To the Mother and Father of an Addict

To the Mother and Father of an Addict

Often when new in al-anon, a twelve step program for friends and family members of alcoholics, mothers and fathers of alcoholics feel unable to relate to everyone sharing their stories about spouses. The concepts seem foreign and unable to apply to a parental relationship. Detachment is one of the concepts that parents balk most at. Thinking of “detaching” from their child seems unloving and irresponsible. Detachment is neither kind or unkind, it does not imply judgment. Detachment is simply separating ourselves from the undesirable effects of another person’s addiction. It is not letting ourselves get dragged every which way by the mere behaviors, or lack there of, of our loved one. It is setting healthy boundaries for ourselves so that we may begin to enjoy our lives regardless of the trial and tribulations that the alcoholic is going through. We try not to control or fix things that aren’t ours to fix. We didn’t cause the addiction, we can’t control the addiction and we certainly can’t cure it.

This does not necessarily mean physical detachment but it allows parents to pause, take a step back and observe the situation at hand realistically and objectively. We can still love the person without liking the behavior. For most of us dealing with an alcoholic in our lives is too much for us to handle that is why we look to al-anon Detachment allows us to let go of our obsession with the alcoholic’s behavior and begin to focus on some thing that we have control over which is our own lives.

JuliAnn

Showing Up

Hello, just wanted to get going on my mini blog about work, recovery and talk about how i am truly blessed to be alive and sober today. I have a little more than a year and a half of sobriety, my sobriety date is June, 4 2006. 6/4/6....I thought that was kind of cool but I didn't plan it to come out that way. Basically my life is about showing up these days even if I don't want to, especially to the things that I don't want to show up to. Like meetings sometime, meeting people for coffee or any other thing that would be just "too hard" for me to do. Working in recovery I really get the chance to see myself in so many of the people here and it really is comforting to know that we are not alone in this world. There are a lot of people around that have been through what your going through and have experience in a lot of different areas of life or could help you to find someone who has. I myself have gotten sober through Alcoholics Anonymous and it's really an amazing thing. Nobody would of thought that I would get to be 21 years old and instead of sitting on a couch drinking and smoking my life away, I'm working, paying debt that I created and trying to skateboard as much as possible for it is the thing that truly makes me centered and happy. I hope everybody can find that one positive thing in there life that can do that for them as well because I believe is very important for you to have. Ive never really blogged anything before and I'm not really sure what the format is or if there even is one but all I know is I can just put tidbits of info on here as I trudge along this path and hopefully someone can relate.

Pat

Learning How to Have Fun

Learning how to have fun in sobriety is probably one of the most important things I’ve had to learn over the last 32 months. I started drinking as a pre-teen at age 12 and as nobody ever intervened I quickly progressed into using every other drug available. My drinking and using continued for 15 years until I got sober at age 27. As you can imagine, every idea that I had of what fun was involved drinking and using.

Based on my experience, when teens begin drinking and using at such a young age, we don’t develop a strong sense of what we like (or like to do). Everything that I did as a teenager (and well into adulthood) involved drinking alcohol and using drugs, so in getting sober, one of the most frightening thoughts (for me) was that I would never have fun again. As it turns out, that thought couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

Thankfully, the drug treatment program that I went through incorporated “mandatory fun” as part of the program. We had to go out with the group every week to learn how to have fun in sobriety…to learn that fun is possible without the use of mind altering substances…and necessary. Not having had any healthy or positive hobbies up to that point, it took some time (and trial and error) for me to learn how to have fun and what things I like to do. Interestingly enough, there were some hobbies that I had developed as a teenager (such as writing and photography) that I still enjoyed, it just became a matter of learning to enjoy them in a sober state. There are many things that I’ve since learned that I like (which I never would have imagined liking before).

Looking back into my active addiction as a teenager, the less I remembered about any given day or night is how I determined the amount of fun I had (the less I remembered, the more fun I must have had….obviously!) My ideas about fun now, in sobriety, are much different. I enjoy being present for each moment. The fun of everything is here in the moment!

