Parents who are concerned about keeping their child off drugs have a big challenge ahead of them. With all the new names and types of drugs, parents may find all the information overwhelming, but with a little help, parents can eventually navigate through the details they need to know.

Denying a Problem

Ignorance is bliss, according to some people. Many parents take a hands off -”what we don’t know won’t hurt us” – approach to parenting, especially when it comes to teens and drugs. They feel that it is best if they don’t make a big deal of things. They believe all kids are going to experiment with drugs at least once, so the best thing to do is let kids be kids and get it out of their system.

Talk To Your Teen

Studies show, however, that parents who do not talk to their kids about drugs or who are accepting of their child’s drug experimentation end up with kids who do drugs – often in a dangerous way. Parents who talk to their kids, however, about the dangers of drugs are the voice that often influences the child so that they do say no to drugs. Parents need to be the first step in drug prevention for their child, and then continue to be aware and on the lookout for their teen to try drugs so they can get help if necessary.

Be Aware

It is important, therefore, for parents to have some knowledge of the current drug scene. This scares many parents, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. Just do a little research. Many parents know about age-old drugs like marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and LSD. They are aware that club drugs like Ecstasy and meth are out there, and that prescription drugs like OxyContin are becoming a huge problem. Parents may need to investigate further, however, to find out about the new synthetic drugs making their way around the country, such as bath salts and synthetic marijuana. These substances are trickier because they can be very misleading and sometimes even legal, yet just as harmful as illicit drugs. “It’s chemistry. They’re able to change the chemical structure just by small amounts to avert the law, even though it would have some of the same common properties and same psychoactive effects”, said Bruce Reeve, of the Division of Criminal Investigations Crime Lab. (1)

Investigate the Topic

Parents can gather a lot of information by doing some quick Internet searches. The Internet provides a host of how-to sites on ways to make drugs, get drugs, and pass drug tests. If parents can access this kind of information, so can their teen, so it is important for parents to look for details about drug abuse in this way.

Parents can talk to local law enforcement or hospitals, or attend seminars that are designed to inform about drug trends. By doing a little investigating and talking to their teens, parents can feel confident in their knowledge of drug dangers that their child faces, in the hopes that they can help their child stay drug-free. Knowledge is power.

Sources

(1) Special Report: Synthetic Drug Use Spreading Fast

Guard Against Synthetic Drugs

Synthetic drug use hard to track

We know that parents have great influence over their teen when it comes to experimenting with drugs or alcohol. New research suggests that teenage brains can actually form differently, based on the  drinking behavior of their parents. This helps to explain a little more about why some adolescents are at greater risk for alcohol abuse.

Prevention Talks

Parents today are learning how important it is for them to talk to their teen about substance abuse. Adolescents whose parents have ongoing conversations with them about not trying drugs or alcohol are up to 50% less likely to try these substances. Prevention definitely starts at home, and parents can make a conscious decision to be the first and most important step in prevention.

Role Models

The example parents set also affects an adolescent. Kids who grow up watching their parents abuse alcohol are more likely to abuse alcohol themselves at a younger age. Adolescents learn behaviors from their parents and, good or bad, will start following the example set for them.

The latest study, which is published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, looked at the brain chemistry of teens in order to further understand the impact of parental influence. The small study out of Oregon performed MRI scans on adolescents who had no previous experience with drinking, but who were children of alcoholics. They found differences in the areas of the brain that control decision-making compared to teens with no family history of alcoholism. These young people showed weaker development in the decision-making areas of the brain, possibly putting them at risk for making poor choices with regards to drinking in the future.

Bonnie J. Nagel, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at Oregon Health & Science University concluded, “Therefore, differences in brain activity may impact the ability of individuals family history of alcoholism to make good decisions in many contexts, and in particular may facilitate poor decision-making in regards to alcohol use. Taken together with other studies on youth family history of alcoholism, these results suggest that atypical brain structure and function exist prior to any substance use, and may contribute to an increased vulnerability for alcoholism in these individuals.” (1)

This study only helps reiterate the important role parents play in keeping their children away from drugs and alcohol. Parents should first of all talk to their children regularly about the dangers of alcohol abuse. Secondly, parents need to set a good example for their teen by drinking responsibly. If a parent’s drinking is out of control, they should seek help right away in order to provide their child with the best chance at living a sober life.

