Vodka binge ends dreams for schoolgirl

Thursday, November 29, 2007


A 15-Year-Old schoolgirl broke her back in a horror fall after binge-drinking vodka that was illegally sold to her and her teenage friends.

Sophie Swanson panicked when her father arrived to pick her up from a party and climbed over a garden wall, falling more than 20 feet.

The Trinity Academy pupil fractured two vertebrae and narrowly escaped being paralysed for life. She has now had to give up her dream of working as a hairdresser, as well as promising amateur dancing and football careers.

M&R Stores in Granton Road, which sold the one-litre bottle of Glen's vodka to Sophie's two 15-year-old friends, this week lost its alcohol licence for three months.

Sophie's father Stephen - who found his daughter unable to move on a cycle path minutes after the fall - attacked the city licensing board's decision, calling it a "slap in the face".

Politicians, police and alcohol campaigners said the "terrible" accident should reinforce the tough stance needed against shopkeepers who sell alcohol to children.

On the evening of Saturday, August 25, Sophie waited outside the off-licence while her friends bought the £11 bottle. They drank about a third at one of the girl's homes before taking the rest to a party at another friend's house in Dudley Crescent, Newhaven.

Sophie said: "My dad came to pick me up and I panicked because I knew he wouldn't approve of me drinking, so I ran into the garden and climbed over the wall and fell down the slope over a 20-feet wall. I didn't even have my shoes on when I did it. All I was thinking was I'd get into trouble."

Mr Swanson, who searched for his daughter after seeing her coat still at the party, called an ambulance and she was rushed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Sophie was unable to move her arms and legs for almost four days in hospital, and is still experiencing excruciating back pain.

She said: "Binge drinking has ruined my life. Because of getting drunk I broke my back and have had to give up the things I want to do. I didn't even know the drink was that strong.

"The doctors told me I was lucky not to be permanently paralysed. I was just two centimetres from being disabled for life."

She has only recently begun walking without a stick and returned to school full-time, and has given up her hairdressing classes because she can't stand up for hours at a time.

The award-winning tap dancer no longer attends the Mary Phelan dance club in Leith, and is unlikely to play again for Spartan FC's girls' team any time soon.

Sophie, of Cables Wynd, Leith, said: "I've been told I will always have problems now with my back, and moving about might be difficult when I'm older."

She added: "Everything I enjoyed doing or wanted to do, I probably can't now because I thought it was cool and clever to have a drink. I know it's not and would tell anyone now it's not."

Mohammed Taj and Malik Iqbal, the owners and joint-licensees of M&R Stores, had their licence to sell alcohol suspended for three months on Monday.

Sophie's father, a 45-year-old self-employed builder, said he was disgusted at the leniency of the suspension.

He said: "My daughter's life has been ruined all because two girls were allowed to buy an £11 bottle of vodka. A three-month suspension of their licence is like a slap in the face for us and a slap on the wrist for them.

"I am angry that this is all the council has seen fit to give them. I am angry that the shopkeepers can get away with such a light suspension for selling drink to kids who are clearly not old enough to drink."

Sophie's mother, Gail, 45, said they were considering taking out a private action against the shop for compensation.

She said: "Our daughter has gone from being a very active young girl to an inactive girl. She's had to stop dancing, something she did since she was three, give up her sports and now probably her future has been affected by this. I am raging that they can do this and sell alcohol to schoolchildren. Their licence should be revoked completely."

When questioned by police, Mr Taj and Mr Iqbal denied selling any alcohol to under-age customers. They said the girls were asked if they were over 18 and replied that they were, but they did not ask to see proof of age.

The Evening News approached Mr Taj at the shop, but he refused to speak about the licence suspension or to accept responsibility for what had happened to the youngster. Ironically, a scheme called Challenge 21 is currently operating in the area, where shop counter staff are encouraged to quiz anyone buying drink who looks under 21.

Sgt Ian Gourlay, of the Drylaw Police Anti-Social Behaviour and Youth Problem Team, said there was a need for shopkeepers to be more responsible when selling alcohol. He said some shops in the area were voluntarily using ultraviolet marker pens to mark bottles most likely to be bought by youths.

Sgt Gourlay said: "We ask licensees to be responsible. And we give them every opportunity to police themselves, so that they don't end up risking their business by selling to under-age drinkers.

"We will be going around off-licences again just to remind shopkeepers of what can happen to them. I'd also say that anyone caught buying drink for youngsters can be fined £1000."

And Tom Wood, chairman of Action on Alcohol and Drugs in Edinburgh, said: "We have here a terrible situation where a young girl has been sold alcohol illegally, got drunk and suffered an appalling accident as a result.

"The selling of alcohol brings with it responsibility. Should licence holders choose not to observe the law when it comes to sales to under-agers, then it is absolutely right that there will be a consequence to their actions, and that includes the removal of their licence."

Councillor Marjorie Thomas, the city's licensing leader, described the three-month ban for M&R Stores as "a shot across the bows", and said further action could be taken.

She said: "I am happy that we have taken the right course of action on this and we saw a three-month ban as being a shot across the bows and a warning to other traders.

"The owners of the shop will have to re-apply for their licence, and at that time a longer ban could be handed down."
Sophie case shows 'extent of problem'

JUSTICE Minister Kenny MacAskill said that Sophie Swanson's case showed there was a "clear problem" with under-age drinking in Scotland.

Mr MacAskill said that licensing boards were being given increased powers to clamp down on shops that sell alcohol to youngsters.

"Cases like this show there is a clear problem with under-age drinking in Scotland. It is a situation that damages communities and an issue that we must tackle immediately," he said.

"We are increasing the powers that licensing boards and licensing standards officers have to clamp down on this problem.

"This is not just a political issue. There needs to be cross-party support given to licensing boards across the country."

The Justice Minister has been a staunch supporter of introducing tighter measures to deal with Scotland's alcohol problem.

source: Edinburgh Evening News



Druggged Up Teens

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Drug Up Your Teen Today!
This just in: Prozac is a better treatment than talking to your kid. Isn't life fabulous?
By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist



Is your teenager depressed? Throwing things? Sulking like she hates you and only speaking in monosyllabic grunts and playing her Staind or Avril Lavigne or Hoobastank MP3s way too loud? Sure she is. Damn kids.

Are they slouching way too much and wearing low-slung clothes and locking the door to their bedrooms and masturbating chronically, and then racking up huge cell-phone bills as they complain endlessly to their best friend about their unrequited loves and horrible parents and how much they hate life and how they're always despondent and put upon and pimply and miserable?

Solution: You need to give them drugs. Lots of drugs. Expensive ones with nice little corporate logos on them. This is the only way.

