Adolescent Issues
Teens’ Propensity to Take Risks Explained
Risk-taking behavior by teens often results in frustrated and befuddled parents. Parents struggle to understand why their child would take a risk that seems to drastically outweigh the potential reward.
New Study May Help Medical Professionals Reduce the Number of Teen Suicides
Comparing youths who have attempted suicide to one another in a recent study may provide a clearer understanding to preventing teen suicides in the future.
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Teen Drug Use Rises as Alcohol Use Decreases
A recent survey of 47,000 teenagers in eighth, tenth and twelfth grades by researchers at the University of Michigan, highlights the changing trends in adolescent substance abuse, according to the Huffington Post. The results showed that one in every 15 seniors smokes pot on a regular basis and usually daily, which is the highest it has been since 1981.
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Academic-Enhancing Drugs Like Adderall Are Impacting Students Nationwide
A recent article in the Washington Post illustrates how the seemingly harmless practice of sharing unused meds is becoming a national epidemic. In the article, one anonymous coed describes her routine of selling leftover pills from her Adderall script to friends she believes are only using it as a study aid.
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A Downside of Facebook for Teen Mental Health?
Teenagers get sick of “old folks” telling them Facebook is a bad influence. They’re right, in part. Social networking sites keep teens connected to friends, give shy kids a shot at a social life, encourage teens to show empathy, and help teens express themselves.
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Peer Pressure May Be Strong Influence on Sexting Behaviors
Teens sext because their friends do, and may put on the pressure, says a CBS article. As methods for sexting increase, a primary way to help teens avoid becoming involved in sexting remains the same – through targeted, in-depth conversation about the dangers of sexting.
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Family Dinners Help Teens Stay Sober
If parents want to keep their teens clean and sober, they may need to look no further than the family dinner table, according to a new study shown in the I B Times. CASA recently released a report that shows the importance of having family dinners. Joseph A. Califano, Jr., with CASA, says that parental involvement is key to raising drug-free teens and that family dinners are one of the basic acts of being engaged with your children.
Support Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 23-31, 2011 and Help Create a Drug-Free Environment
Red Ribbon Week, the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the United States, is coming up soon. This year, the annual week-long event takes place October 23-31, 2011. It’s a time when people and communities can take the opportunity to come together and unite in a visible stand against drugs.
The theme of this year’s event is "It’s Up To Me To Be Drug Free." This couldn’t be more appropriate, as prevention of drug use and abuse certainly begins with individual efforts and commitment. Each of us, in fact, shares a personal responsibility to help create a drug-free environment in which we live, work and play.
Why the Red Ribbon Campaign Started
The origins of the Red Ribbon Campaign began in 1985 when drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Enrique ("Kiki") Camarena. Following this brutal and senseless murder, the practice of displaying red ribbons as a symbol of intolerance toward the use of drugs began. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and highly visible community commitment towards the creation of a drug-free America.
The national sponsor of the Red Ribbon Campaign is the National Family Partnership. This is a group that helps citizens across the United States to work together to keep children, families and communities safe, healthy and drug-free. They do this through providing parent training, networking and sponsoring the National Red Ribbon Campaign.
Sign the Red Ribbon Pledge
The facts point up how important parental involvement is in preventing drug abuse among our children. Research shows that children of parents who regularly talk to their teens about drugs are 42 percent less likely to use drugs than those who don’t communicate with their children about these dangers. Yet this same research shows that only a quarter of teens report having these conversations with their parents.
How can individuals support Red Ribbon Week? It’s easy.
Everyone can start by taking the Red Ribbon Pledge. Go to the Red Ribbon Campaign website and sign the pledge.
In essence, what we do when we take the pledge is:
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Sexting Major Concern for Parents of Teens in School, Says Poll
A recent survey says parents are expressing a new worry that’s shoving aside fears about dealing with bullies or getting good grades. According to a survey by SpectorSoft, the chief school worry parents expressed toward their children is about sexting, or sending sexual messages and photos out from their cell phones.
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Parents: Health Risk for Teens in Lazy Cakes and Bath Salts
As summer approaches and children are out of school, parents should take the time to warn kids about the dangers of legal "drugs" that are for sale and readily available. These include bath salts, which are anything but safe, as well as a product called Lazy Cakes.
Both are legally for sale at convenience stores, truck stops and smoke shops in many states. But just because they can be sold doesn’t mean that they are safe to use – especially for children.
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