Last week on April 11th, The Stand Project, Start Talking Grandview, Syntero, UA Schools and UA Library hosted “Breaking Points”—A community conversation about teens and stress.
Breaking Points Discussion Panel (from L to R: Syntero Clinicians: Larysa Gilbert, Sharon Dewey, UAHS School Counselors: Liz Hughes, Alan Banks, Nationwide Children’s Adolescent Medicine Specialist: Dr. Steve Matson)
If you missed this event, here are the highlights:
Part 1: Watch Breaking Points, a 30 minute film, by the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.
Part 2: Read the Tools to Take Action:
Fact Sheet: Rx Stimulants and Benzodiazepines In order to manage the stress in their lives, some teens are abusing prescription stimulants and benzodiazepines. Teens don’t always see abuse of these medicines as risky but there are real dangers.
Some teens falsely assume that abusing prescription stimulants and benzodiazepines is not as dangerous as using street drugs because they are made in a lab and prescribed by a doctor.
One in five teens believes it’s okay to abuse a prescription drug, as long as they weren’t doing so to “get high.” - 2016 Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
Studies have found that stimulants do not increase learning or thinking ability when taken by people who have not been diagnosed with ADHD.
Relying on unprescribed Rx medicines to help “manage” life can establish a lifelong pattern of dependency and prevent teens from learning important coping skills.
For more details refer to: Fact Sheet: Rx Stimulants and Benzodiazepines
Action One: Mind Your Meds
Research shows that 73% of teens say that it’s easy to get prescription drugs from their parent’s medicine cabinet. Parents confirmed this, with 47% of them saying anyone can access their medicine cabinet. Limiting access to and properly disposing of unused or expired medicine is an important step in ending teen medicine abuse.
Here’s How: (view the Mind Your Meds for more details)
Monitor - Know what/how much medication you have in your home. If your teen is prescribed a controlled substance (stimulant, opioid, sedative/tranquilizer, etc.), be sure that an adult is controlling, administering, and witnessing the teen take the medicine. Teens should never dispense their own pills, or bring the bottle in her backpack to take at school, camp or elsewhere. Make sure that friends and relatives, such as grandparents who may be prescribed multiple medications, are monitoring their meds.
Secure - Take prescription meds out of the medicine cabinet, if possible, lock them up. Don’t share medicine with friends or family members and make sure your teen knows they shouldn’t either.
Dispose - Take an inventory of all the medicine in your home, and determine what expired or unused prescription or over-the-counter medicine can be disposed. View proper disposal Information here.
Action Two: How to Talk to Your Teen About Stress
Stress and anxiety are part of life. And some stress and anxiety is helpful because it motivates us to get work done. But too much can be overwhelming and can cause problems with health, sleep and brain function. Click here to review signs of a stressed out teen and tips for a productive conversation.
Action Three: Tips for Promoting Teen Well-Being and Healthy Stress Management
Parents play a critical role in modeling and helping their teens develop healthy coping skills and a well-balanced life. Learn the five things parents can do to help promote well-being and healthy stress management in their family.