Haven't you been reading the papers? Watching the commercials? Drugs are in. Drugs are the new black. Drugs rain down from the sky like pretty purple Skittles. Drugs are mandatory and the most important advancement in child rearing since the invention of the cane and the padlock and the Catholic priest.

No, not the bad drugs. Not the drugs that cool people take and that make your kids party hard and dance all night and that make their eyes all red and mushy and makes colors swirl and skin feel like honey and makes them horny or hungry or feel really really good for awhile, until they don't. Not the ones that are cheaply produced and impossible to regulate and as easy to get as degrading sexual misinformation in public schools is. Not those.

No, your kid needs the other kind of drugs. The good kind. The kind prescribed by overpaid shrinks after the kid's umpteenth $300 visit. The kind that run about seven bucks a pop and are made by Pfizer or GlaxoSmithKline or maybe Eli Lilly, and which are roughly three times more toxic and 10 times more synthetic and a thousand times more spiritually debilitating than the "evil" street stuff, given how they're totally legal and corporate sponsored and therefore radiate this sinister venomous aura of happy culturally approved doom.

Behavioral modifiers. Prozac. Paxil. Zoloft. Effexor. Xanax. Et al. You name it, your kids can have it, and probably should. Millions are already addicted. Millions more will be by the end of this year, if not by the end of this column. Maybe you're one of them, yourself. Hi. Isn't the sky lovely today? Yes, it sure is.

Just look at them, the well-drugged teens of America, all calm and happily narcotized, walking around with their eyes glazed over and their shirts untucked and their souls drained of all vital juices. God bless America at its world-record 25 percent mood-disorder rate! The most-drugged nation on the planet! We're No. 1! So proud.


Don't you want your child happy and well-adjusted and violently, chemically torqued, his or her entire body ravaged by enough synthetic compounds and serotonin reuptake inhibitors and mood enhancers to numb a horse? Of course you do.

Hey, they've done studies. Studies that finally prove once and for all that Prozac is much more effective on your depressed miserable slouchy door-slammin' punkass teen than merely talking to him and loving him well and teaching him to appreciate life and sex and spirituality and fine artisan cheeses. So you know it must be true.

And do you know why? Why the Prozac is more effective? Because it's a potent chemical narcotic, silly! It rewires their brains and poisons their little juvenile blood vessels and kills any pesky burgeoning testosteroned sex drive once and for all!

Imagine! No more worries! No more teen pregnancy! It's just like neutering your dog! Or getting a catalytic converter on the car! Or laying down beige shag carpeting everywhere! Everything calm and soft and nonirritating, all edges filed right down. Isn't pharmacology fabulous?

Never you mind the pesky lawsuits. Like the one just filed by the New York attorney general against Glaxo over how they supposedly suppressed a bunch of studies that proved how their beloved zim-zammer brain-slammer Paxil made a bunch of kids even more twitchy and despondent and, whoops, suicidal.

Shhh. Hey, it was only a handful of kids, all right? Maybe, like, 10. Or 50. Who knows? "Acceptable losses," as they say in military parlance. Small price to pay for a whirling nation of numb smiling partially lobotomized teens who will open the door for you and say yes sir and no ma'am and wash you car for a dollar. Am I right? Goddamn right.

Never you mind, furthermore, that we have become a nation of sweetly drug-addled automatons begging at the hand of the giant pharmcos, and that only a fraction of the kids whose parents now have them sucking down behavioral meds like M&Ms actually need them, actually has severe enough brain issues and chemical imbalances and psychoemotional traumas that these drugs are small miracles.

Nossir, never you mind that the rest of those millions of nubile doe-eyed Prozac/Zoloft/Xanax teen addicts are merely being medicated to death for no viable reason whatsoever, other than the fact that they're just a bunch of angry depressed miserable angst-ridden teens and their parents are sick of trying to cope with it.

But, wait, isn't the angry-teen thing a part of life? Isn't that a mandatory stage for just about every kid nationwide, right before they evolve past it and their skin clears up and they finally get laid and then get old enough to drink and buy a minivan and have kids and finally join AA like good Christian adults?

And is it worth noting, again, that most of our drug-happy nation is merely seeking sad, silver-bullet relief from what has become a truly staggering and vicious array of social and government-sponsored ills, and are merely poisoning their bodies and numbing their minds simply because they're stressed and bored and overworked and undersexed?

Whoops, sorry. Got carried away there. Let's stay focused on the kids. Happy, happy kids. Let's not get away from the frightening fact that the U.S. now harbors millions -- millions! -- of Prozac-addicted teens and no one blinks an eye, and yet one kid ODs on ecstasy at a rave due to rampant insulting misinfo put out by the CDC and suddenly it's furrowed brows and pointing fingers and scrunched imbecilic senators railroading the moronic RAVE Act through Congress as they suck down another fistful of Vicodin with their fourth martini. The simpering hypocrites.

Whoops, sorry again. No name-calling. That never gets us anywhere. Guess I'm just getting a bit angry. Maybe a little frustrated at the rampant wholesale corporate-sponsored government-enhanced parentally condoned drugging of kids in this country, and what that means for our future, and theirs, and the future of their attitudes and perspectives and the deterioration of their brains, penises, souls, karmas, love lives, vibration, evolutionary status.

Maybe I'm just getting a little too goddamn depressed by it all. Maybe I just need a pill. And a drink. Ahhh, there now. Much better. Thank you, Eli Lilly. We're No. 1!

Alcohol Effects on Health

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

The Health Effects of Teen Alcohol Use

There has been many studies conducted on the health effects of both short-term and long-term use of alcohol among adults. Long-term risks inlcude liver damage, pancreatitis, certain cancers, and literal shrinkage of the brain. Alcohol use is the second leading cause of dementia; one simple ages quicker on alcohol. (3) But professionals today are worried about a steady increase in teen alcohol abuse and the possible negative health effects. According to an article published by the British Medical Association (BMA) entitled: “Alcohol and Young People”, “…there was a general rise in the proportion of 11 to 15 year-olds who drink alcohol regularly, but also there is an increase in the amount they are drinking on each occasion.”

Adolescence is a transition time when the body is undergoing many significant changes, such as hormonal alterations and brain development. It is also a time when young people start to associate more with friends and associates beyond their childhood contacts. They feel an increased pressure to ‘fit in’ or ‘go along with the crowd’ in order to be accepted socially. These new circumstances can be confusing and difficult for the youth to understand and deal with. Often their ability to make correct or safe decisions is also at a stage of immaturity. Exposing the brain to alcohol during this period may interrupt key processes of brain development, possibly leading to mild cognitive impairment as well as to a further escalation of drinking.