Sources

(1) Familial alcoholism affects teen brains

Teenagers with alcoholic parents more likely to have impulsive and addictive personalities

Parental Alcoholism Linked to Brain Changes in Kids

Steve Miranda is Treatment Solutions Network’s Director of Special Projects, Steve recently retired from the Massachusetts Department of Corrections where he spent 22 years of his life pioneering new programs and saving lives as the Director of their Employee Assistance Program (EAP). That program services 5,200 employees, family members and retirees. As a loyal member of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union (MCOFU), Steve understands the needs of people who are affected by addiction. Steve is also passionate about helping others. Feel free to contact him anytime if you have any questions or know someone who may need help with an addiction problem. You may contact him at stevem @ tsnemail.com or by phone at (508) 525-5974.

Let me start by saying that I love my line of work, but if I hadn’t lost my own brother to addiction, I’m not positive that I would have been this passionate about not only helping addicts, but also helping their families. I currently work for Treatment Solutions Network, who in my opinion has the absolute best approach to working with addiction in the workplace and addiction period. I feel confident saying this because I’ve worked in this field for many years and seen firsthand how to lead addicts along a better path and unfortunately, I’ve also seen companies lead addicts right out the door without even a chance. Treatment Solutions Network fights for every individual to get well, which is why I wanted to become part of their team.

Now, I wouldn’t talk the talk if I personally hadn’t walked the walk. For the past 22 years I was posted up at the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, where I was fortunate enough to be the Director of their Employee Assistance Program (EAP). While in that position, my team serviced over 5,200 employees, family members and retirees so I learned a thing or two about addiction along the way. In fact, I dealt head-on with virtually every setback scenario you could imagine like drugs, alcohol, financial, post trauma, marital, and so on.

I am proud to say that our team was very successful at what we did and the simple reason our EAP resources were so effective was because we made it as simple as possible for the employee and their families. We did our best to be a one-stop shop, which in essence meant that when you came to us with a situation, we weren’t going to send you out the door with a bunch of homework, we were going to assess your particular situation and find a solution for you and your family. This obviously made the situation a great deal more bearable for the individual and their family, but also, the employer saved time, stress and money. An EAP is generally a peer-elected post for just that reason, you need to be a conduit between the problem and the solution for both the employer and employee. It is a fine line but one that must be done with pride and respect.

It was during this time when I had the good fortune to work with Treatment Solutions Network and see that their organization had the same goal as my EAP team, just on a much grander scale. Treatment Solutions Network is the ultimate one stop shop and has saved countless lives as a result. One of the most difficult situations for an EAP to face is working with Public Safety Officers struggling with addiction. These officers have a career built on public perception and are far less likely to ask for help than your average employee. Treatment Solutions Network is comprised of former officials and Public Safety Officers who have been humbled by personal hurdles in the past and are now in a position to apply their unique wisdom and experience to people in need of help. When I saw how members of the Treatment Solutions team were able to take the one stop shop notion to a level I never imagined and apply multiple services beyond drug and alcohol treatment, but stress, counseling, family therapy, and mental health to name a few, I knew I wanted to be part of their team.

The Treatment Solutions team is built with the finest union and business leadership from the workforce and a network of the absolute best resources available in the addiction and recovery industry. It only takes one call and not only will you have a solution, but also you’ll have the best possible solution for your specific need and equally important, the needs of your family. This is the finest team I’ve had the good fortune to be a part of and while I personally lost a family member to the disease of addiction, along with Treatment Solutions, I have been able to keep countless families alive and together.

We want to thank Dr. James DiReda for offering this excellent guest post for us! Dr. DiReda has over twenty years experience working with individuals, families, and organizations to address alcohol, drug, and mental health issues. He holds a dual Ph.D. in Sociology and Social Work from Boston University. He is currently Director of Counseling and teaches at Clark University in Worcester, MA.

Kids, Drugs, and Parents: What to do?

I recently received a call from a former client saying, “My 15 year old son is out of control, and I don’t know what to do. He’s drinking alcohol and smoking a lot of pot, he’s disrespecting his brother and me, he’s breaking all rules and ignoring any curfews I try to impose, and I’m afraid he could get physically violent because he’s so angry and enraged.” So we spoke about her situation and what was happening, not just with her son but with her family. We spoke about how to address the issues (alcohol/drug abuse, anger, unhealthy family relationships) they were struggling with, and how to change some of the dynamics that were allowing the “out of control” behavior to continue. I sensed my suggestions were not what she was hoping to hear. She was looking for an answer, the solution to fix her son and stop his behavior. It’s a parents’ nightmare when situations with their children are out of control. It can be scary, threatening, and extremely stressful, especially when parents aren’t really sure what their child is using. So, what do we (professionals, experts) tell them? Often it’s not what they hope or expect to hear.

