Links to informative pages:

 The ALLIANCE  Against Highly Addictive Drugs

http://www.drug-alliance.org/

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION WHICH OFFERS SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES AFFECTED BY ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE.

FREE PARENT SUPPORT GROUP ON WEDNESDAY EVENING beginning at 7:00 P.M. held AT UPMC PASSAVANT HOSPITAL.  FOLLOW LINK  ABOVE FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Alliance is now offering "Parent Survival Skills Training" for concerned parents, parents of teenage substance abusers and parents of Juvenile Court Youth. 

Alliance Office 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 9:00 - 11:30 A.M.  Discuss your own situation and help each other to come up with parenting strategies.

for more information: call Valerie Ketter 412-247-6359 or on the internet

<http://gopsst.org>

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LINKS to Local  Agencies:

North Hills Youth Ministry and Counseling Center

All of Us Care

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    PENNSYLVANIA STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

                                

CLICK ON THE SYMBOL ABOVE FOR EXTREMELY HELPFUL LINKS FOR PARENTS ON A VARIETY OF  STUDENT ISSUES

Student Assistance Team members go to the Pennsylvania Association of Student Assistance Professionals site for current information:  <www.pasap.org>

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INFORMATION ON DEPRESSION AND SCREENING SITES IN THE PITTSBURGH AREA

GO TO:

www.mentalhealthscreening.org

      

The Anti-Drug Page. 

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Parents. The Anti-Drug.
Find Out More About Drugs...
Alcohol

Club Drugs

Cocaine

Ecstasy 		GHB

Heroin

Inhalants

Ketamine 		LSD

Marijuana

Methamphetamine

Ritalin 		Rohypnol

Rx Drugs

Steroids

Tobacco

 

Pot On The Brain

 
Marijuana and Depression.
Marijuana and Suicidal Thoughts.
Marijuana and Schizophrenia.

Take Tour of Teen Brain

 

As parents and caregivers, you probably don’t think about the ways in which marijuana is linked to mental health problems … but it is. New research is giving us better insight into the serious consequences of teen marijuana use, especially how it impacts mental health.

 

Your immediate question may be, “How can I tell if my son or daughter is experiencing mental health problems due to marijuana use?” It is often difficult for parents to know the difference between emerging mental health problems and typical teen mood swings or shifts in attitudes. It is normal to see temper outbursts, changes in sleeping habits and changes in hobbies in your teen. However, there are a number of ways to assess whether or not your child is having psychological problems related to marijuana use.

 
  • Be attentive. You can look for signs of depression, withdrawal, carelessness with their grooming habits, or hostility.

     
  • Drop in grades. Ask yourself: Is your child no longer doing well in school, getting along with friends, taking part in sports or other activities? If there have been marked changes in your teen’s activities, it’s time for YOU to do some more homework.

     
  • Look for evidence. Have you found drug paraphernalia such as pipes, rolling papers, and so on? Are you missing prescription drugs—especially narcotics and mood stabilizers; and bottles of eye drops, which mask bloodshot eyes?
     

If you have more questions about marijuana and mental health, visit TheAntiDrug.com’s “Ask the Expert” with Dr. Marc Galanter for a list of frequently asked questions about this topic. 

 

Encourage other parents to subscribe to this newsletter. Anyone can join the list by visiting TheAntiDrug.com and entering an e-mail address on the home page.

You have registered to receive biweekly e-mail notifications with parenting tips and strategies you can use to ensure that your child remains healthy and drug-free. Remember, when it comes to keeping kids drug-free, YOU MATTER.
 
   

Excellent information for Parents, Teachers and students who would like more facts on substance abuse.  Excellent site!

http://www.theantidrug.com

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Pennsylvanians Against Underage Drinking

2413 North Front St

Harrisburg, PA 17110

717-238-4354

www.alcoholfreeyouth.org

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US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES ALCOHOL AND

DRUG INFORMATION

http://www.health.org/govpubs/phd688/

American Academy of Pediatrics:

Child Health, Teen Suicide Prevention

Parental information about Internet Sites:

A link to Hewlett Packard’s recent study outlining privacy and security issues with popular Internet file sharing services:
Researchers Find Security Hole in KaZaA Multimedia File-Sharing Service

Text Box: Frequent Family Dinners Can Prevent Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Use The more often teens have dinners with their families the less likely they are to use alcohol, tobacco or other drugs, according to a recent national telephone survey of teens.  for example, 32% of teens who have dinner with their family five or more times a week report that they have tried alcohol, and 7% report that they get drunk at least once a month, compared to 48% and 18% respectively, of teens who have less than three family diners a week.  This relationship can be largely explained by the observation that parents who frequently eat with their children are very involved in their children's lives.  According to the survey, parents who have frequent family dinners are more likely to say they know the parents of their teen's closest friends, know the names of their teen's teachers and believe they have a good relationship with their teen.  Overall, 58% of teens report having dinner with their family at least five times a week.  The top three reasons given for not having more frequent dinners were that parents work late, being too busy and having conflicting schedules. Helping Hand, Performance Resource Press, Inc.  v17i9, May, 2007 Teens Do Drink, Use Drugs and Drive A survey sponsored by Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD and the Liberty Mutual Insurance company found that teens whose parents set high expectations and impose serious consequences are less likely to drive while impaired.  For example, 16% of teens who say there would be serious trouble at home reported driving drunk, compared to 29% of teens who said they would not face such consequences from their parents.  The survey reported that 19% of teens drive under the influence of alcohol, 15% drive after using marijuana and 7% report driving under the influence of other drugs. Parental influence and role modeling can cut down on car crashes, speeding, and distracted driving among teens, the study found.  Suggested family rules for teen drivers include no friends in the car without an adult; no driving after 10 p.m.; no use of alcohol or other drugs; no distractions while driving, including eating, changing CDs, handling iPods or putting on makeup; no cell phone use, including text messaging. U.S. Department of Education’s "Parents Guide to the Internet."
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/internet/

Larry Magid's "Concise Guide to the Internet."
http://larrysworld.com/primer.htm

"Learn the Net" -- a website for Internet beginners.
http://www.learnthenet.com/english/index.html

 

How Can I Tell If My Child Is Using Drugs:

1. Behavior changes. Is he or she becoming more irritable, less affectionate, secretive, unpredictable, hostile or depressed?
2. Irresponsibility.  Is he or she not doing chores, late coming home, tardy at school, forgetful of family occasions or not completing homework?
3. Changing Friends.  Is he or she changing friends and reluctant to talk about them, changing his or her clothes style, or becoming less interested in school sports or academic hobbies?
4. Communication difficulty.  Does he or she refuse to talk about friends' group activities, or become defensive or hostile about discussing general "drug issues?"
5. Physical or mental deterioration.  Does he or she show signs of disordered thinking, heightened sensitivity to touch, smell and taste, decreased ability to think quickly.

For questions concerning free evaluations at Gateway Rehabilitation Center, contact James Troup at 412.766.8700, ext. 1108.  For general questions about teens and drug use contact Jamie Brown at 412.766.8700, ext. 1242

 

 

 

Student Assistance Home Page