My High School Graduation

I won't ever forget my high school graduation. It isn't the personal
significance of the day that remains in my memory, but the collective grief that was felt by my whole graduating class. I remember how quiet the whole day seemed, despite the sunshine and cheers. I remember that we all wore sunglasses, and spoke quietly among ourselves. I remember the words of farewell written on the caps of many of the girls. I remember having to tell my friends two nights before at my graduation party that our friend and classmate had been murdered after coming home from a graduation party. I don't think that we mourned only her loss that afternoon. There had been a host of senseless deaths that final year, more in the year to follow. A friend killed and two others shot while partying in a church parking lot by a crazed transient. A student shot in a drive by. Four classmates instantly snuffed out when they smashed into a tree at a hundred miles an hour. Another when he launched his motorcycle off a cliff. The teen years are difficult and dangerous for all of us. During this time of life we take risks based on a lack of experience, a need for excitement, a chance to experiment, a feeling that we are invincible. None of this was helped by the fact that most of us, all of my friends, and it seemed everyone at my high school spent a good part of our days drinking, smoking pot and snorting coke. Everyone who died that year was drunk or high when they were killed. Nobody died of an overdose, or a heart attack, or jumped off a building in a LSD induced mind trip, but I can't help but think that the impaired judgment caused by substance abuse played a part in all of their deaths. The girl who was murdered was high on coke, the classmates killed in the car crash were drunk, the boys who were hanging out in the parking lot were smoking pot. We all made poor choices, some of us paid a higher price than others. Grief and loss are invariably a part of a modern teen's experience. Such experiences, tragic as they are, are an opportunity for teens to look at their own behavior, an opportunity to see that there is an effect for every cause. While nobody can take away the risks of growing up, of moving outward into the world, perhaps we can use the moment of grief to pause and reflect. When some students of mine were recently talking about the loss of a classmate who died in a car accident, I used the opportunity to discuss with them the fragile nature of life. They began to get a glimpse into their own mortality. We discussed how the number one cause of teenage death is car accidents, how distractions by friends and excessive speed can lead to a tragic end. I know that all of this must seem a bit grim. It's not a topic that any of us want to discuss or face, let alone talk to our children about. But teens are faced with judgment calls everyday. Do they get into the car, do they go to the party, and should they try ecstasy? If young people are not equipped to make these decisions, then we have a responsibility, no matter how uncomfortable it may be, to discuss with them our experience, to talk with them about the choices they will face. Perhaps if we do that now, then maybe later they won't have to have their own memories of a somber graduation.

The disease of addiction

The disease of addiction

When I entered drug rehab I was under the impression that addiction meant addiction to drugs or alcohol, I never could have imagined the way that the disease manifests in our lives.

In studying about the disease concept you learn that the disease of addiction is not about a particular substance, it centers in our thinking. Substances that addicts can fix on can include anything from drugs and alcohol to shopping, exercise, relationships or food, basically anything that an addict uses in order to not feel feelings and not focus on oneself.

Alcoholics Anonymous founded what they described as a “spiritual malady” or a “two fold disease: allergy of the body and obsession of the mind”. This was later coined the disease concept. A disease can be defined as a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment. This parallels the conditions of the disease of alcoholism and how it is a BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL disease. This means that alcoholism can be caused by heredity/ genetics (BIO), psych make-up (PSYCHO) and the environment is which one is raised (SOCIAL). The disease is treatable, but if not treated it results in jails, institutions and death.

Holiday Blues

Holiday Blues

The holidays are supposed to be a time for family gatherings, vacations, and giving. However, for many people, teens included, it can be the most stressful time of the year. For teens that are depressed, the holidays can be a nightmarish experience. Unrealistic expectations of merriment and cheer are met with disappointment and alienation. Many teens use this time of the year for binge drinking. Furthermore, suicide rates tend to increase in the winter months. Some feel the financial strain of gift giving, not being able to afford presents for family and friends. Phony revelry and bright lights can only make matters worse.

With this in mind, try to remember the real meaning of the holidays. If you know a teen or someone who is depressed, let them know that they are not alone. If someone is obviously not in the spirit, don’t impose upon them to join in the celebration. Simply, try to talk to them and see if there is anything you can do to help. Remind them that the season will pass and life will return to relative normalcy.

Zippers, New Teen Drink!

Zippers are a new trend in the teen drinking world. They are individual gelatin shots that have the same appearance as the Jell-O snacks that teens often bring to school. Although zippers are 24-proof (12% alcohol by volume) they come in packaging that seems as if it is marketed to teens or younger children. This makes it very easy for teens to sneak zippers into school with them.