Alcohol is absorbed very rapidly into the blood stream from the stomach lining, in as short a time as 5 to 10 minutes and it’s effects last for several hours depending on the amount ingested and how quickly it was consumed. Females absorb alcohol faster than males because their bodies contain less water. The water dilutes the alcohol and so the same amount of alcohol will produce a higher concentration in the blood. After consuming only 2 to 3 normal strength beers, or 4 or 5 standard glasses of wine, most people will feel less inhibited and more relaxed. Anything consumed after this amount most people slur their speech and become less coordinated and clumsy. Some people have increased emotional reactions. More alcohol could result in staggering, double vision, and loss of balance, nausea, vomiting and an impression of the room spinning.

According to information issued from the U. S. government publication entitled Prevention Alert, teen alcohol abuse showed many negative side effects. “Subtle alcohol-induced adolescent learning impairments could affect academic and occupational achievement. In one study……short-term memory skills were evaluated in alcohol-dependent and nondependent adolescents ages 15 and 16. The alcohol-dependent youth had greater difficulty remembering words and simple geometric designs after a 10-minute interval. In this and similar studies memory problems were most common among adolescents in treatment who had experienced alcohol withdrawal symptoms. The emergence of withdrawal symptoms generally indicates an established pattern of heavy drinking. Their appearance at a young age underscores the need for early intervention to prevent and treat underage drinking. Early alcohol use may have long lasting consequences. People who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence at some time in their lives compared with those who have their first drink at age 20 or older. It is not clear whether starting to drink at an early age actually causes alcoholism. Environmental factors may also be involved, especially in alcoholic families, where children may start drinking earlier because of easier access to alcohol in the home, family acceptance of drinking and lack of parental monitoring.

Aside from the fact that underage drinking is illegal, it poses a high risk to both the individual and society. We will discuss some of the consequences of teen alcohol abuse.

Drinking and Driving
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among youth ages 15 to 20. The rate of fatal crashes among alcohol-involved drivers between 16 and 20 years old is more than twice the rate for alcohol-involved drivers 21 and older.

Suicide
Alcohol use interacts with conditions such as depression and stress to contribute to suicide, the third leading cause of death among people between the ages of 14 and 25. In one study, 37 percent of eighth grade females who drank heavily reported attempting suicide, compared with 11 percent who did not drink.

Sexual Assault
Sexual assault, including rape, occurs most commonly among women in late adolescence and early adulthood, usually within the context of a date. In one survey, approximately 10 percent of female high school students reported having been raped. Research suggests that alcohol use by the offender, the victim or both, increase the likelihood of sexual assault by a male acquaintance.

High-Risk Sex
Research has associated adolescent alcohol use with high-risk sex, for instance, multiple partners or unprotected sex. The consequences of high-risk sex also are common in this age group, particularly unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. According to a recent study, the link between high-risk sex and drinking is affected by the quantity of alcohol consumed. The probability of sexual intercourse is increased by drinking amounts of alcohol sufficient to impair judgment, but decreased by drinking heavier amounts that result in feelings of nausea, passing out, or mental confusion. Binge Drinking. Though most college drinkers would deny it, young people do die solely from drinking. In 1995, 318 people ages 15 to 24 died from alcohol poisoning alone, man of them after a night binge at college. At the University of Virginia, a tradition that has seniors drinking a fifth of hard liquor at the final game of the football season (so-called “Fourth-year Fifth”) has killed 18 students since 1990. (3)


Works Cited

British Medical Association BMA, article Alcohol and Young People, Health 1999
(2) Prevention Alert, Vol. 5 Number 6 May 10, 2002,
ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/prevalert/v5/2.aspx

(3) Author: Kattie Payne, RN, PhD Last updated September 9, 2002, copyright 1995-2004, Healthwise, Incorporated, P. O. Box 1989, Boise, ID 83701.

If you need help with alcochol addiction please seek out support or join us at Sober Teens

Teen Job Hunting

Monday, November 26, 2007

Getting a Job as a Teen
by: Sarah Russell


If, like most teens, you’re looking for a little extra cash for the movies or the mall – or for something larger like a car or college – you’ve probably thought about getting a job. Getting a job as a teen can be a great way to build up your resume and demonstrate your reliability and dependability to colleges and future employers. But before you embark on the glamorous lifestyle of hairnets and fast food, take the time to learn about the process of getting a job and decide whether or not it’s right for you.

Before you start looking for a job, you’ve got to find out if you can legally work as a teen. Every state has child labor laws which may limit the jobs you can do based on your age and the number of hours you can work during the school year or summer break. In most cases, you’ll be required to fill out a student work permit in order to work as a teen. Check with your schools or local government offices for more information.

You’ve also got to consider whether or not you can handle a job on top of your regular commitments. It’s hard to work as a teen. When you get a job, you’re expected to show up for your shifts, whether you’ve got a big exam the next day or a big date scheduled for the same night. You’ve got to go to work when you don’t feel like it, and you’ve got to keep up with your nightly homework on top of everything. Be realistic with yourself – if you’re already struggling to keep your grades up, a part-time job probably isn’t best for you.

If you’re legally able to work, it’s time to start looking for a job. If you’ve got friends who are already working, ask them which employers are good to work for and which ones aren’t. Search your local newspaper for part-time listings or walk into your favorite stores and ask if they’re hiring. It’s best to apply for lots of jobs, including ones you want and ones you’d just be okay with, since you won’t get every job you apply for. Always look your best and be polite with everyone you talk to when you’re applying for jobs.

If an employer is interested in you, you may be called for an interview. Interviews can be scary, but you can do a little preparation ahead of time to be ready. Most employers will want to know what you think are your strengths and weaknesses, what interests you in the position and what kind of schedule you’ll be able to keep. Never, ever lie to the interviewer, but be realistic with your answers. Remember, the goal of the interview is to find out if you’re a good match for the job.

If you’re offered a job, you’ll probably also talk about your schedule and the amount of money you’ll be paid. You’ll get an introduction to the business and be briefed on what your responsibilities will be. Pay close attention during your training and speak up if you have any questions. If there’s anything you feel uncomfortable with, let your manager know – you may be able to take on other tasks instead.

Check in with yourself regularly once you start working. If you feel overwhelmed, talk to your manager and see if you can reduce your hours or change the nights that you work. However, you’ve got to respect that your manager has his/her own needs in running the business and may not be able to accommodate you. If not, you may need to find another job. If your grades are slipping, it’s time to seriously consider whether you should be working or not. You can always make a little extra money with odd jobs like babysitting and yard work that you can do on your own time.

And speaking of the extra money, why not put some of it into a savings account? Sure, spend a little on a new pair of jeans, but by setting a little aside for more important things, you’ll be developing financial skills that will help you tremendously as an adult.


About The Author
This article was originally published by Sarah Russell on Smart Young Money - the internet's best source of money management resources for teens and young adults. To get more information on investing, using credit wisely, managing debt and more for young people, please visit http://www.smartyoungmoney.com.