I can’t count the number of calls I have received from parents, loved ones, friends, and even employers regarding someone they know who is in trouble and struggling, but they don’t know what to say or do to help. It’s a difficult position to be in, to watch someone you care about spin out of control and there doesn’t seem to be anything you can do to stop or change it. This position really can make a person feel powerless and helpless; but are we? That depends. There are times and instances where you simply cannot protect or save a person from themselves and their self-destructive actions no matter what you do. That is a very bitter pill to swallow, and often the only option is to keep stay healthy yourself and set clear boundaries in the relationship. There are other times though, which you can do something effective in bringing about change and help get things back under control. This usually entails examining our role in the family drama that is taking place and making changes in places that we do have some ability to control.

Educating parents about alcohol and drug use is good information to have, and very useful in helping them recognize and label the condition. It helps them see warning signs, identify suspicious behavior, and know the differences among various drugs and their effects. It’s a good start, but it isn’t enough. Remember, if nothing changes, nothing changes. So what will help? What do we tell them? It’s more than what we tell them to do; it’s a change in thinking and behaving on the part of the parent or loved one. It’s a different mind-set in looking at or trying to manage an out of control situation. I’ll share something that I learned from a Family Therapist I worked with early on in my career about working with individuals and families struggling with alcoholism, drug abuse, and dependence. It’s affectionately known as the “3-C’s,” and they were pasted on his office walls to share. He would simply explain to parents and loved ones that 1. You didn’t cause this condition. 2. You can’t control it, and 3. You can’t cure it. This might seem like strange advice in some ways, especially after reading my comments saying you (parents/loved ones) do have some control in this. It probably seems confusing, and it can be. But, using rational and logical thought processes when dealing with irrational and illogical behavior (alcoholics, substance abusers) and out of control situations doesn’t usually work very well. So here’s a different way of looking at it, thinking about it, and managing it.

A common scenario in working with individuals and families around alcohol/drug abuse and dependence looks something like this: The person abusing substances, regardless of which ones, usually ends up in trouble at school, work, legally, in relationships within the family and outside the family. Due to their drinking and drug use, and their out of control behavior they become the focus of attention and labeled as the “problem” or “troublemaker.” In the treatment world they are called the identified patient. To the family and loved ones these individuals need fixing so the family can get back to being “normal.” Much of the energy and attention (and blame) is put on those individuals to change their “crazy” behavior. The problem is that often times they aren’t able to at that point, so you’re asking someone who is out of control to take control. It usually doesn’t work, and continues to worsen until finally the court, police, families have to take control. So if the 3-C’s say “you can’t control it,” what do you control? Well, if enough pressure is exerted upon an individual (jail, job loss, divorce, eviction) they might agree to go into treatment which will, hopefully, begin the process of change. However, entering treatment can be used as an escape from the current situation and once it ends the individual quickly returns to their prior behaviors and lifestyle. Treatment is useful, even vital, but it is limited; it’s a beginning. If all the pre-existing conditions (stressors, relationships, etc) in a persons’ life remain unchanged, returning from treatment and maintaining change can be very difficult. Many families I’ve worked with believe that by sending someone to treatment “cures” them and they should never want to use again. That has not been my experience over the past twenty two years working in this field. What I have seen is that families get sick together, and families recover together; if they change.

In speaking with my former client about her son I couldn’t help but think about the entire family and also ask her, how did he become so “out of control?” It’s unusual that one particular family member would be out of control for no reason. As we spoke, she told me about what had been going on in their family since I saw her last. After hearing her story, it was not surprising that he was acting out, what surprised me (again) is that all the emphasis and focus is on him and his behavior, not the family. Understanding families and family dynamics is difficult enough, but adding alcohol and drugs takes it to an entirely different level. Many families have little or no understanding of alcohol and drug abuse or addiction, and are scared and confused by it. It’s difficult to figure out without help. What do I do? What do I say? And, how do I say it? These are the questions I get asked by parents, spouses, and concerned others who are at their wits end, struggling to make sense of their situation and in fear that a tragic ending is on the horizon.