Zippers are manufactured by Zippers Co. of the Netherlands. The idea is to capitalize on the homemade Jell-O shots that have become so popular in recent years. Zippers come packaged in the same way as common children’s snacks like Jell-O and pudding. The lid has a warning label that alcohol is in the product, but when the lid is removed it is impossible to tell the difference between Zippers and their non-alcoholic twin Jell-O if you are just looking at them. When the lid is removed the only way to differentiate a Zipper from Jell-O is to eat it.

Many teens today are using these unsuspecting drinks to consume alcohol right under the noses of their parents and teachers. Because teachers can not tell the difference between Zippers and Jell-O, teens are bringing them into school lunchrooms. Parents and schools need to be aware of these new alcoholic beverages because they are easy to miss.

Letter From a Father

December 14, 2007

Dear Visions Staff,

I am writing to thank you for your efforts with my son, Chris. He has been home for a month now and is doing so well. When I say "doing so well" I am not just talking about getting back in school, following his treatment plan and being SO much easier to get along with, although all of these things are true. What I mean is that he is doing well and he really wants to do well. His perspective on his life and his desire to build a future of possibility based on the work of today is inspiring.

His understanding of his challenges as an addict in recovery and what that means seems deep seated; he is going to NA meetings and calling his sponsor daily, he has a home group and a service commitment in it, he attended an H&I meeting so he can help other kids once he has 6 months. He has been doing all these things without much prompting from me. He seems to accept that all of the privileges he had will come back in the fullness of time, believe me patience was not a hallmark of Chris' behavior in the past, he has not pressed me or had a fit of temper since coming home.

He started classes back at school this week, and we are, of course, still doing IOP treatment, that meant that on several days he had school from 8-3:15, IOP from 4-6 and then asked to go to a meeting from 7-8, got home and then did his homework! He has not complained (okay, maybe a little whine, but not much) he said "this is just what I have to do now, it won't last forever". He only has a few more weeks on the IOP (two hour groups, three times a week) and we will scale back to one individual session a week. The regular NA meetings we know will just become a part of a clean and sober life style.

I do not know what the future will bring, I understand that addiction can come back on us with a vengeance. My son’s life is his own now and he has a chance to meet it with a clear mind and the knowledge of his condition. He has a fighting chance. Visions delivered, I am so grateful. I am so happy to have my son back! Christmas is coming in a couple of weeks, I will not have to spend it wondering where my son is, or if he is safe; is there a better present? If there is ever anything we can do to help the continued realization of Visions' vision, please feel free to contact us.

I would be happy to talk with parents considering treatment for their children.

What is addiction?

What is addiction? What is its purpose? How am I, as a non-addict qualified to talk about it? These were some of the questions I struggled with when I first started my employment here at Visions Adolescent Treatment Center. I was first hired as a Program Aide almost two years ago. As days and months passed by, I started realizing that addiction not only applies to drug and alcohol addiction but to all areas of life. Addiction in my view, applies to any unhealthy behavior that consumes ones life and leaves the soul ill-equipped to confront its true desire and goals. Is it not that any mental obsession, a psychological compulsion or any physiological or historical disarray that has not been confronted can qualify as an addiction?

It is difficult to comprehend this disease, for there are no true physical evidences that can pinpoint its terrible effects. And yet, everyday I witness the struggle amongst the adolescents that walk through Visions Adolescent Treatment Center. These young adults have, at times spent most of their lives being addicts and not knowing that it is affecting their dreams. For most of them, they have no idea what their dreams are even made of. Upon entering this treatment center, they are faced with answering questions that puts into perspective their unhealthy belief system. This is one of the most heart-breaking and rewarding parts of this job. It is a challenge to watch these kids break down and cry and slowly try to put themselves back together. The only thing one can do is be there for them and guide them through their true self-discovery.

I have now the title of an educator at Visions. This position entails the responsibility of inspiring the residents to include their education as part of that foundation that they are rebuilding. It is difficult at times. Amongst the insurmountable assortments of character defects and psychological behaviors that they are facing, the last thing on their mind seems to be education. And yet, somehow I have to install in them the understanding that obtaining an education is in a way gaining freedom from our own formless and bored mind. Which at times is what steers so many of these young adults into drugs and alcohol. It is not an easy task, although the attempt has been the one thing that has kept me going.

With time passing, within the required stay of 45 days minimum, some residents realize the depths of their addiction; some understand the sadness of letting go of their drug of choice, which to them is their love at the time. There are also the ones that discover the gift of learning who they truly are and how to learn to be ok with who they are.

