Foundation Drugs and Child's
Few illnesses bring more fear to a parent than alcoholism and drug abuse. But unlike other disorders that can also be devastating to a child and his or her family, addiction feels particularly confusing - and somehow personal.
Where did we go wrong? How did she use all this time without us knowing? Where did he even get the drugs?
Okay, I’m ready to accept that what happened; so can I help, or am I going to make things even worse?
For other physical and mental illnesses, parents routinely turn to medical specialists for advice and expect guidance and typically follow the experts’ recommendations. The very process of charting a course of action with a doctor has significant therapeutic effects for both the child and the parents. Unfortunately, we have come to expect much less from the medical community when it comes to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of substance use disorders.
On one hand, we don’t trust that we know all that much about the illness itself. Both science and popular culture keep shifting their opinion on the “true” cause of addiction. In the 1960s and the 1970s, it was all about parenting; in the 1980 and the 1990s, we woke up to the monumental discoveries of genetics; and during the past decade, we have
been greatly attracted to co-occurring psychiatric disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism. Recently, family system considerations for both prevention and treatment have resurfaced, bringing us full circle to the world of our parents. Scientists now know that what causes one kid to get drunk and another to stay sober is rather complex. A number of interrelated biological, psychological, and social determinants affect the pleasure, reward, motivation, and memory brain neuronal circuitry leading to impairment in behavioral control, craving, and diminished recognition of significant problems in one’s life.
On the other hand, there are very few medical doctors with the appropriate training to address substance use among children and adolescents. The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology has certified less than 250 psychiatrists in the subspecialty of addiction psychiatry over the past 10 years. Our texts will be straightforward answers to every parent’s questions about preventing, identifying, and treating substance abuse and dependence.
(1) Drugs & Childs
Drug Addicted Children -Documentary
Could my child actually be doing drugs?
Yes. Parents have exhibited different responses upon learning that their child has used drugs. This varies from disbelief, denial, surprise, and feelings of hurt and betrayal to stating that their suspicions have been confirmed.
(2) Drugs & Childs
“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.”
― Elie Wiesel
What is the recent data on adolescent drug use?
The Office of National Drug Control Policy provided statistics showing a significant downturn in usage levels. An important source for this information is an annual representative survey sampling of American adolescents, college students, and adults through age fifty.
(3) Drugs & Childs
What is considered a drug? Alcohol? Caffeine? Marijuana? Herbal supplements/vitamins?
The term “drug” can generally be applied to a substance that falls into any of the following categories: medications prescribed by physicians to treat medical conditions, over-the-counter vitamin supplements and herbal plants requiring no doctor prescriptions, toxins that can have adverse or life threatening effects, and substances with potential for abuse.
(4) Drugs & Child`s
What is the recent data on adolescent drug use?
The Office of National Drug Control Policy provided statistics showing a significant downturn in usage levels. An important source for this information is an annual representative survey sampling of American adolescents, college students, and adults through age fifty.
(5) Drugs & Child`s
What is considered a drug? Alcohol? Caffeine? Marijuana? Herbal supplements/vitamins?
The term “drug” can generally be applied to a substance that falls into any of the following categories: medications prescribed by physicians to treat medical conditions, over-the-counter vitamin supplements and herbal plants requiring no doctor prescriptions, toxins that can have adverse or life threatening effects, and substances with potential for abuse. For our purpose, we are interested in substances with a potential for abuse because of their positive reinforcing effects with repeated use: we experienced something we like, which makes us use these drugs again and again. Some would not consider caffeine as a drug, but it is the most commonly used stimulant and is ingested by many people to produce alertness. A lot of people drink a cup of coffee or tea as part of their morning routine.