I find myself returning to the 3-C’s time and again when trying to offer advice, or guide others in this situation. I start by validating for them that they are not the cause of this condition, nor can they control it, or cure it. But, that doesn’t mean they have to sit around and wait until their loved one decides to change, which could be a long wait or something that might never happen. The choice is a hard one to make, but it can be very effective in jump-starting the change process with those who are out of control, or not interested in changing their behavior. I also help them identify and label what changes within their power and control they can make. I emphasize that any changing has to begin with them, and that will vary depending on their relationship with the IP or out of control individual. Often times when we change, those around us change as well if they want to continue in the relationship.  Seeking treatment is often the beginning of this change process which, hopefully, leads the individual and the family into lifelong Recovery.

It’s a day of thankfulness, a day of family togetherness, a day of joy. Many people don’t feel exactly thankful at Thanksgiving, they don’t feel like spending the day with family, and they definitely don’t feel joyful.

Thanksgiving is so necessary. Even those who feel they don’t need it, or feel there’s nothing to be thankful for would do well to take a step back and look at what they have. We get so wrapped up in our miseries and the things we are lacking and the struggles we’ve been through that we fail to appreciate this journey of life that we’ve been on. Sure, life comes with its ups and downs, and for many people today, things are not as happy or easy as they have been in the past, but Thanksgiving can help us reevaluate and get back on the right track.

Making it Through the Holidays with an Addiction

For someone with a substance abuse addiction, holidays like Thanksgiving can be a depressing time. They may feel a huge disconnect from their family, finances may be rough, and they don’t see a positive future for themselves. This Thanksgiving, we can think about the little things, and be thankful for those, instead of mourning what we’ve lost. Be thankful if you still have a family, even if the relationship is strained. Be thankful for friends who keep nagging at you to get help, because you know they care. Be thankful that you are still alive, even if sometimes you wish you weren’t. Be thankful for the legal troubles you’ve had, because they presented you with the opportunity to get help. Be thankful that help is out there, just a phone call away, and soon you can be on your way to recovery. Be thankful for the hope that next year at this time, you will be clean and sober and living a completely different kind of life.

Be Thankful for Recovery

Dan McLaughlin, the well-known television announcer for the Cardinals, has been through months of trouble after being arrested a second time for drunk driving. In a recent interview he talked about how he is thankful for all that has happened to him, including his arrests, because of where it all led him. “I thank God every day that I didn’t hurt myself or anybody else because of my stupidity and a totally selfish act. While (the second arrest) is one of the worst nights of my life, it has turned out to be one of the best things that ever could have happened to me because I realized I needed to seek help. Through what’s happened, it’s turning my life around,” he said. (1)

Even in the midst of losing everything, there are reasons to be thankful, namely that you are still alive and have a glimmer of hope to recover. The road to sobriety is not easy, but those who are on it can enjoy a special Thanksgiving because they know they are in a better place.

Sources

(1) McLaughlin: Drunken driving arrest might have saved my life

Homeless to enjoy Thanksgiving at Memphis Union Mission

One Woman’s Story: How I Made It Through The Holidays As An Alcoholic

People get hurt feelings all the time in our world. Sometimes all it takes is a harsh word or a difference of opinion to set someone off. We may think that people who get their feelings hurt often need to get some tougher skin and not be so sensitive. Sometimes this is true, but sometimes repairing the hurt feelings between family and friends takes more than letting time run its course.

Addiction is a Family Affair

An addiction to drugs or alcohol does not just affect the individual addict; the entire family suffers. Sometimes friends suffer. Addiction causes a person to lie, deceive, steal, abuse, anger, and neglect family and friends, and naturally, the loved ones are going to feel hurt. A family that has been affected by a drug or alcohol addiction goes through a host of different emotions. Anger, disgust, and pity may come and go. Underneath everything else, however, is often emotional pain. Sometimes when they’ve felt everything else there is to feel, they end up still just feeling sad and hurt. Even those who understand enough about addiction to know it takes over a person’s life and makes them lose control so that their top priority is to get high, can be hurt by the actions of their loved one.

Broken Promises

Another aspect of the hurt a drug addict’s family experiences is the continual let down that occurs when their loved one says they want to get clean and are on their way to a better life, and then they relapse. The ups and downs of recovery and relapse make family members unable to believe their loved one when they make promises because they don’t want to get hurt again.

Talking About Feelings

For their own good and for the good of their loved one, family and friends with hurt feelings need to work through these issues. Instead of  hiding their emotions and not talking about them, a family needs to bring their feelings out into the open and find a way to repair the damage. A professional treatment facility can help families through therapy and counseling so that they can move on in the most healthy way. During the addict’s recovery from drugs or alcohol, counselors should meet with the entire family to help them all through this challenge.