Working here has allowed me the opportunity to reiterate how I confront challenges in life through love, honesty, patience and forgiveness. It is reminding the kids that we do not know how to live life at times, but what makes it ok not to know is the wisdom we gain from our mistakes, our defeats and our own accomplishments. At last in my understanding, addiction needs not to be only with drugs and alcohol but the distorted mind process that inhabits the crevices of our thought process.

I was a teenager in Jesus America

I grew up in Jesus, America. It was perfect if you wanted to drink beer and watch football, but as for great live music, my friends and I suffered. Don’t get me wrong, The Flaming Lips are fantastic, but they didn’t count. They lived downtown. We needed someone, anyone to bring it on down home and rarely, if ever did it happen. I made a promise to myself during those years that if I ever had the opportunity to see my heroes on a regular basis that I would let nothing stand in my way. When I moved to Los Angeles in 2001, I was ecstatic. Every Thursday the Weekly would have pages and pages of new show announcements. What a world I would create!

Fast-forward 3 years and I was bottoming out in the big ‘ol city barely hanging on to my sanity and sleeping mostly in my car. The party was over. Thankfully, I was able to admit that it was over and through the 12 steps I got sober. One of the many uncountable gifts of my recovery is that after all these years I am able to finally see those musicians I used to play air-guitar to in my bedroom. I know it seems small, but its my favorite thing. Some people knit afghans. I love live music. Thanks Bill W.

Alumni and Employee of the Same Drug Rehab

Being a tech

I thought that working at the teen drug treatment center visions would be easy when I first started working there because I am an alumni. I know what it's like to be an adolescent in treatment. However, it was more difficult than I thought. I had to tell the kids what to do and they did not always want to listen to me. Sometimes they saw me as just another kid who was just little bit older than they were. I learned to work being their age to my advantage. As time went on, I learned how to be of helpful and enforce the rules in a way they could understand me. They no longer rejected me because I was too young. The best thing I had going for me was that I was an alumni and that I could understand what they were going through because I had done the same things when I was a resident in teen drug treatment. After more and more time went by, I was able to gain the respect and trust of the residents. I was there to help and not boss them around.

Now that I have been working at Visions for a while, the problem never comes up about my age. I am older now. I've learned a lot through my work and life experience. I am glad that I don't have to be in teen drug treatment or go through that uncomfortable stage of my work experience anymore but if I had to do it all over again, I would!

My Life Today is Amazing

I never thought it would happen to me. I never thought that I’d become a teen addict. In fact, I never saw myself even touching drugs or alcohol. I’d watch my parents drinking and be disgusted by their behavior. I was a straight ‘A’ student, I was on the cross-country team, I played soccer, and I played the piano. In other words, I was your typical sweet and innocent “goody-two-shoes” kind of girl.
But, I grew up with the feeling that I never fit in. I always felt as if I was on the outside looking in. So, when I got to high school, I decided that I was going to become “popular” and do whatever I had to do to fit in. At the age of fifteen I was introduced to drugs for the first time. The first time I got high, I felt an utter sense of relief. I finally felt like I fit in; I felt like I was finally ‘a part of’. The drugs made me who I thought I always wanted to be. I could be loud and outgoing, I could dance, and I could be the life of the party. But, things went downhill, and they went downhill fast. By the age of sixteen I was dating a drug dealer and was in lost in this world of drugs. Soon, my life revolved around using. Everything else came second. By senior year, I was missing so much school, that I almost didn’t graduate high school.
Two months before graduation, I had gone into a drug-induced psychosis. Not knowing what was wrong with me, my parents took me to the emergency room. The next day, I began an outpatient program. It was at that treatment center where I learned about the disease of addiction, and I was able to admit that I was definitely an addict. But, at that age (I was seventeen at the time), I did not think I was ready to get clean. I had to go back out and use for another couple years before I came back and got sober. But, I am very grateful for what I learned in that teen treatment center, for had I not gone there, I don’t know if I ever would have realized the true extent of my problem.
I am twenty-two now and I’ve been sober for almost two years. Since then, my life has changed dramatically. I am able to handle my feelings without having to numb myself with drugs or alcohol. I am able to experience life the way it was meant to be experienced. I feel better about myself than I have ever felt in my entire life. Through being in recovery, I have been able to look at where my negative sense of self originated and have been able to heal from that and begin a new life. Today, I am back to being a good student. I got back into running and am working towards running a marathon. Not only have I picked up my old passions again, but I have also found new hobbies, such as painting, meditation, or hiking.
My life today is amazing, and it gets better as each day passes.

