Alcohol & Drugs – Why Do Teens Use?

The teen years can be a time for experimenting with alcohol and other drugs. But a recent CDC study found the reason why teens use substances today isn’t just for experimentation, but also to stop worrying about problems, and even to help with depression or anxiety.

Today, Gene and Khadijah discuss how to approach your teen if you’ve discovered they are using alcohol, marijuana, or a prescription or over-the-counter drug, and what health risks to know about for each of these.

These are hard conversations to have. We hope that ours will help you to have yours.

Media List

• When to Worry, What to Do PDF Library (MGH Clay Center)
• CDC Report Indicates Teens are Seeking to Escape Worries and Stress Through Drug Use (HuffPost)
• Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health (US Dept of Health & Human Services)
• Alcohol & Adolescents, featuring John F. Kelly, PhD, ABPP (Podcast)
• Alcohol - Conversation Starters with Dr. Gene Beresin (YouTube)
• Asking Adolescents About Alcohol with Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins (YouTube)
• Cannabis and the Teen Brain, featuring Jodi Gilman, PhD (Podcast)
• Once You Have Discovered Your Teen Is Using Pot, What’s the Next Step? (MGH Clay Center)
• Commonly Abused Prescription and OTC Drugs (WebMD)
• NARCAN’s Available Over the Counter, Should I Carry It? (MGH, Psychiatry)
• Addiction Recovery Management Services (MGH, ARMS)
• When to Worry, What to Do PDF Library (MGH Clay Center)
• Myths About the 12-Step Program (MGH Clay Center)
• Find a Treatment Facility (SAMHSA)

If you have a question that we didn’t cover, please get in touch. Write to Gene or Khadijah at mghclaycenter@mgb.org.

Music by Gene Beresin

Episode produced by Sara Rattigan and Spenser Egnatz

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