The Truth About Cocaine

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Slang-Coke, Dust, Toot, Snow, Blow, Sneeze, Powder, Lines, Rock (Crack)

Cocaine affects your brain. The word "cocaine" refers to the drug in both a powder (cocaine) and crystal (crack) form. It is made from the coca plant and causes a short-lived high that is immediately followed by opposite, intense feelings of depression, edginess, and a craving for more of the drug. Cocaine may be snorted as a powder, converted to a liquid form for injection with a needle, or processed into a crystal form to be smoked.

Cocaine affects your body. People who use cocaine often don't eat or sleep regularly. They can experience increased heart rate, muscle spasms, and convulsions. If they snort cocaine, they can also permanently damage their nasal tissue.

Cocaine affects your emotions. Using cocaine can make you feel paranoid, angry, hostile, and anxious, even when you're not high.

Cocaine is addictive. Cocaine interferes with the way your brain processes chemicals that create feelings of pleasure, so you need more and more of the drug just to feel normal. People who become addicted to cocaine start to lose interest in other areas of their life, like school, friends, and sports.

Cocaine can kill you. Cocaine use can cause heart attacks, seizures, strokes, and respiratory failure. People who share needles can also contract hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, or other diseases.

Know the law. Cocaine-in any form-is illegal.

Stay informed. Even first-time cocaine users can have seizures or fatal heart attacks.

Know the risks. Combining cocaine with other drugs or alcohol is extremely dangerous. The effects of one drug can magnify the effects of another, and mixing substances can be deadly.

Be aware. Cocaine is expensive. Regular users can spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars on cocaine each week and some will do anything to support their addiction.

Stay in control. Cocaine impairs your judgment which may lead to unwise decisions around sexual activity. This can increase your risk for HIV/AIDS and other diseases, as well as rape and unplanned pregnancy.

Look around you. The vast majority of teens aren't using cocaine. According to a 1998 study, less than 1 percent of teens are regular cocaine users. In fact, 98 percent of teens have never even tried cocaine.

How can you tell if a friend is using cocaine? Sometimes it's tough to tell. But there are signs you can look for. If your friend has one or more of the following warning signs, he or she may be using cocaine or other illicit drugs:

* Red, bloodshot eyes
* A runny nose or frequently sniffing
* A change in eating or sleeping patterns
* A change in groups of friends
* A change in school grades or behavior
* Acting withdrawn, depressed, tired, or careless about personal appearance
* Losing interest in school, family, or activities he or she used to enjoy
* Frequently needing money

What can you do to help someone who is using cocaine? Be a real friend. Save a life. Encourage your friend to stop or seek professional help. For information and referrals, call the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 800-729-6686.

Q. Is cocaine really still a problem?
A. Yes. While the number of cocaine users has decreased from what was witnessed in the mid-1980's, there have been nearly 2 million cocaine users every year since 1992.

Q. Isn't crack less addictive than cocaine because it doesn't stay in your body very long?
A. No. Both cocaine and crack are powerfully addictive. The length of time it stays in your body doesn't change that.

Q. Don't some people use cocaine to feel good?
A. Any positive feelings are fleeting and are usually followed by some very bad feelings, like paranoia and intense cravings. Cocaine may give users a temporary illusion of power and energy, but it often leaves them unable to function emotionally, physically, and sexually.

The bottom line: If you know someone who has a problem with cocaine/crack cocaine, urge him or her to stop or get help. If you use it--stop! The longer you ignore the real facts, the more chances you take with your life.

It's never too late. Talk to your parents, a doctor, a counselor, a teacher, or another adult you trust.

Do it today!

To learn more about cocaine or obtain referrals to programs in your community, contact:

Source: SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
800-729-6686

Why Teens Drink

Friday, November 23, 2007


Experimentation with alcohol during the teen years is common. Some reasons that teens use alcohol and other drugs are:





* curiosity
* to feel good, reduce stress, and relax
* to fit in
* to feel older

From a very young age, kids see advertising messages showing beautiful people enjoying life — and alcohol. And because many parents and other adults use alcohol socially — having beer or wine with dinner, for example — alcohol seems harmless to many teens.

Why Shouldn't I Drink?

Although it's illegal to buy alcohol in the United States until the age of 21, most teens can get access to it. It's therefore up to you to make a decision about drinking. In addition to the possibility of becoming addicted, there are some downsides to drinking:

The punishment is severe. Teens who drink put themselves at risk for obvious problems with the law (it's illegal; you can get arrested). Teens who drink are also more likely to get into fights and commit crimes than those who don't.

People who drink regularly also often have problems with school. Drinking can damage a student's ability to study well and get decent grades, as well as affect sports performance (the coordination thing).

You can look really stupid. The impression is that drinking is cool, but the nervous system changes that come from drinking alcohol can make people do stupid or embarrassing things, like throwing up or peeing on themselves. Drinking also gives people bad breath, and no one enjoys a hangover.

Alcohol puts your health at risk. Teens who drink are more likely to be sexually active and to have unsafe, unprotected sex. Resulting pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases can change — or even end — lives. The risk of injuring yourself, maybe even fatally, is higher when you're under the influence, too. One half of all drowning deaths among teen guys are related to alcohol use. Use of alcohol greatly increases the chance that a teen will be involved in a car crash, homicide, or suicide.

Teen drinkers are more likely to get fat or have health problems, too. One study by the University of Washington found that people who regularly had five or more drinks in a row starting at age 13 were much more likely to be overweight or have high blood pressure by age 24 than their nondrinking peers. People who continue drinking heavily well into adulthood risk damaging their organs, such as the liver, heart, and brain.
How Can I Avoid Drinking?

If all your friends drink and you don't want to, it can be hard to say "no, thanks." No one wants to risk feeling rejected or left out. Different strategies for turning down alcohol work for different people. Some people find it helps to say no without giving an explanation, others think offering their reasons works better ("I'm not into drinking," "I have a game tomorrow," or "my uncle died from drinking," for example).

If saying no to alcohol makes you feel uncomfortable in front of people you know, blame your parents or another adult for your refusal. Saying, "My parents are coming to pick me up soon," "I already got in major trouble for drinking once, I can't do it again," or "my coach would kill me," can make saying no a bit easier for some.

If you're going to a party and you know there will be alcohol, plan your strategy in advance. You and a friend can develop a signal for when it's time to leave, for example. You can also make sure that you have plans to do something besides just hanging out in someone's basement drinking beer all night. Plan a trip to the movies, the mall, a concert, or a sports event. You might also organize your friends into a volleyball, bowling, or softball team — any activity that gets you moving.

Girls or guys who have strong self-esteem are less likely to become problem drinkers than people with low self-esteem.

