Understanding Adolescent Substance Use
Talk Recovery RadioThis Week on Talk Recovery Radio
This week on Talk Recovery Radio Rand Teed Author of “Which Way to Turn: Understanding Adolescent Substance Use” and Canadian Certified Addiction Counsellor joins the show for the full hour on 100.5fm and Facebook Live from 12-1pm PST.
“Which Way to Turn: Understand Adolescent Substance Use”
About the book: This book is written by a very experienced teacher, youth mentor and addiction counselor. In plain language it helps parents, teachers and others working with teens to tackle the problems that are created by substance use. It is a good guide to help families put the pieces back together after a substance problem has developed in their home.
Youth and Substance Use
Rand mentions that drug problems and addiction is normally a symptom of something else, if people look at the adverse childhood experience research you know that kids that grow up in difficult situations and they don’t have to be extreme situations, but youth who are not getting enough attention or kids who are getting pushed aside because of family business or not engaged or just simply not checked in on enough start to feel anxious, and something that substances do for youth is block the emotional response that they feel. Typically, if it is something negative it instantly becomes attractive to that reward system.
Rand talks about when he has conversations about youth with substance use and addiction problems he said the main key points on how to help them is to be able to have a non judgemental conversation, no “finger wagging” and shaming them, also to have some science behind your conversation with the youth who is struggling with substance use issues and have a clear conversation with them explaining what is going to happen to their brain if they use drugs, as well has having a conversation with them about how what they are doing Is going to effect their behaviour and your choices. Rand mentions that those conversations should start at about 11 or 12. Rand has had lots of kids come up to him after and say “that conversation was very helpful, and I am not going to do that because I value my brain”.
Understand Adolescent Substance Use is a guide for parents, teachers, and health care professionals and something Rand talks about in his book is what parents can do to help kids, and one of those things is to help kids learn how to emotionally manage. The mindfulness movement has really helped people understand that limiting your stress responses to stay present. If parents take the time to learn that themselves and help their kids understand that, then they can learn at home some stress management skills to help their kids cope with substance use
About Rand Teed
Rand has been working with teens and adults for over 40 years and for the past 20 years has been helping them understand how substance use can get in the way of having the life they want.
B.A, a B.Ed and is an Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist and a Canadian Certified Addiction Counsellor
He is the developer of the Drug Class program which has been offered in many Regina High Schools for several years and is the writer and host of the Award Winning Drug Class TV Series.(Gemini Award Best Direction in A Youth Series 2008)
Rand is also a very experienced addiction counselor. He has also worked as a counselor in the Regina Detox Centre.
Is a regular presenter on Recovery across the country and was the featured speaker for SADD Saskatchewan’s 2010 provincial Impaired Driving Awareness Campaign.
Regularly presents on dealing with Substance Use and Abuse. Has been an instructor and coordinator with SGI’s Driving Without Impairment Program.
Rand’s Social Media Links
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