Substance Abuse and Suicide: Is Your Teen at Risk?

Youth suicide is a topic lacking in common conversation. It seems as if this topic only comes up after a tragedy occurs and hits the news (and too close to home). There are a lot of risk factors that can lead to teen suicide such as bullying, family problems, eating disorders and a number of other things; however, substance abuse is also a very common cause for teenage suicide. It is important for parents to recognize the warning signs, know when their children are suffering and be able to prevent these types of tragedies if at all possible.

The Statistics

·         According to data released by the CDC, suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-24.

·         More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, influenza, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke and pneumonia combined.

·         There are 5,400 suicide attempts each day by children and young adults in grades 7-12.

·         Studies have shown that 4 out of 5 youth suicide attempts were preceded by clear warning signs.

The Warning Signs

It is important for parents to know the warning signs and to be able to recognize abnormal behavioral patterns that could possibly lead to suicide attempts. Some of these warning signs could include, but are not limited to –

·         Comments about feeling hopeless, helpless or worthless

·         Talking about suicide during casual conversation

·         Extreme shifts in behavior

·         Sudden lack of interest in normal activities and hobbies

·         Withdrawal from interaction with family and/or friends

If any of these symptoms are accompanied by suspicions or knowledge of alcohol or drug abuse, problems at home (divorce,etc), issues with bullying, or any other problems that your child may be facing, it is important to seek help and talk to your child about these problems. According to The Jason Foundation, alcohol and drug use are associated with 50-67% of suicides.

What Can You Do to Help?

Suspecting that your child could be at risk of attempting suicide is a very scary feeling. It is important as parents to be prepared in knowing how to deal with situations like this when they arise. Here are some tips on how to handle the situation if you feel that your child is at risk.

·         Remain calm and avoid reacting erratically

·         Ask your child directly if he/she is having suicidal thoughts

·         Listen and allow your child to speak freely of their feelings without interruption or judgment

·         Reassure your child of your unconditional love and support

·         If your child has admitted to having suicidal thoughts – do not leave them alone

·         Seek professional help immediately

·         Reassure your child that these feelings of pain and suffering will not last forever

·         Notify your child’s school administrator of the problem and request any help that they can offer

Using Your Child’s School as a Resource

Your child’s school can serve as one of the most useful resources in suicide prevention, being that your child spends the majority of his or her time there. Here are some resources that your child’s school can provide –

·         Access to tests that can measure your child’s risk-level for suicide

·         Parent notification of any suspicious behaviors that are believed to be warnings signs of suicidal behavior

·         Provide referrals for outside professional help that your child may need if he or she is found to be at risk of suicide

·         Provide in-school counseling to any child who is suffering from depression, low self-esteem, or any other problems that commonly lead to suicide

---

The mission of the Walton County Prevention Coalition is to help to prevent substance abuse in our youth by developing an anti-drug coalition. Suicide prevention is a topic that does not receive an adequate amount of attention, and substance abuse is one of the most common stepping stones to suicidal behavior in our youth. The Walton County Prevention Coalition urges parents to stay educated on recognizing the signs of suicidal behavior in teenagers.

5 Tips on Talking to Your Kids about Underage Drinking

With so many other drugs and pressures swarming around our youth, parents often make the mistake of neglecting the topic of underage drinking when talking to their kids – and boy is it a topic that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Kids are now known to start experimenting with alcohol before even reaching their teenage years, so it is important to be proactive in talking to your kids about the dangers of underage drinking and the long-term effects that alcohol can have on our youth.

Start Early
When it comes to talking to your kids about underage drinking, it is important to beat the peer pressure to the punch.

»     The pressures of experimenting with alcohol and other drugs is happening at a much younger age nowadays. Approximately 10% of kids admit to using alcohol by the age of 12, and that number doubles by the age of 13.Kids these days, right?

»     Though teenagers don’t always act like it, they do look to their parents and other adults for guidance, and though it may not seem like it at times, when you talk, they listen.

»     Start talking to your kids about the dangers of underage drinking at young age so that they will be prepared for the inevitable pressures that they will encounter.

Saying Nothing Can Be Saying A Lot

Conversations with your teenager about topics such as underage drinking can surely be challenging, but that is no excuse to put it off. Saying nothing to your child about underage drinking can prove to be far more dangerous than saying the wrong thing.

»     Some parents mistakenly believe that their child isn’t susceptible to giving in to the pressures of underage drinking – wrong!

»     Parents often think that they know their child, they know who their child is hanging out with, or they think that their child tells them everything, therefore they know that their child isn’t experimenting with alcohol, so why bring it up? No one’s child is above being subjected to the peer pressures of underage drinking – prepare your child for the worst, even if their behavior is the best.

»     By saying nothing, you can be saying “drinking isn’t as big of a deal as other drugs that I’ve warned you about.” This is a dangerous message.