Help for the Family

Forgiving someone for causing pain and hurt feelings is not an easy thing to do, but it is a necessary one. It does not mean that we condone what our loved one has done, but rather, that we will no longer carry that bitterness around with us. It means that we will work toward a resolution and, if possible, rebuild the relationship.

Hurt feelings can be more than the result of an overly sensitive personality. Sometimes hurt feelings are completely valid, as they are when a person has been wronged by someone living a life of substance addiction. Hurt feelings do not have to control our lives like drugs or alcohol control the addict’s life. Relying on the help of a therapist or support group, we can get past these feelings in the most constructive way.

Sources

About Therapy

The Set Up Living With Addiction

Forgiveness: Letting go of grudges and bitterness

Sometimes people feel like they’ve done all they can to help a loved one get sober. There comes a time when family and friends need to step back and let the person with an addiction stumble on, in the hopes that they come to realize that they are going nowhere as they are.

Call it tough love, or allowing the person to hit rock bottom, or cutting a family member off, but establishing boundaries with an addict is a hard thing to do. Sometimes it is the only thing to do. Seen as a last resort most of the time, withdrawing all support and even contact with a person who just won’t turn around can produce some results.

The Frustration of Relapse

Someone who refuses to get help for an addiction, or who relapses time and time again is a huge strain on their family. Family members find themselves getting hopeful that each time in treatment is going to be the time that works, only to be let down again and again. These family members soon learn how to enable the drug addict or alcoholic, by providing money, excuses, and even a place to live. They get so used to life with the addict that they don’t expect anything better then the turmoil that addiction brings.

Stop Enabling

It is not an easy decision, nor should it be taken lightly, but loved ones have to come to a point where they need to withdraw their support. This means that if the person won’t get better, they can’t live with family any more, or beg them for money, or rely on their family to cover for them. Dr. David Sack, a board certified psychiatrist and CEO of Promises Treatment Center explains, “Then you have to say, ‘We love you very much, but we’re not going to spend money so you can go buy drugs and end up in a worst predicament. We’re not going to support your habit.’ So it means no money, no car, no food, no shelter because ultimately those are the things that can be converted to drugs.” (1)

When all support is cut off, a person has few choices. They can either continue in their addiction and struggle to survive on the streets, or they can get serious about getting sober. Some people credit their family members who let them hit rock bottom for their eventual recovery.

Get Help

A person with an addiction needs professional help, and the hope is that enforcing tough love will push them to get that help. Family members also need help and counseling, to work through the problems that the addiction has caused in the family. Even if a loved one who is addicted to drugs or alcohol won’t get help, family members can still benefit from therapy themselves.

Sources

(1) Is ‘Financial Tough Love’ the Right Approach for Drug Addicts?

Tough Love Drug Addiction Intervention Methods

Tough love? Mom can’t live with ex-drug addict

One of the hardest things to do as a parent is to watch a child self-destruct. We want to help our children succeed and to live lives free from pain and trouble. For a family that is being tested by a substance-abusing teen or young adult, the parents suffer as much as their child.

“Recovery Benefits Everyone” is the theme for this year’s Recovery Month. This holds especially true for parents whose child is in need of recovery. Too many parents have had to stand by and watch their child become lost to substance abuse. Too many parents feel helpless to do anything for their child because they feel like they’ve done everything they can to help, and failed. There are things parents can do to prevent their child from abusing substances, and to help them if they are addicted.

It All Starts with Prevention

Parents need to remember while their children are still young that they hold much power in the anti-drug/alcohol struggle with their children. Teens and adolescents do hear what their parents are saying and are much less likely to get caught up with substance abuse if their parent had regular talks with them about it. Talk to your child early and often about the dangers of drugs and that you expect them to avoid using them.

Early Intervention

Many parents miss a crucial window of opportunity to get their substance-abusing child help. Parents don’t want to overreact, or they are too busy to notice, or they are too ashamed to admit it is happening to their family. For these reasons, many parents wait and try to handle the situation on their own, rather than get their child help right away. Parents of teens must remain vigilant in talking to their child and watching for signs of drug abuse. Sudden changes in behavior, a change in friends, dropping grades, demanding of privacy, and being more secretive are all things that teens tend to exhibit when they are first starting to get hooked on drugs. It is at this time that a parent should seek help, rather than waiting.