Where Can I Get Help?

If you think you have a drinking problem, get help as soon as possible. The best approach is to talk to an adult you trust. If you can't approach your parents, talk to your doctor, school counselor, clergy member, aunt, or uncle. It can be hard for some people to talk to adults about these issues, but a supportive person in a position to help can refer students to a drug and alcohol counselor for evaluation and treatment.

In some states, this treatment is completely confidential. After assessing a teen's problem, a counselor may recommend a brief stay in rehab or outpatient treatment. These treatment centers help a person gradually overcome the physical and psychological dependence on alcohol.

What If I'm Concerned About Someone Else's Drinking?

Many people live in homes where a parent or other family member drinks too much. This may make you angry, scared, and depressed. Many people can't control their drinking without help. This doesn't mean that they love or care about you any less. Alcoholism is an illness that needs to be treated just like other illnesses.

People with drinking problems can't stop drinking until they are ready to admit they have a problem and get help. This can leave family members and loved ones feeling helpless. The good news is there are many places to turn for help: a supportive adult, such as your guidance counselor, or a relative or older sibling will understand what you're going through. Also, professional organizations like Alateen can help.

If you have a friend whose drinking concerns you, make sure he or she stays safe. Don't let your friend drink and drive, for example. If you can, try to keep friends who have been drinking from doing anything dangerous, such as trying to walk home at night alone or starting a fight. And protect yourself, too. Don't get in a car with someone who's been drinking, even if that person is your ride home. Ask a sober adult to drive you instead or call a cab.

Everyone makes decisions about whether to drink and how much — even adults. It's possible to enjoy a party or other event just as much, if not more so, when you don't drink. And with your central nervous system working as it's supposed to, you'll remember more about the great time you had!

Surviving the Holiday's with an Eating Disorder

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Taken From Eating Coalition at My Space Blog.

How can someone with an eating disorder healthfully navigate through the busy holiday season? Here are twelve suggestions that may help.

1. Eat regularly and in some kind of reasonable pattern. Avoid "preparing for the last supper." Don't skip meals and starve in attempt to make up for what you recently ate or are about to eat. Keep a regular and moderate pattern.

2. Worry more about the size of your heart than the size of your hips! It is the holiday season, a great time to reflect, enjoy relationships with loved ones, and most importantly a time to feel gratitude for blessings received and a time to give back through loving service to others.

3. Discuss your anticipations of the holidays with your therapist, physician, dietitian, or other members of your treatment team so that they can help you predict, prepare for, and get through any uncomfortable family interactions without self destructive coping attempts.

4. Have a well thought out game plan before you go home or invite others into your home. Know "where the exits are," where your support persons are, and how you'll know when it's time to make a brief exit and get connected with needed support.

5. Talk with loved ones about important issues: decisions, victories, challenges, fears, concerns, dreams, goals, special moments, spirituality, relationships and your feelings about them. Allow important themes to be present and allow yourself to have fun rather than rigidly focusing on food or body concerns.

6. Choose, ahead of time, someone to call if you are struggling with addictive behaviors, or with negative thoughts, or difficult emotions. Call them ahead of time and let them know of your concerns, needs, and the possibility of them receiving a call from you.

7. If it would be a support or help to you, consider choosing one loved one to be your "reality check" with food, to either help plate up food for you, or to give you a reality check on the food portions which you dish up for yourself.

8. Write down your vision of where you would like your mind and heart to be during this holiday time with loved ones. Take time, several times per day, to find a quiet place to become in tune again with your vision, to remember, to nurture, and to center yourself into those thoughts, feelings, and actions which are congruent with your vision for yourself.

9. If you have personal goals for your time with loved ones during the holidays, focus the goals around what you would like to do. Make your goals about "doing something" rather than about trying to prevent something. If you have food goals, then make sure you also add personal emotional, spiritual, and relationship goals as well.

10. Work on being flexible in your thoughts. Learn to be flexible in guidelines for yourself, and in expectations of yourself and others. Strive to be flexible in what you can eat during the holidays. Take a holiday from self imposed criticism, rigidity, and perfectionism.

11. Stay active in your support group, or begin activity if you are currently not involved. Many support groups can be helpful. 12-step group, co-dependency group, eating disorder therapy group, neighborhood "Bunco" game group, and religious or spiritually oriented groups are examples of groups which may give real support. Isolation and withdrawal from positive support is not the right answer for getting through trying times.

12. Avoid "overstressing" and "overbooking" yourself and avoid the temptation and pattern of becoming "too busy." A lower sense of stress can decrease a felt need to go to eating disorder behaviors or other unhelpful coping strategies. Cut down on unnecessary events and obligations and leave time for relaxation, contemplation, reflection, spiritual renewal, simple service, and enjoying the small yet most important things in life. This will help you experience and enjoy a sense of gratitude and peace.

Listen to your body!!!!!!!!
The first key to listening to your body is being able to detect when you are getting hungry. If you are indeed truly hungry, and not just looking for food to cure your boredom, stress, or loneliness, then it is time to refuel.


The second key is being able to know when you have had enough. Listen to your body. When you begin to feel full, you will know that you have had enough to eat. The goal is to feel content--not uncomfortably stuffed but not starving either. Sometimes this means eating 5 or 6 smaller meals a day instead of 3 large meals. And, remember it takes about 20 minutes for your body to realize it's full. Also, be aware of what you are eating--sit, chew slowly, enjoy the tastes, smells, and textures of your food.


The third key is moderation, nothing to extremes. Often people hear this advice and think it means they can eat whatever they crave, all the time. Obviously we cannot survive on potato chips or peanut butter cookies alone. And if you tried, chances are you'd probably start to crave some pasta or fresh fruit after awhile. These cravings are your body's way of helping you get the nutrients it knows you need.


Be thankful for your body!!!
Your body is extraordinary--begin to respect and appreciate it.

Create a list of all the things your body lets you do. Read it and add to it often.

Become aware of what your body can do each day. Remember it is the instrument of your life, not just an ornament.

Create a list of people you admire: people who have contributed to your life, your community, or the world. Consider whether their appearance was important to their success and accomplishments.

Walk with your head held high, supported by pride and confidence in yourself as a person.

Don't let your weight or shape keep you from activities that you enjoy.

Wear comfortable clothes that you like and that feel good to your body.

Count your blessings, not your blemishes.

Think about all the things you could accomplish with the time and energy you currently spend worrying about your body and appearance. Try one!

Be your body's friend and supporter, not its enemy.

Consider this: your skin replaces itself once a month, your stomach lining every five days, your liver every six weeks, and your skeleton every three months.

Every morning when you wake up, thank your body for resting and rejuvenating itself so you can enjoy the day.