Use the Organic Approach

Speaking of how difficult these conversations with our kids can be – what’s the best way to bring it up? When possible, it can be best to bring these topics up in a casual environment such as during dinner or on a road trip.

»     When you let the conversation happen in an organic way, the relaxed environment will allow your child to feel more comfortable opening up.

»     For example, you could bring up something that happened in the news involving underage drinking, and then say, “That’s scary. Are there any kids at your school getting involved with alcohol already?”

Avoid the Scare Tactic

It can be difficult to keep a good balance between creating an open and casual environment for your child to open up, setting clear boundaries and expectations for them, and showing them who is boss. The one thing that you don’t want to do is try and scare your child into avoiding alcohol.

»     This tactic can cause your child to rebel against you as well as scare them away from coming to you for help in dangerous situations involving alcohol. 

»     Teenagers make mistakes and they can get themselves into some dangerous situations – it is important for your child to know that they can come to you for help and talk to you about what they are experiencing. Don’t scare them away.

»     Set limitations and expectations for your child in regards to underage drinking, but let them know you are there to support them when bad situations arise.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

If you are going to drink openly in front of your kids, do it responsibly. Your children will learn more from your own actions than from what you say to them. Be a good role model and don’t let them learn bad drinking habits in their own home.

The mission of the Walton County Prevention Coalition is to help to prevent substance abuse in our youth by developing an anti-drug coalition. Underage drinking is just one of the many pressures facing our youth and it isn’t one to be taken lightly. Start talking to your kids today about the dangers of underage drinking and the negative effects that alcohol abuse can have on their future.

Facts and Statistics about Teenage Smoking That Your Kid Will Listen To

Smoking is a tough subject when it comes to substance abuse prevention. Tobacco companies are getting more creative than ever at targeting the young audience in their marketing efforts. It is important to educate our youth on the dangers and negative effects of smoking. Here are some facts and statistics that your kid is likely to listen to.

9 Teenage Smoking Facts and Statistics

1.       Nicotine use during adolescence negatively affects brain development. Does your teenager have big college plans? Not if they don’t have the grades to make the cut! Fill them in on the negative effects that tobacco use can have on their brain development.

2.       Smoking leads to poor physical performance from decreased lung function.If your child dreams about being the star of the football or softball team then they may be interested to know that smoking can hinder their performance on the field and prevent them from accomplishing their goals.

3.       Smoking can fry dopamine receptors, decreasing your sense of pleasure, memory, thinking and awareness.How do you like the sound of that? Exactly. The teenage years are meant to be some of the best of our lives – smoking can take away from the joy of adolescence and hinder your ability to retain memorable moments.

4.       16 million people in the US live with smoking related disfigurements and diseases.

Oh, you didn’t know that smoking could cause these types of adverse reactions? These are the things that we need to be educating our teenagers about.

5.       1,300 people die per day from smoking, which means 9,100 people per week.

This is a disturbing statistic to say the least. What does your teenager want to be when they grow up? If the answer isn’t “just another one of these statistics,” then smoking has no place in their adolescent life.

6.       For every vine video you watch, someone dies – tobacco-related deaths happen every 6.5 seconds. Now this is a statistic that your teenager can relate to and hopefully learn from. Is a cigarette really worth someone dying every 6.5 seconds?

7.       Approximately 90% of smokers began smoking before the age of 18.

A common misconception among teenagers is that just because they smoke occasionally with their buddies, doesn’t mean they are going to smoke when they grow up – that is a dangerous mindset, according to this statistic.

8.       Teenagers who continue to smoke into adulthood can develop infertility and impotence issues later in life.

This statistic can especially hit home with young girls who have been dreaming of becoming a mother since they were little girls – smoking can turn that dream into a nightmare. Is a cigarette worth losing sight of that dream?

9.       Smoking causes multiple immediate effects that can be detrimental to your image and physical appearance. Teenagers should ask themselves these questions –

·         Do you like talking to someone who has bad breath?

·         Do you think having yellow teeth is attractive?

·         Do you want to be coughing and hacking up phlegm during your movie date with the cute girl in your Algebra class?

·         Do you want people to avoid you because your clothes and hair reek of cigarette smoke?

10.   What does dog urine and a pack of cigarettes have in common?

Ammonia. Don’t know what this is? Well, it is a gas that is found in dog pee and, you guessed it, that cigarette that you are smoking because you think it makes you look cool. Think again.

The Walton County Prevention Coalition prides itself in working towards efforts of creating a Tobacco-Free Florida. Tobacco isn’t to be ignored when it comes to substance abuse in our youth, being that tobacco use contributes to the leading causes of death in our country. Talk to your kids about smoking and keep them informed on all of the horrifying statistics surrounding tobacco use.