Get Professional Help

If a parent has tried to get help for their “hopelessly” addicted child and they keep sinking deeper and deeper into their self-destructive behavior, there are still things a parent can do. It may be necessary to show tough love, or to let the child fall to rock bottom before they can recover. Or, maybe the child just needs a supportive parent to stand by them. It is at this time that it would be helpful for the parent to seek professional help for their entire family. A parent can learn from a therapist or support group about what they need to do to help their child. Parents who feel they have no place to turn need to allow a professional to step in and help.

Sources

Recovery Month

Above the Influence

Al-anon

Parents across the country are always looking for ways to keep their kids off drugs. It’s important for parents to keep vigilant in this matter.  Parents have a great deal of influence on their teen children, so it is their responsibility to do all they can to keep their child away from drugs. Parents shouldn’t assume that kids will hear the information they need to hear at school, because prevention should start at home.
Below are four ways parents can start the anti-drug campaign in their own home:

Get them a job. Kids can work at certain jobs as young as 11 year old. Kids who aren’t doing much else, especially during the summer, can get out and work a few hours every week. Babysitting and agricultural jobs are good starting jobs, as well as dog sitting, caddying, and doing yard work for an elderly neighbor. Even if your child is not making much money in their work, having them kept safe and busy will be worth it. Working a few hours at a job at a young age is also a great way to instill a good work ethic in your child, something they will appreciate as they get older.

Have them join a team. Teens who are in sports are less likely to get involved with drugs or alcohol. Part of the reason for this is that the coach and teammates have expectations for everyone on the team to be playing to their full potential, which means no getting distracted by drugs or alcohol. Most teams have strict sobriety rules, which creates a huge incentive for your teen to stay drug and alcohol free.

Get them involved with an organization. If your teen isn’t too much into sports, help them find something they do enjoy doing. Groups such as boy scouts, 4H, and church or neighborhood groups do a lot to keep kids busy, supervised, and interacting with other positive peers. There are so many options for kids these days, so don’t give up until your teen has found something they can get interested in. Theater productions, robotics teams, local children’s choirs or bands, and local conservation groups all give youth opportunities to get involved in constructive activities.

Spend time with them. Teens who have parents that are involved with their life will be more likely to avoid drugs and alcohol. Families that spend time together doing things and eating meals together have more opportunities for anti-drug conversations. Kids will be more likely to listen to their parents’ message if they’ve built some trust with them through the years, so maintaining a relationship with your child from little on is very beneficial.

Sources

Keeping Your Teen Off Drugs

How To Engrave ‘Say-No-To-Drugs’ on Your Child’s Mind- Starting when They’re Young!

The Antidrug.com

Kids who bully other kids often do it to cover up their own insecurities and to put other people down. It might be that some kids do this to have fun or are pressured into it by friends. With the consequences of bullying in news headlines more frequently lately, it is hard to imagine why anyone would bully someone else.

Effects of Bullying

There have been a number of studies done lately on bullying and its effects on the kids involved. This is because numerous incidents have taken place with kids committing suicide or other drastic acts because they were bullied. One of the first high profile cases were the boys who committed the Columbine shootings in 1999. These boys were teased and seen as outcasts, and eventually acted in retaliation. Other grade school, high school, and college students have committed suicide because of bullying. Many more suffer in silence for years.

Recent studies have found that the rates of mental health conditions are up to 3 times higher among students that are bullied. Bullying causes depression, suicidal thoughts, and attempts at suicide. Many of these kids that are teased do not tell anyone, so they suffer quietly, sinking further and further into depression, and their grades and social lives also suffer.

Many people still think that kids will be kids and this is a part of growing up. They say that if we leave the kids alone to work it out, they eventually will stop. However, with the tragic stories of suicide and homicide becoming more common, many people are ready to finally put an end to bullying.

Cyberbullying a Growing Problem

The problem now is that kids have so many more venues in which to bully. The schoolyard bully who beats the little guy up and takes his lunch money is not so common anymore. Today, kids can bully other kids from their bedrooms at night, sending text messages or putting posts on Facebook. Since kids are so connected to their social media, bullying by using these means really does emotional damage to the person being bullied. “The cyberbullying feels like something they can’t get away from,” said Laurie Curley, a school psychologist who works with kids who are bullied. (1)

Parents are being warned to be more aware of their kids’ activity and how much time they are spending on cell phones and the Internet. Parents can help their child maintain a healthy caution for these things so that they will be less likely to post things thatwould make them a target for bullying. Overall, parents, teachers, and other adults need to watch for bullying and take action and report it when it occurs.

Sources

Bullying, Suicide, Punishment

Bullying and Suicide

MetroWest report shows link between bullying, mental health