Wednesday Night Forum Can Help Parents Address, Prevent Substance Abuse

Ever hear your kids talk about skittles, trail mix, parachuting, Special K, antifreeze, snow, kibbles & bits, cheese?

Innocent conversation? Maybe. You hear what they are saying, but do you know what they may mean?

Get the answers by attending “Kids Speak Out: The Straight Talk,” Wednesday, January 20, from 7 to 9 pm, at Newtown Middle School. Sponsored by The Newtown Parent Connection, in collaboration with the Housatonic Valley Coalition on Substance Abuse (HVCASA), and CT Turning to Youth and Families, this youth forum will feature straight talk from young, former Newtown and local area residents who are recovering from various substance dependencies.

This panel format will be facilitated by John Hamilton, LMFT, LADC, an expert in the field of substance abuse treatment and prevention.

Parents may ask, “Well, how do I know if my child has a drug problem?” Some signs and symptoms are obvious, others more subtle.

Members of the HVCASA Teen Prevention Council, who hail from Newtown and other local high schools, will offer an alternative view to the substance lifestyle. Members of this group have agreed that stress is one of the biggest issues they face.

“There are so many demands put on us by society, our parents, our peers, and even self-imposed!” Stress has been proven to be a risk factor as kids turn to substance to help them “relax” or “cope” with their individual situations. Joyce Sixsmith, MA, LADC, and advisor to the group, said, “The Regional Teen Council is winning on every level. They powerfully support each other, which strengthens their healthy choices and are making inroads helping others to do the same.”

A recent conversation with Mr Hamilton revealed the following facts of interest to parents:

1. For 30 years the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) has tracked the reasons for admission to treatment facilities. For the first 28 years, the primary reason for seeking treatment was marijuana abuse, but for the last two years, the primary reason has changed to prescription drug abuse. It is the number one reason Connecticut kids have sought treatment for the last two years.

2. The top drug of choice for high school students continues to be alcohol, followed closely by marijuana. A higher percentage of students party with the intent to get drunk, i.e., binge drinking.

3. Middle school-age students, for the most part, are where the “age of onset” (first use) begins with alcohol, following the high school trends for substance choice and they also exhibit a decided interest in over-the-counter medications. Citing another DMHAS study, misuse of prescription and OTC drugs can often lead to psychological and physical dependence, and combining both can increase the drug’s effectiveness, cause a loss of coordination, or even more harmful types of reactions.

The panel is also expected to address the issue of vehicle crashes — the leading cause of death for teens in the United States. The car accident death rate for teen male drivers and passengers is more than one and a half times female teen drivers.

And among the male drivers killed between 15 and 20 years of age, 38 percent were speeding and one in four had been drinking and driving. In addition to parents’ vigilance for drinking and driving, you now have all the changes and restrictions placed by the Department of Motor Vehicle on young drivers.

The presenters plan to focus on recovery and the hope and assistance offered to those who find themselves caught up in drug involvement.

One former Newtown student, whose drug of choice was heroin, rehabbed three times before his parents gave him a one-way ticket to an institutional rehab center in Florida and an ultimatum. He was 24 at the time and had been using much of his high school years.

That young man, who will be one of the panelists, has a compelling story of his addiction and ultimate success.

All Newtown Parent Connection forums are free of charge and all are welcome. For additional information on this and other Parent Connection events, visit www.newtownparentconnection.org.