Working In teen Treatment

I have been working at Visions Adolescent Treatment Center for about one and half years. I began my career as a Program Aide at the residential facility, and am now a Classroom Supervisor at the intensive outpatient program. Visions has helped me learn much about teen addiction and the teen recovery process in both types of treatment setting.

At the residential treatment program my job was to supervise the teens, help them self-administer medicine, and assist them with daily activities (i.e. school work, lunch etc.) I would be with the teens at every waking moment… literally. It was very enjoyable yet stressful at times. Sometimes they showed lack of respect toward authority. However, for the most part they are all great kids. After talking with them, and learning much about teen addiction I began to understand their lack of respect and rebellious actions. To some of them we were “adopted parents” for lack of better words. Thus, we were the vectors for the kids anger. I suppose I would be on edge too if I lived in house with the 10 other teens, and had someone telling me what I could and could not do at all times. I began to further understand and respect then as time went on. I left the Visions residential program with a clear picture what it was like to live at teen treatment centers, and a almost clear view of what it is like to be a teen addict.

Currently, I work at one of the Visions teen intensive outpatient programs as a Classroom Supervisor. Here my job is to make sure the kids are working on things they are supposed to be and not looking at inappropriate things on-line, helping then with school work, and disciplining as necessary. I thoroughly enjoy working here, because I get to interact with the kids more. Here they have more freedom, and are able to live a more “normal” life, meaning they get to live at home, drink coffee, go on dates, etc. Generally speaking, they are in better moods here. Also, they appear more “real” here, and not doing/saying things just to escape the clutches is inpatient. I love seeing the kids grow and progress in the their recovery.

Being a witness to both sides of teen treatment centers has given me much insight and respect for teens who are suffering/recovering from teen drug addiction. I cannot imagine being addicted drugs as a teenager. The kids have given me a window into that world. Furthermore, the staff at Visions Adolescent Treatment Center are all great roll models for the kids, and 99.9% of the time calm, cool and collected dealing with any issues. I am pleased and honored to be working for such a remarkable establishment.

Growing Up as a Teen Drug Addict

Growing up with everything a kid could ever want. I never would have predicted I would become a teen drug addict and a teen alcoholic. I came from a good family and a sheltered environment. When things got rough at an early age I didn’t know how to deal with life. I turned to the one thing I promised myself I would never do, drugs. Some of my friends experimented with drugs and could stop. I was different. I couldn’t stop and I knew I had a problem. My problem rapidly began to tear me and my family apart and my parents sent me to teen rehab. They told me I was a drug addict. I didn’t believe it fit my criteria. I thought a drug addict had to be old or homeless. I was wrong. I learned what an addict was and I was told that I had to get sober, free of all substances. As a teenager I thought I was too young. All of my friends that were my age could take a sip of alcohol at a party and be fine, I couldn’t. This was devastating to me. At first I didn’t want to deal with having a different lifestyle than people my age, never being able to party again. But what I didn’t realize was that there was a large community of people my age doing the same thing. Hundreds of young people who were drug addicts and alcoholics getting sober, some of them had been thru teen drug treatment. All of us getting back on track and doing it together. At first it was hard and at times it still is. But, getting sober was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. I know I have endless opportunities ahead of me. Im the same as every other young person, I just don’t drink and use drugs.

Maggie F.

