Archive for August, 2010

As unfortunate as it is to see a shabby old man lying prostrate on the park bench sleeping off his alcohol intake, a consistently drunken young person is an even more tragic sight.

Alcoholism is understood as addiction to alcohol, wherein a person has become dependent on alcohol in order to feel ok. This sort of dependency takes varied aounts of time to establish, which is why we might expect to encounter it only amongst mature grown ups. Regrettably though heavy alcohol intake is often part of teenage culture, and excessive amounts of alcohol, even in the short term, do cause a chemical imbalance in the brain which can lead to alcohol dependency.

Even moderate amounts of alcohol affects chemicals in the body such as the gamma-aminobutyric acids, responsible for inhibiting impulsiveness, and glutamate, which stimulates the nervous system. Excessive drinking reduces the body of these chemicals, in the absence of which the body starts to want alcohol. Young bodies may be utterly unprepared for the sort of significance that early-age-onset drinking can .

If a teenager unexpectedly finds himself or herself in a peer group where alcohol consumption is the norm, they may suddenly bombard their system with excessive amounts of alcohol, even if they have never touched the slightest amount of liquor up to that point, in order to gain respect or acceptance in the group. This can unmistakably be very damaging to their health.

Studies suggest that nearly 60% of young people who take up drinking, do so in order to feel more mature! Some will have seen their folks drinking, and will take up the addiction to become like them. More often though nowadays young drinkers will either just be trailing the group or aspiring to emulate some other role model – a sporting hero, rock star or gang leader – for whom hard drinking is a fundamental part of their .

Obviously image and advertising have a lot to do with early-age-onset drinking. Films tend to view tough guys as hard drinkers. The media portrays fun girls as party girls. And obviously the advertising companies behind alcoholic beverages work hard at associating alcohol consumption with popularity and success. For this reason education can be a key factor in helping to restrain the level of alcohol abuse and alcoholism amongst young people.

Input from the home and the school can help create a more balanced understanding of both the advantages and dangers of alcohol consumption. Of course, for teenagers who are driven to resist the authority of home and school, educational programs of this kind can have the opposite affect of that intended, where teenagers will consider their drinking to be a sign of their independence from authority. Ironically of course, such rebellion really only shows a subservience to an alternative authority – namely, that of the advertising magnates who promote alcohol consumption.

As in the case of most disagreeable teenage habits, the peer group is often the key. If your teenage son is part of a peer group that drinks, he will drink too. If he’s part of strict religious group that never let a drop of alcohol pass their lips, you don’t have to worry (about alcohol consumption, at any rate).

Of course there are numerous factors that can lead a young person to drink excessively, and not every teenager who drinks excessively is going to develop an alcohol dependency. Genetics will partially determine this, along with other various physical and psychological factors. But if there is one straightforward thing that a parent can do to divert a teenager who is on the course to alcoholism it is this: change his or her . Send them to a different school. Have them move interstate to stay with your relatives. Send them on a long overseas trip.

Of course, changing the immediate peer group will not always solve the problem, and depending on the age of the teenager, the parents may be powerless to make these sorts of decisions anyway. Remember though that regardless of what happens, while there is life there is always hope. Even long-term alcoholics find healing. And countless teenagers with drinking problems don’t turn into alcoholics.

For more information on teenage alcoholism, visit Alcoholism Addiction Treatment

There is nothing more frustrating to parents than to know that something serious is going on with their teen, but to have absolutely no idea what is at the root of the problem or how to get help. There are many number of parents whose teens are in troubled or may be say that they are out of control. If your teen is not doing any work properly or he/she not listing you doesn’t take it easily it means there are some problem with your teen.


As parents, how can we tell if our children are abusing substances? This is a question many parents ask themselves when their child is having difficulties. Unfortunately, too many parents really don’t want to know the answer, because this is one subject that can be too scary, frustrating and guilt-laden to deal with. They may ask the right questions and will even do a little digging around to come up with answers, but then will conclude that there is not a problem and will ignore all the signs and symptoms of addiction that their child actually manifests


There are many problems in which your teen maybe involved such as:


Teen behavior problem

Teen mental health problem

Teen sleep problem

Teen drinking problem

Eating disorder


There may be any cause behind the teen’s problem because that is universal fact that as we treat them they give same response if your teen being behavior problem that your behavior is not so good as happened. That is the measure factor of teen problem and also a second reason his friend circle. Then try that your teen not spent much more time any bad friend.


Behaves in ways that cause problems, for-example:


·Uses alcohol or other drugs;


·Eats large amounts of food and then forces vomiting, abuses laxatives, or takes enemas to avoid weight gain;


·Continues to diet or exercise obsessively although bone-thin;.


·Often hurts other people, destroys property, or breaks the law;


·Does things that can be life threatening.


