Current Events
Studies Show That Giving B-12 Supplements During Detox Helps Recovering Alcoholics
There are numerous side affects to alcoholism, according to an article on the Live Strong website. A deficiency of important nutrients the body needs is just one of them. B-12 is one of the most common deficiencies and giving this vitamin during the detox phase can help prevent relapse as well as other health problems including withdrawal symptoms. Full Story
Marijuana the Teen Drug of Choice Overtaking Alcohol – What Parents Can Do
Teen alcohol use is declining while marijuana use is on the rise. Read Part One on Marijuana the Teen Drug of Choice Overtaking Alcohol.
Faced with the alarming increase in marijuana use by teens, it might seem that there’s not a lot that parents can do to reverse the trend. The fact is, however, that there is a lot that parents can do to help their teens come to grips with the reality of just how dangerous marijuana use is as well as discuss the dangers of alcohol and other types of drug use. Full Story
Marijuana the Teen Drug of Choice Overtaking Alcohol
Savvy parents have known for some time that their teen offspring need direction and guidance so they won’t fall prey to peer pressure to drink and do drugs. Some parents do it right and still their teenage son or daughter may wind up experimenting with either alcohol or drugs. Full Story
Correlation Between Foreclosures and Poor Mental Health
Economists expect the number of foreclosures to rise by the end of 2011. Already over 2.3 million have fallen into foreclosure since late 2007 when the recession began. According to a recent post on the website Third Age, people who are experiencing foreclosures or have already lost homes have worse mental health than those with fewer mortgage issues, say researchers. Full Story
Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Among Seniors Could Triple by 2020
The baby boom generation, those born in the tidal wave of U.S. childbirths which occurred between 1944-1964, is beginning to enter the golden years. Older boomers are hitting retirement age with large numbers following just behind them. Some predict that the baby boom generation could soon present health and mental health care providers with needs that stress the system. Rather than aging with the accrued wisdom of years to benefit the Gen Xers, addiction specialists worry that the boomers may rebel against aging by engaging in addictive behaviors. Full Story
Drug Free Communities Program Hopes to Bring Awareness to Community Leaders
Director Gil Kerlikowske with the National Drug Control Policy office recently announced a new program to offer support to 87 communities through 20 new Drug Free Community (DFC) grants throughout the country. The $12.3 million program is in addition to the already existing $76 million in grants from the DFC Mentoring Continuation Coalition, which provides needed support to stop substance abuse among youth. Full Story
Reduction in Drinking Acceptance Among UK Children
Peer pressure has long been considered a major component of alcohol use among underage drinkers. The need to be accepted by friends often encourages early initiation, even among kids who may not otherwise be interested in using alcohol. Early initiation is a serious problem, given that individuals who begin using alcohol at a young age are exposed longer to the risks that come with alcohol use, such as certain cancers and liver disease.
Positive Peer Pressure
A new study suggests attitudes among students in England may be pushing peer pressure in another direction. In a survey conducted by the NHS and published in late July, there is evidence that students are not impressed when their peers use alcohol, and in fact, may look down upon the behavior.
The survey’s results also indicate that fewer school-aged kids are using alcohol, cigarettes and drugs.
The NHS Information Centre report details information from a 2010 survey conducted among young people in England, asking them to answer questions about smoking, drinking and drug use. The results showed a decline in three major areas.
Among 11- to 15-year-olds, there was a decline from 46 percent to 32 percent of students who believed it was okay for a peer to drink alcohol once per week between 2003 and 2010. In addition, 11 percent of students surveyed in 2010 believed it was okay to get drunk once per week, compared with 20 percent in 2003.
Why Do Teens Drink?
In the 2010 survey, there were 7,300 participants who were surveyed between September and December of 2010. In the most recent survey, a new set of questions was introduced that assessed attitudes about the drinking behaviors of peers. Students were given multiple choice questions.
The most popular reasons provided for why peers drank were "to look cool in front of friends" (76 percent); "to be more sociable with friends" (65 percent); "peer pressure from friends" (62 percent); and "for the buzz" (60 percent).
The researchers noted a significant difference in responses between students who drank and those who did not. For those who drank alcohol within a week before the survey, their most popular reasons offered for why peers drank were "for the rush or buzz" and "to be more sociable." Those who did not drink were more likely to choose "to look cool in front of friends" or "pressure from their friends."
The number of students who had tried alcohol had declined significantly, from 51 percent in 2009 to 45 percent in 2010. This reflects a continuation of a steady decrease. In 2003, 61 percent of school-aged kids had tried alcohol.
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