Growing Up Drug Free - A Parent's Guide to Prevention by U.S. Department of Education. - HTML preview

Where would you look? And for

❯

Before talking with your child,

that give you a bad feeling, you

what? Well, drugs are easily hidden in

practice the conversation until

should follow your instincts. And

drawers, backpacks, the back of closets,

you are sure you can remain calm.

don’t accept sullen silence as an

the corners of bed sheets, small boxes,

Also, don’t initiate the conversa-

answer—make sure the conversa-

books or bookcases, makeup cases,

tion unless you’re sure your child

tion occurs.

over-the-counter medicine bottles,

is sober or has not been using

❯ School goes downhill. Declining

and under the mattresses or beds. You

drugs, which may mean waiting

grades can be a stark indicator

might also find drug paraphernalia

until the next day.

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❯

What do you say? Begin by voic-

MeeT gArreTT HArneY

ing your suspicions without mak-

Cindy Harney beams with pride as she speaks about her son Garrett.

ing accusations. “Susan, I suspect

you may be smoking pot occasionally.

“Garrett loved to play the piano. He loved all kinds of sports—he wake

I love you and I’m concerned about

boarded, skate boarded, and played in Little League. He also cared about

you. Is there something going on that

the community. He loved 4-H and was on the board of a local organization

we need to talk about?”

for children with learning disabilities. everyone here knew him by his F-150

pickup. But after a friend shared his mother’s pain medicine, Garrett’s life

❯ Be prepared emotionally for

was never the same. nor was ours.”

possible reactions. Your child may

Garrett died at the age of 20 from a prescription drug overdose of

accuse you of snooping. Your

oxycodone and Xanax. in addition to his parents, Garrett left behind a sister child may tell you that you’re

just 16 months younger than he was—a sister who now has no sibling with

crazy or call you a hypocrite

whom to share her life experiences.

(especially if you smoke or

occasionally have a drink). Your

“there isn’t a day goes by that i don’t think of my boy,” says Cindy. “i told him about all the illicit drugs, but i never told him about legal drugs. no

child may express hatred and

parent should ever have to pick out the casket for their child or the clothes threaten to leave home.

he will wear to be buried in.”

❯

Whatever the response, make your

determined not to let her son die in vain, Cindy now shares her horrific

mind up ahead of time to remain

experience to help educate others—parents, youths, law enforcement, the

calm. Even if your child denies

medical community, and lawmakers—about the dangers of prescription drug

there is a problem (which will

abuse in hopes of enacting change.

probably happen), reinforce what

“After Garrett’s death, i learned that many kids in my Florida community

you believe about drugs and how

were dying because of prescription drugs, and i knew i had to do something.

much you care about your child.

i met a woman whose 18-year-old son had taken his life and asked her if she

“I want to believe you, sweetheart,

would join me in the fight against drug abuse. we traveled to Kentucky to

because there is a lot of evidence that

learn about its prescription drug monitoring program, and then we went to

young people who use drugs are at

tallahassee in hopes of getting a similar program in Florida.”

risk for many bad things. I’d be very

Cindy and her new acquaintance also founded Families Against Addictive

disappointed if you didn’t finish

drug Abuse to create awareness of the problem and to enact change. she

school or if someone took advantage of

played a role in the creation of a prescription drug task force in her local you sexually while you were high.”

sheriff’s department and in the development of operation Medicine Cabinet,

❯

Having this type of calm, open dis-

a countywide project to take back old medicine. she also speaks at local,

cussion at least lets your children

regional, and national events.

know you care and that you still

“we’re losing approximately 10 Floridians a day, and that’s more than by all love them. Follow up by being a

illegal drugs combined. we must take action so no other family has to suffer parent. “And remember, we had a deal

the loss that we have. Hopefully, through education and by working together

that no member of this family would

as a community, we’ll be able to educate our little ones so they never fall

use drugs.” Enforce whatever dis-

into this epidemic.”

cipline you agreed on for breaking

Currently, Cindy Harney

the rules (if that is the case).

is working with Florida

Congressman vernon

❯

During this conversation, it’s very

Buchanan’s office to get

important for your child to feel

support for the Pill Mill

supported, so continue to remind

Crackdown Bill (H.r. 1065)

your child that you’re always

to increase penalties for

there for guidance, especially

the operators of pill mills.

during a stressful time when your

(A pill mill is a facility

child may be tempted to use. Ex-

that violates federal or

press your love, care, and concern

state laws that pertain to

to your child—both in your words

prescribing and dispensing

and in your tone. “Sweetheart, I

controlled substances.)