Every evening when you go to bed, tell your body how much you appreciate what it has allowed you to do throughout the day.

Find a method of exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly. Don't exercise to lose weight or to fight your body. Do it to make your body healthy and strong and because it makes you feel good.

Think back to a time in your life when you felt good about your body. Tell yourself you can feel like that again, even in this body at this age.

Keep a list of 10 positive things about yourself--without mentioning your appearance. Add to it!

Put a sign on each of your mirrors saying, "I'm beautiful inside and out."

Choose to find the beauty in the world and in yourself.

Start saying to yourself, "Life is too short to waste my time hating my body this way."

Eat when you are hungry. Rest when you are tired. Surround yourself with people that remind you of your inner strength and beauty.


Make a recovery toolbox!!!

Recovery is not just about learning to eat in a healthy way. It is not just about gaining or losing the required amount of weight. While for some patients it may be important to get medically stable first, somewhere along the path of recovery everyone will need to fill their Recovery Toolbox with many items not included on the dietician's menu of what to eat.

What needs to be in the toolbox:

The Issues & Feelings Viewfinder:

Eating Disorders are not about weight and food. They may seem to be, but these are just symptoms of something much deeper going on, triggered by your own feelings and issues. Feelings such as low self-worth, depression, sadness, anger, confusion, frustration, fear and insecurities -- Issues like low self-esteem, dysfunctional relationships, lack of boundaries, perfectionism, being a "yes" person, social self-judgement, phobia or isolation -- are just some simple examples.

You need to be willing to find and explore what those issue are. You need to be willing to heal from the pain and/or anger. You will have to learn to express and talk about what you feel, and to address what your issues may be. You will need to learn to identify your own negative emotions and what triggers negative thinking. Ultimately, you need to learn to identify and cope with the stress in your life and the emotions that you feel.

Therapy is a great way to help you discover what's going on inside. Support groups are helpful. Journaling about how you feel, buying self-help books and workbooks, going to self-esteem seminars, thinking about how your relationships and pivotal people in your life have effected you, thinking about choices you've made, exploring what you have (had) and do not (did not) have control over, visiting with past major events of your life -- these are all important parts of getting to your issues and feelings.

The True-Voice Megaphone:

It's common to hear in the recovery community -- "use your voice". As part of recovery you need to learn to use your voice... to express what it is that you are feeling, to be able to communicate effectively with others what it is you need, what it is you lack, what they can do to help. You have to be able to tell someone you are feeling insecure. You need to learn to say "I'm feeling sad today, I could use a hug." Using your voice is about the benefit you get in doing so.

There are many ways to learn to express yourself through recovery. Sometimes it will be by taking risks to just say how you feel to someone you trust. Sometimes it will be to write a letter to someone, expressing your emotions. A good place to start is in a journal, in therapy or a support group, or even in an online support forum.

The important part to remember -- this is your TRUE-voice megaphone. When you talk about nothing but what you weigh, or losing weight, or food, you are censoring your true voice and what it is your really are feeling and going through. You may have spent many years translating your problems and emotions into concentrated discussion on weight and food... you must learn to find your TRUE voice beneith the symptoms of your Eating Disorder.

A Coping Bank:

Suffering with Anorexia, Bulimia or Compulsive Overeating/Binge Eating, as said above, isn't about food... but you use your food behaviors to comfort, numb, isolate, "purge", self-punish, etc -- to COPE with whatever is eating you up inside.

It's essential on the recovery path to find new coping skills. Once you learn to identify your feelings and issues, you then need to be able to cope with them. It is a difficult slow process, but without the process of learning healthier coping skills, you're left with nothing as a healthy replacement for a set of really unhealthy behaviors.

We take the money we earn and put it in the bank for when we need it... A Coping Bank is essentially the same thing. We take what we learn about coping alternatives and put them away, in the backs of our minds, for when we need them. Click here Read more about making your own coping back.

A Glass That's Half-Full:

Constantly thinking "I can't do it" will set you up for something called "self-fulfilled prophecy", which means you predict and carry out your own future. You do have the ability to create your own success. If you are constantly thinking negatively about yourself and what you need to do, you only makes it all the harder a task... and it becomes all the easier to just give in to your negative thinking. Being a negative thinker may seem "natural", but learning to give yourself credit, to look for the positives in yourself, and to say "I can do this" is an essential part of recovery.

Affirmations can help. Motivational exercises/games can help. Doing a gratitude list each day ("Today I'm thankful for [fill in the blanks]" -- it can be as simple as "I'm thankful I made it through today" or "I'm thankful for supportive friends"). Asking those you love and trust to give you a different (healthier) perspective can help. Surrounding yourself with supportive people can help. Something as simple as a bumper sticker on the ceiling above your bed that says "I CAN DO IT" can help. Find creative ways to be your own cheerleader, and to ask for reassurance when you're having a hard time.

Support Network:

Is it impossible to recover all on your own? Probably not. Is it more helpful to have supportive people around you? Absolutely.

It is important to surround yourself will people who will encourage your recovery; Who will provide you with some accountability while you're learning to be accountable to yourself; Who will listen to what you are going through and what you are feeling. A therapist, a support group, a close friend, a spouse or partner, a family member, or even an online bulletin board... they can all be supportive in your fight for self discovery and recovery.

Ask friends to make you accountable. Ask family members to ask you how you really feel when you start harping on weight and food. Ask your spouse to listen to your insecurities. Ask anyone willing to support you to listen, and ask them for what you need.

Personal Responsibility Checklist:

Ultimately, you are responsible for your own recovery. Your checklist is the way you learn to be accountable to yourself.

Am I doing my best to keep myself safe?
Am I surrounding myself with supportive people?
Am I trying to listen to healthy advice from supportive people?
Am I asking for what I need?
Am I getting what I really need by restricting/purging/binging?
Am I expressing how I really feel?
Am I doing the best I can right now?
Am I being honest with the support people in my life?
Am I being honest with my therapist?
Am I being honest with myself?
Am I asking for more help if I need it?
It is up to you to get what you need to recover. It is up to you to ask for help to get what you need to recover. It is up to you if you take your meds (if necessary) and it is up to you to say they aren't working if they're not. It is up to you to show up for your therapy appointments, and it's up to you to be honest with your therapist and other support people in your life. AND if you are having a seriously hard time doing any of these things, it is up to you to say "I need more help here."

Everyone has the ability within themselves to recover. Regardless of coexiting psychological illness, regardless of life circumstance, everyone can improve their life by illiminating the part of them that says "I hate me" and by getting rid of an unhealthy coping mechanism such as an Eating Disorder. Fill up your recovery toolbox, reach out and ask for help, and I know you can do it!