Salvia Divinorum Appears in Teen Drug Treatment

The use of Salvia Divinorum by teens entering teen drug treatment centers is becoming more common. Salvia Divinorum is a potent hallucinogen. Its effects on teen drug abusers have been compared to LSD. Salvia is a member of the sage family, and is a powerful psychoactive drug. Salvia can be chewed but is most commonly smoked as it produces a stronger effect. When smoked its effects last from five to ten minutes. "This shorter high is attractive to a teen that is trying to get high between classes or while in their bedroom..." Says a teen drug treatment client. This is a much shorter time span than other hallucinogens, but the effect has been described as having the same intensity. The effects of salvia range from a mild sense of wellbeing to a full on psychedelic trip that can cause a complete disconnection between the user and reality.
The surprising fact about Salvia is that it is one hundred percent legal in every country except Australia. This includes all US states. Because Salvia is legal it is commonly sold in cigar shops, all natural stores, and over the Internet. Salvia is also fairly cheap.This makes Salvia extremely accessible to teenagers. Teenagers are able to walk into the smoke shop and purchase this strong psychedelic drug with no imposing consequences. Because of these factors Salvia is extremely appealing to teens that cannot legally buy alcohol or do drugs.
While it is impossible to overdose on Salvia there are still many dangers involved in using the drug. Most teenagers smoke Salvia with marijuana making the act illegal. Salvia has also been known to cause depression post use. This was most highly publicized in the case of Brett Chidester, a 17-year-old student from Delaware, who reportedly killed himself after using Salvia. Although these risks do exist there has been no legislation passed to make Salvia illegal. This makes a dangerous drug available to teenagers everywhere. Tt is expected that the cases of young people entering teen drug treatment will rise as long as this drug is so readily available to them.

Living the dream

Living the Dream

As a teenager I never in my wildest dreams would I think I would able to have fun in sobriety and enjoy life. My definition of enjoying life was a two bottomless glasses of beer, just in case one ran out. Alcohol let me escape to being comfortable with who I was. My dream of growing up and being successful was exactly that, just a dream. There came a point were I could not enjoy my drinking if had set a limit on it. Also I could only enjoy my alcohol when I there was no control. The funny thing is when I have no control I often found myself in situations that, through my actions, set me up for complete disaster. So when I got sober, my perception of what felt good was contorted. I really had no clue about enjoying anything except through my selfish motives.

The beginning of enjoying life sober was my experience bowling. I was newly sober and my new friends invited me to go bowling. As a teen in recovery I had already made up my mind it was not going to be fun do to the fact that I would not be drunk. My head told me “Obviously everyone drinks when they bowl, why do you think they invented beer frames?” Yet little do I know that hanging out with 10 sober people bowling, talking trash, and hearty laughs was the beginning of the change of my perception of enjoying life. Soon I was able to find fun to going to movies, amusement parks, weddings, and even playing video games sober. I began to realize that I had more opportunities to express myself sober than being a slave to my addiction to alcohol. There is something stress free about not having to keep up with my lies, who was out there to get me, and who I had hurt. All because I was sober. Alcohol with no control gave me only as much fun until there was no more left. Sobriety has shown me that there is no glass ceiling to the opportunities that life offers. The freedom today, because I am sober, has given me the opportunity to be “living the dream”

Alberto P.

Nancy Reagan

Nancy Reagan. My involvement with Visions and my work with teens in their efforts in recovery can all be traced, I believe, to Nancy Reagan.

I was only two years old when the first lady of our nation began championing the “Just Say No” generation into action. There were endless public service announcements and nationwide elementary school campaigns in effort to stop the next wave of drug users from making the same mistakes our parents did. sThere we were, smack dab in the middle of the decade of self-indulgence, signing sobriety pacts years before we would start wearing deodorant.


The first lady’s anti-drug movement was about as effective as all the other trickle-down syndrome policies of the Reagan administration. Fast-forward ten years and those same children were doing the same drugs we were warned about. The ‘Just Say No’ moniker, as much a part of Saturday morning as cartoons and
fruit loops, gave the impression that the disease of alcoholism and addiction was a question of will. We were made to believe that fighting this progressive and fatal affliction was so simple. “Would you like onions on your burger?” No thanks. “Would you like to trade self worth and the innocence of childhood for jails, institutions, or death?” No thanks. As we now know, there is a lot
more to it than that.


For most people, these questions are that simple, but for people like me and the brilliant young people I have the gift to work with; it takes a complete psychic change as brought forth from working the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. This is why I do what I do. It is my wish to dispel the myth of willpower as a solution to our disease, and usher a new era of tolerance and understanding in
the fight that Nancy lost.

Teen Drug Treatment/ Anabolic Steroids

The teen sports world is not known for its teen drug abuse as it's high prevalence of Anabolic Steroid abuse. A report given by The National Institute of Drug Abuse says that about 1 in 20 high school athletes used steroids in 2001. Steroids are substances used to increase the amount of testosterone in the body, in turn enhancing
performance. Steroids increase protein synthesis and enhance anabolism, in the body. Steroids also stimulate bone growth, increase bone marrow and red blood cells. Anabolism results in the buildup of the body's cellular tissues.

