How To Help Children And Youth Challenged By Substance Experimentation - Substance Abuse
Substance abuse and substance experimentation are very dangerous. Aside from dangers to life, substance abuse can rob a child or youth of valuable learning and living skills. Substance experimentation is also very dangerous due to the exposure to a group of other children or youth who can be reckless, ignorant of risks and competing for attention. Substance use can become a barrier between the child or youth and reality. The child or youth does not learn survival and growth skills that are real. Children & youth who use substances are often medicating themselves against powerful and difficult feelings about frustrating situations they think they cannot do anything about. Substance abuse/experimentation can be due to and complicated by: low self-esteem; physical and emotional pain and discomfort caused by unhealed accidents, traumas and abuses of all kinds; isolation; poverty; little intellectual success; little social success; peer pressure; media messages; family patterns; dysfunctional family communication skills; lack of social skills; lack of communication skills; fascination with excitement, novelty, bizarre stimulation; nutrition imbalances; exposure to environmental pollutants; media models supporting substance abuse. Children & youth are often seeking relief from a lack of meaning and connection in their lives.
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First, We Would Investigate |
Second, We Would Investigate |
For Long Term Support |
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On Our Own We Would Try: • Replace sodas, juices, sugars, fats, fast foods with water, veggies, whole grains, nuts, protein, fruit, slow food • Long Walks/Hikes • Bedtime Stories and Chats • Wholesome Pleasures • Back Rubs and Foot Massages • Nature • Pets • Less or No TV, Movies, Video/Computer Games |
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For Parents: • It is essential to stay calm, keep communication open, avoid blame and panic, and to focus on your child or youth’s skills and strengths. • Get support from other parents and groups who know about this challenge. • Your local health department, law enforcement agencies, schools and religious organizations can help you find support. • Learn how to communicate more effectively and how to set realistic protections for yourself, your family and child or youth. • It is essential to heal the sources of isolation from the family, community and peer groups not needing substance abuse/experimentation. • Twelve step programs for families of substance abusing children or youth can be very helpful. |