10 Attitudes That Keep You From Expressing Feelings

Monday, November 19, 2007

The Good Feeling Hand Book
By: D. Burns (1989) New York, William Morrow


1. Conflict phobia. You are afraid of angry feelings or conflicts with people. You may believe that people with good relationships shouldn't fight or argue. You may also believe that the people you care about would be hurt and couldn't take it if you told them how you felt or what was really on your mind. This is the "ostrich phenomenon," because you bury your head in the sand instead of dealing with the problems in your relationship.

2. Emotional perfectionism. You believe that you shouldn't have irrational feelings like anger, jealousy, depression, or anxiety. You think you should always be rational and in control of your emotions. You are afraid of being exposed as weak and vulnerable. You believe that people will look down on you if they find out how you really feel.

3. Fear of disapproval and rejection. You are so terrified by rejection and ending up alone that you'd rather swallow your feelings and put up with some abuse than take the chance of making anyone mad at you. You feel an excessive need to please people and to meet everybody's expectations. You are afraid that people would not like you if you expressed your own ideas and feelings.

4. Passive-aggressiveness. You pout and hold your hurt and angry feelings inside instead of sharing them openly and honestly. You give others the silent treatment and try to make them feel guilty instead of sharing your feelings.

5. Hopelessness. You feel convinced that your relationship cannot improve no matter what you do, so you give up. You may feel that you've already tried everything and nothing works. You may believe that your spouse (or partner) is just too stubborn and insensitive to be able to change. This acts as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Once you give up, things get stuck and you conclude that your situation is hopeless.

6. Low self-esteem. You believe that you aren't entitled to express your feelings or to ask others for what you want. You think you should always please other people and meet their expectations.

7. Spontaneity. You believe that you have the right to say precisely what you think and feel when you are upset. You may feel that any change in the way you communicate will sound phony and ridiculous.

8. Mind reading. You believe that people should know how you feel and what you want without your having to express yourself directly. This gives you a perfect excuse to hold your feelings inside, and to feel resentful because people don't seem to care about your needs.

9. Martyrdom. You are afraid to admit that you're angry, because you don't want to give anyone the satisfaction of knowing that their behavior upsets you. You take enormous pride in controlling your emotions and suffering silently.

10. Need to solve problems. When you have a conflict with someone, you go around and around in circles trying to solve the problem instead of sharing your feelings openly and hearing how the other person feels.

Drug-free treatment gives hope to anorexic patients

Saturday, November 17, 2007


Hayley Browne was 12 when she "got sick". At first she tried to keep her anorexia a secret.

"You'd start to feel better and you'd think, 'hey, this isn't so bad' then you feel a bit hypocritical and you think, 'why did I fight this for so many years?'

"Things just deteriorated over the years and we tried many different treatments in Melbourne."

Then she heard of the Mandometer clinic in Sweden.

The clinic has treated eating disorders in more than 400 people worldwide - 50 from Australia and New Zealand - without the need for drugs such as anti-depressants.

Its drug-free approach stems from the founding scientists' belief that depression, anxiety and other psychiatric symptoms associated with eating disorders are the result of the starvation, rather than the other way around.

Its founders, Dr Cecilia Bergh and Professor Per Sodersten, were in Auckland last week showing their Mandometer biofeedback treatment to health professionals.

The programme re-educates patients in how to recognise the feeling of fullness by eating their meals using a specially designed computer scale and graph which guides them towards normal eating volumes and rates. (People with anorexia eat more slowly than the norm).

The clinic is based in Sweden at the Karolinska Institute, a medical research facility in Stockholm, where treatment is fully subsidised by the Swedish Government.

The programme also has out-patient clinics in Melbourne, San Diego, and Amsterdam.

Dr Bergh said the clinic was looking to set up in New Zealand, depending on public support, otherwise it would continue to treat New Zealand patients from Melbourne.

The treatment regime claims a 75 per cent success rate over the past 13 years and a relapse rate of 10 per cent.

Ms Browne, now 20, said her treatment in Stockholm, which was funded by private insurance, made a huge difference.

"It's so exhilarating to get well from that disease. I can't explain that."

The Melbourne woman was in remission early this year and was able to return to work.

She has a normal body weight, normal social life and normal psychological approach.

"With anybody with any disease - alcoholism, drug abuse, eating disorders - relapse is a possibility.

"But not if you're given a programme that will work.

"It's a day-to-day thing, but I really seriously doubt I will relapse."

It is "the final step back to complete normality".

author: Errol Kiong

New Zealand Herald

Alcohol killed my son

Friday, November 16, 2007

Chris died earlier this year at the age of 23 as a direct result of alcohol abuse. Here his mother Kathy describes how her only son went from a thoughtful little boy to a desperate alcoholic.

"It's funny looking back now, how strongly he objected to alcohol at the age of nine or 10.

His father had been an alcoholic and had committed suicide when Chris was just six. But I had thought that together, we had come to terms with this and moved our lives on.

He wasn't one of these 12 or 13-year-olds you read about downing cider in parks. He didn't have his first drink until he was 15, and he certainly wasn't out bingeing then.

He was working hard at school, and left with 12 GCSEs.

It wasn't until he was 17 and he went to college that I think he started drinking regularly - or at least that was when I started noticing it. There was cannabis too, with his friends.

But I think a lot of the drinking was going on at home, secretly. I clearly remember at Christmas that year noticing that a bottle of spirits was missing.

Violence and shoplifting

At 18, he inherited £20,000. I had no control over how he spent this money. Some went on a motorbike, the other £15,000 was spent on alcohol and drugs.

But the strange thing was he never smelt of alcohol, or even appeared intoxicated. His father was the same, and I think it allowed Chris not just to hide it from other people, but also stopped him from facing up to his own problems.

I was also starting to suffer violence from him. But I never really confronted him over this or called the police in because I was scared stiff of alienating him at a time when I felt he needed to be close to me.

There was shoplifting too. We were in the supermarket together and he concealed a bottle of vodka. He was arrested, but I paid the penalty to avoid him having a criminal record, because I was still convinced he would turn a corner.

He dropped out of college and flitted from job to job. He went to see the doctor who said he was depressed and prescribed him something like Prozac.

Letting go

He started to suffer from great social anxiety, and was unable to go out. During the day he would come to work with me and sit in the car all day waiting for me.

He just got put on more anti-depressants.

One day he said to me: "Mum, today I crossed the road and nearly got knocked down by a car. And do you know what? I just didn't care."

I tried to get him psychiatric help with limited success but I was absolutely terrified that he was about to take his life.

The GP came out to see him, and for the first time he was prescribed a detox programme.

But there was no medical supervision for this. I got rid of all the alcohol in the house, although he must have still had a secret stash. But when this ran out he asked me to go out and buy him a bottle.

I refused, and he assaulted me. I knew this time I had to call the police, and I did. They arrested him, charged him.

