Use is legal, social, planned, does not lead to problems of any kind and never jeapordizes one’s responsibilities and duties. Abuse leads to problems. Abuse involves any illegal use due to the potential for negative legal consequences. Abusive users frequently have “control” of their use the majority of the time but will develop a progressive pattern of more and more abuse. Dependency involves using for euphoria, then craving more of this euphoric experience, the development of tolerance, then loss of control. The term dependency can be interchangeable with addiction or alcoholism if the drug of choice is alcohol. Dependency is primary, obsessive & compulsive, chronic, progressive, can be fatal if left untreated, and TREATABLE.

Parents of young people showing signs of substance abuse can get educated about the differences between use, abuse and dependency, learn about enabling vs. healthy support, learn about normal adolescent development, co-existing disorders common in adolescents, available resources in their area and learn from the experience of others so they don’t have to experience as much pain, anguish and heartache as a result of living with a child with substance abuse or dependency.

The longer a teen waits to begin their first use, the less problems they experience. If a teen has already used, make a commitment to be alcohol and drug free from this point forward. Living alcohol and drug free requires skills – skills in communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, stress management, goal setting, and many more. Work on developing these skills to avoid the pitfalls of using to cope.

The risk factors that increase a person’s likelihood of experiencing substance abuse problems come from a variety of areas. One involves family history of addiction issues. Another involves their environment – family, neighborhood, school, community – if it is all around you, it will be the only thing you will know and your definition of “normal” will be impacted by these experiences. Some people have high risk “personalities” through such things as impulse control problems, poor self-concept, a strong desire to please others who may encourage them to use and anger issues. Research has suggested that the most common parent profiles of substance abusing teens involve over controlling females and absent, physically or emotionally, fathers. Another area that places teens at risk involves an unwillingness to make a choice to not use. By not choosing to be healthy, they leave themselves open to use with the idea that “everyone does it”, “I won’t get in trouble”, “I’m smart enough to avoid the pitfalls” and all of those beliefs that are common in teen users. No one believes smoking cigarettes is a healthy choice, yet they smoke anyway. Why? Finding answers and alternatives to these type of questions will help the young person develop skills and reduce their risk of substance abuse.

Addiction is defined by some as being anything we cannot stop doing. Abuse becomes addiction with the repeated use in spite of negative consequences. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) defines addiction / substance dependence as “a maladaptive pattern of substance use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three (or more) of the following, occuring at any time in the same 12-month period: (1) tolerance, as defined by either of the following: (a) a need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect, or (b) markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance; (2) withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following: (a) the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance, (b) the same (or a closely related) substance is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms; (3) the substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended; (4) there is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use; (5) a great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance (e.g., visiting multiple doctors or driving long distances), use the substance (e.g., chain-smoking), or recover from its effects; (6) important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use; (7) the substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused by or exacerbated by the substance (e.g., current cocaine use despite recognition of cocaine-induced depression, or continued drinking despite recognition that an ulcer was made worse by alcohol consumption).”

We address addiction with three components – abstinence, lifestyle change, and learning. Abstinence from all mood altering chemicals initially and as more skills are developed we also include abstinence from additional unhealthy behaviors. Lifestyle change involves finding safe and drug free activities and friends. Learning involves ongoing stress management, problem solving, and lifelong self improvement to prevent relapse.

Research about addiction recovery rates is very encouraging. The medical compliance rates for heroin addiction, diabetes, and high blood pressure show that diabetes and high blood pressure have a less than fifty percent patient compliance rate. Heroin addicts follow the prescribed treatment sixty percent of the time. Typical adult recovery rates one year after treatment show a fifteen percent continued abstinence rate. We teach that recovery is a process and dealing with changes for adolescents and newly recovering people is a critical recovery skill.