Steroid use is associated with numerous negative side-effects. These side effects are liver disease, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stunted bone growth, kidney disease, aggression, impulsively, sterility, death, enlargement of female genitalia, deepening of voice, testicular shrinking, high blood pressure, increased libido and male breast growth. Also, steroids can cause the muscles to grow at a faster rate than the tendons can strengthen. The athlete can then lift more weight than their tendons or cartilage can support, causing damage to one or both. Depression is a common side effect of steroid abuse. In a study done in 2005, 20 percent of steroid abusers questioned suicide and 3 percent actually attempted it.

Most teen steroid abusers today, are known to be educated of all these negative
side effects. In another study, teen steroids abusers were asked why they still
use steroids even though they come with heavy consequences. The most common
responses were, “I have never personally encountered any negative side-effects
and believe the education is a scare tactic.” Scare tactic or not, the
consequences are real and denial will not prevent there occurrence. Despite
there illegality and dangers, steroids are a dark reality of today’s teen
athletes. Teen drug treatment centers have been seeing more anabolic steroid use in teens today.

Fun in Sobriety

Why is fun an important part of sobriety? Because it reminds us of an important truth, that Alcoholics/Addicts do not have to depend and rely on substances to feel good about themselves, their fellows and life. To enforce this truth, Visions puts aside days of sober fun. The fun begins in just gathering together in anticipation of the night out built up to be greatly relieved. Through out the time everyone has his/her own highlights and favorite moments but what consistently brightenes everyone's spirits is the feeling of happiness and the comfort of a fellowship of friends sharing an experience together.

Alcoholic Energy Drinks Target Teens

Alcoholic Energy Drinks
Your average beer contains three to five percent alcohol. Selling alcohol to a teen is illegal. Stores and their clerks are well aware of this. However, the fact that some energy drinks such as Rockstar 21, Tilt, Joose and Liquid Core can contain levels of alcohol is not well-known. Alcoholic energy drinks can contain up to six to seven percent alcohol. Many establishments that carry both alcoholic and non-alcoholic energy drinks are not aware of this. The companies who make alcoholic energy drinks have made the packaging so similar to regular energy drinks that even the person buying them might not even know. Often times these drinks are mistakenly sold to teens. The bright colors on the cans can be appealing to a younger crowd and the manufacturers do that on purpose.
Energy drinks generally contain an amount of caffeine that is equivalent to four cups of coffee. When alcohol is added to the picture, the combination can be lethal. Combining a stimulant and a depressant is not a good idea. It is said that teens like it because the “up” effect of the caffeine counteracts the sluggish effect produced by alcohol. Also, both caffeine and alcohol are diuretics and the mixture of the two together can cause a bad hangover, and in severe cases, deadly dehydration.
If you take a look at the websites for some energy drinks it is very apparent that they are targeting teens and young adults. In fact, even the teenagers who purchase these energy drinks might not know the difference between the alcoholic and the non-alcoholic ones.

Teen Expulsion Over Myspace Photos

Expulsion Over Myspace Photos
Anthony Allen, 17 years old, is one of five kids banned from Belleville High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan on November 3rd 2007. The five students posted pictures on Myspace, a popular internet networking site, of guns, drugs, piles of cash and possible gang signs. Anthony is challenging his expulsion and four of the five teenagers sued the school district asking for reinstatement. The students claim that there were no written records of the hearings.
The second hearing was open to the public and over one hundred people showed up. The crowd also included high school teachers. The room was filled and overflowed into the lobby and surrounding offices. Anthony Allen was expelled for possessing illegal drugs, or look-alikes, in connection with a school activity and engaging in gang activity. The weapon charges were dropped due the fact that the picture of Anthony holding the gun was taken in a private residence.
School authorities are concerned that these teenagers could be connected with a gang called M.M.B. On October 13th a limousine driver who picked them up from their high school Homecoming claimed that three cars followed them to a restaurant. Older boys who appeared to be members of this gang surrounded the limo in a threatening manner. The driver told the boys to get back into the car and proceeded to take them to a different restaurant. But the same cars continued to follow them.
The school voted to uphold Anthony’s expulsion after an approximately six hour hearing. One teacher said that there is a zero tolerance policy for gang related behavior. Although Anthony’s mother does not agree with this decision to expel him, she stated that he will be attending college in the fall.