Garrett Harney and his sister

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want to discuss this because I love

that is characterized by compulsive

and care about you, and I want you to drug seeking and use, despite harmful be healthy, safe, and successful.”

consequences. It is considered a brain

disease because drugs change the

A word of caution. It’s human nature

brain—they change its structure and

to want to believe your children when

how it works. These brain changes

they say they aren’t using drugs. They

can be long lasting and can lead to the

may say they are stashing a pipe for

harmful behaviors seen in people who

someone else or tired because of extra

abuse drugs.”

schoolwork, or they may provide any

number of excuses that sound rational. The good news is that addiction is a But if your suspicions are strong—

treatable disease, but the success of

and especially if you are faced with

any treatment approach depends on a

hard evidence—do not pretend that

variety of factors, including a child’s

everything is fine. It obviously isn’t.

temperament and willingness to

Also, do not blame yourself. Drug

change. It may take several attempts

abuse occurs in all kinds of families.

before a child remains drug free, so do

not give up hope. You are not alone!

If the conversation becomes heated or

out of control, don’t continue. Assure

FinDing TreATMenT

your child you love him or her and

When your child is referred for treat-

end the discussion peacefully. You’ve

ment, it’s important to find a program

at least taken a big step, and you can

best suited to your child’s needs.

always try again another day.

❯

Your first step in this journey is to

If your child flatly refuses to talk

find a certified drug and alcohol

to you about it, ask for help from a

counselor. To do that, consult your

school guidance counselor, family

child’s doctor, other parents whose

physician, or a local drug treatment

children have been treated for drug

referral and assessment center. Your

abuse, the local hospital, a school

child’s school may even have a

social worker, the school district’s

counselor qualified to evaluate your

substance abuse coordinator, or the

child and refer you to a particular

county mental health society.

agency for treatment.

❯

Or, you may call the U.S.

ADDicTion

Department of Health and

No one plans to become addicted.

Human Services Substance Abuse

Instead, it begins with a single use,

and Mental Health Services

which can lead to abuse, which

Administration (SAMHSA) toll-

can lead to addiction—a disease in

free at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for

which a person craves the drug (or

alcohol and drug information

alcohol or nicotine) regardless of the

and treatment referral assistance.

consequences. Remember, however,

When you call this toll-free num-

that children with more risk factors

ber, a recorded message gives you

may be more susceptible to using and

the option to speak to a represen-

becoming addicted.

tative concerning substance abuse

treatment, or to request printed

For many years, society believed

material on alcohol or drugs.

that people addicted to drugs lacked

willpower or were morally flawed.

❯

Online, parents can go to the

Today, the National Institute on Drug

Partnership At Drugfree.org

Abuse (NIDA) defines addiction as

(www.drugfree.org), a nonprofit

“a chronic, relapsing brain disease

organization that helps parents

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and caregivers prevent, intervene

Some recovery services already exist

Don’t be surprised if—somewhere

in, and find treatment for drug

within the education community,

during the process of getting

and alcohol use by their children.

including recovery schools. Recovery

treatment for your child—a

high schools provide a service-

suggestion is made that the entire

❯

At www.findtreatment.samhsa.

gov, you’ll find more than 11,000

enriched and supportive school

family get counseling, too. Treating

addiction treatment programs,

environment for students recovering

addiction isn’t simply about healing

including residential treatment

from drug and alcohol problems.

the abuser. Some parents become so

centers, outpatient treatment

They offer standard academic courses, obsessed with their child’s problem

programs, and hospital inpatient

combined with continuing care

that they neglect the other important

aspects of their own lives: their jobs,

programs for drug addiction and

and/or recovery support services,

but they generally do not provide

physical health, and other kids. It is

alcoholism. Listings include treat-

substance use or mental health

as important to seek help for your

ment programs for marijuana,

disorder treatment. The Association

own emotional well-being as it is for

cocaine, and heroin addiction, as

of Recovery Schools (ARS) website at

the child using drugs. Every member

well as drug and alcohol treat-

www.recoveryschools.org provides

of the family needs to be committed

ment programs for adolescents

additional information and includes a

to helping the recovering addict stay

and adults.

list of recovery high schools.

clean and sober.