Mental health problems are real, painful and can be severe. They can lead to school failure, loss of friends, or family conflict. Some of the signs that may point to a possible problem are listed below. If you are a Parent or other caregiver of a teenager, pay attention if you’re teen:

Is troubled by feeling:


·Very angry most of the time, cries a lot or overreacts to things;


·Worthless or guilty a lot;


·Anxious or worried a lot more than other young people;


·Grief for a long time after a loss or death;


·Extremely fearful-has unexplained fears or more fears than most kids;


·Constantly concerned about physical problems or appearance;


·Frightened that his or her mind is controlled or is out of control


Teenagers are going to eat fast foods and snacks along with other low-nutrient foods, simply because they taste “good”. Not only are young people not getting the proper nutrients they need, but also their bodies are being robbed of the nutrients they already have. As a result, the working system begins to break down. Most teen problems can be attributed to inadequate and insufficient food nutrients.


TOTAL Teen advanced formula was scientifically developed to help teens through their major growth period – puberty. Hormones and acne problems, hair and skin, teeth and gum disorders, proper bone and muscle development, stable blood sugar levels, normal brain functioning and both physical and mental health all deserve special attention throughout the teen years. TOTAL Teen contains a unique formula to address these very important issues while supplying enzymes to digest “junk foods”, immune boosters to aid resistance to disease, and energy boosters to develop clear minds and sound bodies.


Most of these teen problems can be attributed to inadequate and insufficient food nutrients. With just one or two capsules a day, teen’s receive the necessary nutrients to help combat unsightly skin conditions, unhealthy hair, tooth decay and slowed growth TOTAL Teen fortifies the body with important nutrients so that it can fight back against malnourishment!


If you feel your teen is in need of further Boarding School or in time, you will find the ways to overcome your phobia. If you have trouble, talk to a professional who can give you additional insights on your situation. Just log on the following websites: free to go:


http://www.abundantlifeacademy.com


http://www.troubledteensdirectory.com/


Abundant life academy, It is a school for troubled teens that have a great deal of academic potential and a good heart, yet they are currently off track, lost, and wandering in the desert (selfish, ungrateful, disrespect and lazy) in need of immediate infusion of God’s precious Spirit and a restored relationship with Jesus Christ (selfless, thankful, and motivated to excel) and Troubled Teens Directory is the most honest and integral Internet-based educational consulting service available and designed to serve parents who are need of guidance in regard to their troubled teen.

About Author: Monica Craft

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Alcohol addiction among teenagers is one of the worst things that is happening all over the world. The surveys and special studies reveal that the number of teenagers addicted with alcohol is growing very fast. The problems associated with teen alcohol abuse are many in number and that is why it becomes difficult to give proper treatment to them to overcome their addiction.


Teen alcohol abuse in Louisiana is quite as worse as in any other state in America. In Louisiana the teenagers are not only addicted to alcohol but they are also into various other addictions, making the alcohol abuse problem more complicated. Because of these associated problems, the treatment centers for teen alcohol abuse in Louisiana are finding it tougher to deal with the issue.


There are many teen alcohol abuse centers in Louisiana but the number of teenagers taking treatment for them is considerably low. The various problems associated with teen alcohol abuse are listed below along with the proper solutions that the addiction centers are applying to overcome the problem.


1. The most troublesome problem is that of binary addiction. The meaning of binary addiction is, the teenagers are having some other addictive substance along with having alcohol. This way they are not only an alcohol addict but have other addictions too. This scenario is common in teen alcohol abuse in Louisiana.


Once the teenagers start consuming alcohol, in order to get more pleasure they start consuming it in greater quantities. To get more pleasure while having alcohol, they might also start having some other drug. Thus, their condition goes from bad to worse with this dual addiction.


To overcome this problem, the teen alcohol abuse center in Louisiana gives detox treatment as the first part of their treatment. The teenager will need to undergo detox treatment. In detox treatment the patient will have to stay away from any kind of addiction and their body will get cleaned and even the single drop of the addictive substance will be removed from their body. The detox treatment can take care of the binary conditions of the patient too.


2. Teenager start consuming alcohol due to many reasons. Some take it to relieve their stress and get away from the tensions of their life while others take it under peer pressure. In the early phase, the teenagers consume less alcohol but as the time passes they get addicted to it and cannot manage without consuming alcohol. Many teenagers have fallen into the pit of alcohol addiction unknowingly about what harm they can get by alcohol addiction.


The treatment centers in Louisiana, knows the way to tackle this problem goes through education. That’s why these centers try to educate the youth about the various aspects of alcohol abuse. The youth will be given proper guidance about what alcohol addiction is all about and what bad effects it causes in the body and mind of the alcohol addict.