Saying goodbye

The police advised me not to take him back.

This was the toughest decision any parent will ever have to make, but I felt then it was the right one. I felt he would have to hit rock bottom if he was ever going to turn a corner.

He stayed with friends, he was due to stay with my sister-in-law in London. He was in contact with my sister so I had tabs on him, but I knew if I spoke to him he would just try to come back.

We did sort out accommodation for him but it didn't work out. He thought he then had a place at a centre, but he had to be completely detoxed for them to let him in.

Then there was nothing - we didn't hear anything.

Finally, there was a phone call from the local hospital. I was told my son was there, and that I shouldn't come in without support.

He had caught streptococcal pneumonia because his immune system was impaired as a result of liver disease. Every organ was affected.

I sat with him through the night. At 4am, the nurse told me he was deteriorating. I had to leave the room at 7am for a shift change, and when I came back it was clear they were scaling down the level of care.

It wasn't long then.

Nobody's problem

I guess I feel let down by the system. With both him and my husband I wanted them sectioned for mental health because I felt that was the only way, but I was told it wasn't possible.

Alcoholics can't take responsibility for their own lives, but then doctors won't step in and take responsibility for them.

Of course the government can also do more, although raising taxes on alcohol probably wouldn't have made much difference to my son. However the fact it is so easily available - and appears so glamorous in adverts - is part of the problem.

But I think both as parents and a society we need to think hard about this. Why are kids now turning to drink at such a young age? I think schools are letting them down a lot of the time by failing to give them any fixed aspirations.

Some of my son's friends at college moved from computer courses to health and safety ones in the blink of an eye, without anyone asking them what they actually wanted to do with their lives.

There needs to be more education in schools on the dangers of drinking, for the kids and for the parents too. That must be a priority.

I wish my son was out there still, although there is some respite in death for someone who was always going to find living hard.

I say to myself: at least I know he is safe now."
source: BBC News

Get help here!

Teen Girls and Drug Abuse

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Teen Girls and Drug Abuse
Addiction in Young Women on the Increase
© Andrea Okrentowich

Jan 28, 2007

Studies have shown that teenage girls are using drugs and alcohol with increasing frequency. What has contributed to this rise and why are girls more vulnerable?
A National Survey of Drug Use and Health in 2004 showed that girls began smoking marijuana earlier than boys. Besides increased substance abuse, studies also show that more teen girls are absuing tobacco and alcohol.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, “girls ages 12 to 17 now match boys in illegal drug and alcohol use and have actually surpassed boys in smoking cigarettes and misusing prescription drugs.”

In 2006, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) reported that "1.6 million girls reported having at least one major depressive episode in 2004." The number one drug of choice for girls since 2003? Marijuana, which can bring on symptoms of depression, ranks highest. Prescription pills, diet pills to pain killers also fill out the list of common drugs used among girls.

The increase in substance abuse among young women is especially dangerous because of the more serious health issues associated with female users. The female physiology is substantially different; women tend to develop alcohol-related health problems far faster than young men do, reports the American Medical Association.

These alcohol-related issues can include: brain damage, cancer, cardiac complications as well as mental disorders. Teen girls who drink alcohol regularly will also likely experience a disruption of growth and puberty. This disruption can result in serious, depressive symptoms which add to the general stress of trying to fit in with peers.

A study by the Department of Human Services showed that one in six girls became sexually active after consuming alcohol. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, teen girls who binge drink are 63% more likely to also become teen mothers. In the same study, one in four girls were reported to have driven under the influence or had gotten in a car with someone who had been drinking.

No family is immune from conflict, family problems arise when tensions run high and studies show teen girls are “more sensitive to conflict[s]” (ONDCP) in the family, so a social support system is vital for teens. A mentor, or confidant that is a positive role model as well as social groups like church organizations, Boys and Girls Clubs or the YMCA, are all good choices when creating a positive social circle.

Teen Drinking

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

How Can I Avoid Drinking?

If all your friends drink and you don't want to, it can be hard to say "no, thanks." No one wants to risk feeling rejected or left out. Different strategies for turning down alcohol work for different people. Some people find it helps to say no without giving an explanation, others think offering their reasons works better ("I'm not into drinking," "I have a game tomorrow," or "my uncle died from drinking," for example).

If saying no to alcohol makes you feel uncomfortable in front of people you know, blame your parents or another adult for your refusal. Saying, "My parents are coming to pick me up soon," "I already got in major trouble for drinking once, I can't do it again," or "my coach would kill me," can make saying no a bit easier for some.

If you're going to a party and you know there will be alcohol, plan your strategy in advance. You and a friend can develop a signal for when it's time to leave, for example. You can also make sure that you have plans to do something besides just hanging out in someone's basement drinking beer all night. Plan a trip to the movies, the mall, a concert, or a sports event. You might also organize your friends into a volleyball, bowling, or softball team — any activity that gets you moving.

Girls or guys who have strong self-esteem are less likely to become problem drinkers than people with low self-esteem.

Where Can I Get Help?

If you think you have a drinking problem, get help as soon as possible. The best approach is to talk to an adult you trust. If you can't approach your parents, talk to your doctor, school counselor, clergy member, aunt, or uncle. It can be hard for some people to talk to adults about these issues, but a supportive person in a position to help can refer students to a drug and alcohol counselor for evaluation and treatment.

In some states, this treatment is completely confidential. After assessing a teen's problem, a counselor may recommend a brief stay in rehab or outpatient treatment. These treatment centers help a person gradually overcome the physical and psychological dependence on alcohol.

What If I'm Concerned About Someone Else's Drinking?

Many people live in homes where a parent or other family member drinks too much. This may make you angry, scared, and depressed. Many people can't control their drinking without help. This doesn't mean that they love or care about you any less. Alcoholism is an illness that needs to be treated just like other illnesses.

People with drinking problems can't stop drinking until they are ready to admit they have a problem and get help. This can leave family members and loved ones feeling helpless. The good news is there are many places to turn for help: a supportive adult, such as your guidance counselor, or a relative or older sibling will understand what you're going through. Also, professional organizations like Alateen can help.

If you have a friend whose drinking concerns you, make sure he or she stays safe. Don't let your friend drink and drive, for example. If you can, try to keep friends who have been drinking from doing anything dangerous, such as trying to walk home at night alone or starting a fight. And protect yourself, too. Don't get in a car with someone who's been drinking, even if that person is your ride home. Ask a sober adult to drive you instead or call a cab.

Everyone makes decisions about whether to drink and how much — even adults. It's possible to enjoy a party or other event just as much, if not more so, when you don't drink. And with your central nervous system working as it's supposed to, you'll remember more about the great time you had!



Source: http://www.kidshealth.org