Old Talk they hear you

As a parent you probably have heard about how important it is to talk to your teen about drugs and alcohol, however you many not know how or when to start the conversation.

Have short, frequent conversations with your child. This may be more effective than long talks. Start the conversation with your child as early as the age of 9.

 

Click Here  FOR AN INTERACTIVE PHONE APP THAT CAN HELP YOU GET THE CONVERSATION STARTED WITH YOUR TEEN!

DOWNLOAD THE TALK THEY HEAR YOU BROCHURE

ENGLISH      SPANISH     POLISH     RUSSIAN (coming soon!)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcQGG665r08

PSA from SAMHSA’s “Talk. They Hear You” Campaign

 

*source: Healthfinder.gov

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):  Alcohol and Drugs:

Question:  Why should I talk to my kids about alcohol before age 10?

Answer:  In a recent survey, 1 in 3 fifth and sixth graders (ages 10-11) said that alcohol was available and easy to get.  Approximately 10% of 9-10 year olds have started drinking, one in three begin drinking before age 13 and by age 15, approximately 50% have had at least one drink.

Question:  Why is age of first use of alcohol so critically important?

Answer:  Kids who start drinking alcohol before age 15 are 5 times more likely to develop alcohol abuse or dependence than people who first used alcohol at age 21 or older (16% vs. 3%).

Question:  What are the top two factors in whether kids decide to try drugs?

Answer:  Perceived Risk and Social Acceptance.  If kids understand the risks of using drugs and they see using them as socially unacceptable, they are less likely to try drugs.  As parents we have an opportunity and responsibility to help our kids on both of these issues.

Question:  I thought drinking and driving was the only alcohol-related risk for college students?

Answer:  An estimated 1,900 young people under the age of 21 die each year from alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes.   And, approximately 600,000 college students are unintentionally injured while under the influence of alcohol.  Approximately 700,000 students are assaulted by other students who have been drinking and about 100,000 students are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.

Question:  My ex-husband was alcoholic, should I be concerned about my kids?

Answer:  Children of alcohol or drug addicted parents are the highest risk group of all children to become alcohol and drug abusers due to both genetic and family environment factors.

Question:  I think my 17 year son has a drug problem, but I think he’ll grow out of it.  Am I right?

Answer:  Plain and simple, if you are concerned, now is the time to seek help, not later.

Question:  Should I be concerned about prescription drugs when the “real problem” is the illegal drugs like cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine?

Answer:  As a parent you should be concerned about alcohol and all of the other drugs, legal and illegal.  Recently there has been a significant increase in the non-medical use of prescription pain drugs among young people.  In fact, after marijuana, the next three most commonly used drugs are the non-medical use of prescription pain medications-Vicodin, OxyContin and Adderal

Source: https://ncadd.org/