The youth will also be given guidance on how they are playing with their future and their family’s future by giving into the demands of their peer group. The teenagers who are into alcohol addiction will be given counseling and after that they will need to undergo detox treatment to remove the alcohol that is already accumulated in their bodies.


3. Many teenagers think that their parents are too busy and they feel neglected. This is one more cause of teenagers getting into addiction. Parents are also unaware about the things that they can do in order to keep their children away from any kind of addiction. Many parents are themselves setting a wrong example before their children and their children’s are just following what they see their parent do.


That is why, the treatment center in Louisiana arranges parental counseling. Parents too need to know what they can do to keep their children away from addiction. The parents will be given guidance on how they can set a good example before their children. All the doubts that the parents may have can be solved in these counseling sessions. Most of the teen alcohol abuse center in Louisiana has three-day parental counseling session. In these sessions, the parents of these young patients get a chance to interact with each other and share their experiences.

You can visit alcohol abuse in Louisiana to find out more about how this treatment is carried out for teenagers in Louisiana and about other treatment programs within the state.

Teen suicide is becoming more common every year in South America. In fact, only car accidents and homicides (murders) kill more people between the ages of 18 and 30, making suicide the third leading cause of death in teens and overall in youths ages 14 to 22 years old.

Thinking About Suicide It’s common for teens to think about death to some degree. Teens’ thinking capabilities have matured in a way that allows them to think more deeply – about their existence in the world, the meaning of life, and other profound questions and ideas. Unlike kids, teens realize that death is permanent. They may begin to consider spiritual or philosophical questions such as what happens after people die. To some, death, and even suicide, may seem poetic (consider Romeo and Juliet, for example). To others, death may seem frightening or be a source of worry. For many, death is mysterious and beyond our human experience and understanding.

Thinking about suicide goes beyond normal ideas teens may have about death and life. Wishing to be dead, thinking about suicide, or feeling helpless and hopeless about how to solve life’s problems are signs that a teen may be at risk – and in need of help and support. Beyond thoughts of suicide, actually making a plan or carrying out a suicide attempt is even more serious.

What makes some teens begin to think about suicide – and even worse, to plan or do something with the intention of ending their own lives? One of the biggest factors is depression. Suicide attempts are usually made when a person is seriously depressed or upset. A teen who is feeling suicidal may see no other way out of problems, no other escape from emotional pain, or no other way to communicate their desperate unhappiness.

The Link Between Depression and Suicide

The majority of suicide attempts and suicide deaths happen among teens with depression. Consider these statistics about teen suicide and teen depression: about 1% of all teens attempts suicide and about 1% of those suicide attempts results in death (that means about 1 in 10,000 teens dies from suicide). But for adolescents who have depressive illnesses, the rates of suicidal thinking and behavior are much higher. Most teens who have depression think about suicide, and between 15% and 30% of teens with serious depression who think about suicide go on to make a suicide attempt.

Keep in mind that most of the time for most teens depression is a passing mood. The sadness, loneliness, grief, and disappointment we all feel at times are normal reactions to some of the struggles of life. With the right support, some resilience, an inner belief that there will be a brighter day, and decent coping skills, most teens can get through the depressed mood that happens occasionally when life throws them a curve ball.

But sometimes depression doesn’t lift after a few hours or a few days. Instead it lasts, and it can seem too heavy to bear. When someone has a depressed or sad mood that is intense and lingers almost all day, almost every day for 2 weeks or more, it may be a sign that the person has developed major depression. Major depression, sometimes called clinical depression, is beyond a passing depressed mood – it is the term mental health professionals use for depression that has become an illness in need of treatment. Another form of serious depression is called bipolar disorder, which includes extreme low moods (major depression) as well as extreme high moods (these are called manic episodes).

Though children can experience depression, too, teens are much more vulnerable to major depression and bipolar illness. Hormones and sleep cycles, which both change dramatically during adolescence, have an effect on mood and may partly explain why teens (especially girls) are particularly prone to depression. Believe it or not, as many as 20% of all teens have had depression that’s this severe at some point. The good news is that depression is treatable – most teens get better with the right help.

It’s not hard to see why serious depression and suicide are connected. Serious depression (with both major depression and bipolar illness) involves a long-lasting sad mood that doesn’t let up, and a loss of pleasure in things you once enjoyed. It also involves thoughts about death, negative thoughts about oneself, a sense of worthlessness, a sense of hopelessness that things could get better, low energy, and noticeable changes in appetite or sleep.

Depression also distorts a person’s viewpoint, allowing them to focus only on their failures and disappointments and to exaggerate these negative things. Depressed thinking can convince someone there is nothing to live for. The loss of pleasure that is part of depression can seem like further evidence that there’s nothing good about the present. The hopelessness can make it seem like there will be nothing good in the future; helplessness can make it seem like there’s nothing you can do to change things for the better. And the low energy that is part of depression can make every problem (even small ones) seem like too much to handle.