❯ Another drug and alcohol

addiction treatment website

70 Drug Enforcement Administration. Get Smart About Drugs. A DEA Resource for Parents. Signs of is www.drugstrategies.org,

Drug Use: Behavior. Accessed September 21, 2012,

which is dedicated to providing

www.getsmartaboutdrugs.com/identify/behavior.html.

local resources for fighting

71 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. Recovery/Relapse Prevention substance abuse. It also offers

in Educational Settings for Youth with Substance Use and Co-occurring Mental Health Disorders. 2010

Consultative Sessions. Working Draft May 2011. Accessed September 21, 2012, a 24-hour hotline at 1-800-559-www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osdfs/recoveryrpt.pdf.

9503. Also, check the resources

at the back of this publication

for other possibilities.

recoverY

Addiction is typically a chronic

disease, so people cannot simply stop

using drugs for a few days and be

cured. Relapse is not uncommon. Most

patients require long-term or repeated

episodes of care to achieve sustained

abstinence and recovery.

Because the risk of relapse is highest

for youths in the time period directly

following treatment, the transition to

the school setting is an important time

when appropriate relapse prevention

services could increase the likelihood

of long-term recovery.71

Families will need to access recovery

support services for their child to

help successfully navigate the early

months of recovery. Some of these

services will provide a flexible

and cost-effective mechanism for

facilitating access to services.

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sECtION 6: resourCes

Section 6: resources

NOTE: We don’t endorse any private or commercial products or services that are not affiliated with the federal government, and the sources of information on these pages are intended only as a partial listing. Readers of this booklet are encouraged to research and inform themselves of the many additional products and services relating to tobacco, drug, and alcohol abuse.

pArenTS: Some websites kids go to for information about drugs or alcohol are sponsored by organizations with a hidden agenda, such as trying to get drugs legalized or decriminalized. Encourage your children to visit the following

websites instead for credible information about tobacco, drugs, and alcohol.

For YoUTHS

AboveTheinfluence.com

www.abovetheinfluence.com

This campaign is inspired by what teens say about their lives and how

they deal with the influences that shape their decisions about not using

drugs or alcohol. The goal is to help teens stand up to negative pressures

or influences.

Al-Anon Family groups – Alateens

www.al-anon.alateen.org/for-alateen

Alateen is part of the Al-Anon Family Groups. Al-Anon is for anyone

affected by someone else’s drinking. This link is to the section of the Al-Anon website specifically for teens.

American council for Drug education (AcDe)

www.acde.org/youth

ACDE is an agency that develops substance abuse prevention and

education programs and materials. This link is to the section of their

website specifically for youths who are involved (or want to be involved) in a community coalition or who are passionate about keeping their

communities safe and drug free.

D.A.r.e – Drug Abuse resistance education

www.dare.com/kids

D.A.R.E.’s primary mission is to provide children with the information and

skills they need to live drug- and violence-free lives. This link is to the section of their website specifically for youths.

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JustThinkTwice.com

www.justthinktwice.com

Created by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) specifically for young people, this site provides information about drugs and their consequences.

national Suicide prevention lifeline

www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

This crisis hotline can help with a lot of issues, not just suicide. For example, anyone who feels sad, hopeless, or suicidal; family and friends who are concerned about a loved one; victims of bullying; or anyone who is interested in mental health treatment referrals can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Callers are connected with a professional who will talk with them about what they’re feeling or about concerns for other family and friends. The hotline is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

niDA for Teens

http://teens.drugabuse.gov

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) developed this website. Teens can get facts about drugs and drug effects, read advice from fellow teens, watch educational videos, download cool anti-drug material, and try their hand at brain games.

ThecoolSpot.gov

www.thecoolspot.gov

The Cool Spot was created by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism for kids 11–13 years old. Content is based on a curriculum for grades 6–8 developed by the University of Michigan to give young teens a clearer picture about alcohol use among their peers. The Cool Spot also features quizzes, tips for handling peer pressure, and links to educational and support sites.

For pArenTS

Depending on the age and maturity level of your children, you may wish to share some of the links in this