When it comes to teens and drugs, how can you make sure that your home is a safe haven? Talking to your kids about drugs is important at any age, but teens are especially susceptible to drug use because of peer pressure and high stress levels. Teens look to their parents to set a good example for how they should conduct their lives. They count on their parents to be their support system and to help them create a positive home environment that encourages an open dialogue about drugs. Read more →
Although they can share some of the same physical symptoms, there is a difference between stress and anxiety. Not only is the root cause of each different, but how these emotions affect the body can be different. In order to help prevent or avoid anxiety and stress, we’ll take a closer look at what defines each of them.
Some of the similar physical symptoms the two can share are racing heartbeat, rapid breathing, headaches, chest pains, dizziness and muscle tension. However, anxiety can yield to a panic attack that could include more severe symptoms. Read more →
Prolonged daily, work-related stress can have disastrous effects on our health. It has been linked to heart problems, digestive issues, inflammation, anxiety, depression, tension headaches and migraines, and substance abuse. For those in recovery, it poses a major risk for relapse. Read more →
Adolescence is a crucial time to preventing drug abuse. Studies show us that the earlier someone uses drugs or alcohol the more at risk they are for developing serious addiction problems later in life. There are many variables that affect teens that make them vulnerable to drug abuse such as: the desire to engage in risky behavior, their brain’s judgement and decision-making skills are still developing, and it’s a natural time of transition for them.
This is why the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) started National Drug Facts Week this week in 2010. The goal of this week is to shatter the myths surrounding drug use that teens get from the internet, TV, movies, music or from other teens, and work towards preventing drug abuse among teens. It offers teens, their teachers and parents resources to learn what science has taught us about drug use and addiction. And what they’re finding is that teens who are equipped with this knowledge make more informed and responsible decisions when it comes to drug use. Visit their website for easy accessible information and have your teen take the National Drug IQ Test. Read more →
Important new research shows there is a correlation between drinking habits and breast cancer risk. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that the more alcohol a woman drinks before motherhood, the greater her risk of developing breast cancer are in the future. This is a scary and sobering fact.
This study is also the first time in which increased risk for breast cancer is linked to drinking habits between puberty/early adolescence and first full-term pregnancy. Previous studies have examined the relationship between breast cancer risk and drinking habits later in life (can increase risk of breast cancer), as well as the effect of early drinking habits and noncancerous breast disease.
The study concluded that if a woman averages a drink a day (beer, wine or liquor) between her first period and first fill-term pregnancy, Read more →
Back to school can be a crazy time for parents and teens. It often means the start of a new school year, hectic scheduling, new friends, maybe a new school, football games, dances, extracurricular activities, and the possibility of peer pressure and/or risky behavior. So I’ve compiled some basics on how to help steer your teens away from drugs and alcohol as they head back to school.
Top issues facing teens as they head back to school (this is especially true for teens making the large leap from junior high to high!): Read more →
