens say their parents discuss the risks of abusing over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine.

Red Flag: Parents Still Not Discussing Abuse of Prescription and Over-The-Counter Medicines

Despite the increase in parent-teen discussions, only 24 percent of teens report that their parents talked with them about the dangers of prescription (Rx) drug abuse or use of medications outside of a doctor’s supervision; just 18 percent of teens say their parents discuss the risks of abusing over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine.

Read More from the Partnership for a Drug Free America's Report

Time To Act

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America has launched yet another fascinatingly-accessible tool for parents seeking resources for teens regarding substance abuse prevention. The PDFA's latest effort is for 1) Parents who THINK their child is using and 2) Parents who KNOW their child is using.

http://timetoact.drugfree.org/

This new site offers interactive options such as video segments from leading doctors and psychologists, 'signs and symptoms' checker, risk factors (family, school, peer), mock situations teens are likely to find themselves in, as well as common misperceptions about alcohol & drug use. There are also checklists for parents, tips on how to handle conversations, setting limits, monitoring and seeking outside help.

Check it out or visit our timetotalkportlandmaine on Yahoo! Groups to JOIN THE DISCUSSION with Cumberland County parents and adults!