When major depression lifts because a person gets the proper therapy or treatment, this distorted thinking is cleared and they can find pleasure, energy, and hope again. But while someone is seriously depressed, suicidal thinking is a real concern. When teens are depressed, they often don’t realize that the hopelessness they feel can be relieved and that hurt and despair can be healed.

What Else Puts Teens at Risk for Suicide?

In addition to depression, there are other emotional conditions that can put teens at greater risk for suicide – for example, girls and guys with conduct disorder are at higher risk. This may be partly because teens with conduct disorder have problems with aggression and may be more likely than other teens to act in aggressive or impulsive ways to hurt themselves when they are depressed or under great stress. The fact that many teens with conduct disorder also have depression may partly explain this, too. Having both serious depression and conduct disorder increases a teen’s risk for suicide.

Substance abuse problems also put teens at risk for suicidal thinking and behavior. Alcohol and some drugs have depressive effects on the brain. Misuse of these substances can bring on serious depression, especially in teens prone to depression because of their biology, family history, or other life stressors.

Besides depressive effects, alcohol and drugs alter a person’s judgement. They interfere with the ability to assess risk, make good choices, and think of solutions to problems. Many suicide attempts occur when a teen is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Teens with substance abuse problems often have serious depression or intense life stresses, too, further increasing their risk.

Life Stress and Suicidal Behavior

Let’s face it – being a teen is not easy for anyone. There are many new social, academic, and personal pressures. And for teens who have additional problems to deal with, life can feel even more difficult. Some teens have been physically or sexually abused, have witnessed one parent abusing another at home, or live with lots of arguing and conflict at home. Others witness violence in their neighborhoods. Many teens have parents who divorce, and others may have a parent with a drug or alcohol addiction.

Some teens are struggling with concerns about sexuality and relationships, wondering if their feelings and attractions are normal, if they will be loved and accepted, or if their changing bodies are developing normally. Others struggle with body image and eating problems, finding it impossible to reach a perfect ideal, and therefore having trouble feeling good about themselves. Some teens have learning problems or attention problems that make it hard for them to succeed in school. They may feel disappointed in themselves or feel they are a disappointment to others.

All these things can affect mood and cause some people to feel depressed or to turn to alcohol or drugs for a false sense of soothing. Without the necessary coping skills or support, these social stresses can increase the risk of serious depression and, therefore, of suicidal ideas and behavior. Teens who have had a recent loss or crisis or who had a family member who committed suicide may be especially vulnerable to suicidal thinking and behavior themselves.

Guns and Suicide Risk

Finally, having access to guns is extremely risky for any teen who has any of the other risk factors. Depression, anger, impulsivity, life stress, substance abuse, feelings of alienation or loneliness – all these factors can place a teen at major risk for suicidal thoughts and behavior. Availability of guns along with one or more of these risk factors is a deadly equation. Many teen lives could be saved by making sure those who are at risk don’t have access to guns.

Different Types of Suicidal Behaviors

Teen girls attempt suicide far more often (about nine times more often) than teen guys, but guys are about four times more likely to succeed when they try to kill themselves. This is because teen guys tend to use more deadly methods, like guns or hanging. Girls who try to hurt or kill themselves tend to use overdoses of medications or cutting. More than 60% of teen suicide deaths happen with a gun. But suicide deaths can and do occur with pills and other harmful substances and methods.

Sometimes a depressed person plans a suicide in advance. Many times, though, suicide attempts are not planned in advance, but happen impulsively, in a moment of feeling desperately upset. Sometimes a situation like a breakup, a big fight with a parent, an unintended pregnancy, being harmed by abuse or rape, being outed by someone else, or being victimized in any way can cause a teen to feel desperately upset. In situations such as these, teens may fear humiliation, rejection, social isolation, or some terrible consequence they think they can’t handle. If a terrible situation feels too overwhelming, a teen may feel that there is no way out of the bad feeling or the consequences of the situation. Suicide attempts can occur under conditions like this because, in desperation, some teens – at least for the moment – see no other way out and they impulsively act against themselves.

Sometimes teens who feel or act suicidal mean to die and sometimes they don’t. Sometimes a suicide attempt is a way to express the deep emotional pain they’re feeling in hopes that someone will get the message they are trying to communicate.

Even though a teen who makes a suicide attempt may not actually want or intend to die, it is impossible to know whether an overdose or other harmful action they may take will actually result in death or cause a serious and lasting illness that was never intended. Using a suicide attempt to get someone’s attention or love or to punish someone for hurt they’ve caused is never a good idea. People usually don’t really get the message, and it often backfires on the teen. It’s better to learn other ways to get what you need and deserve from people. There are always people who will value, respect, and love you – sure, sometimes it takes time to find them – but it is important to value, respect, and love yourself, too.

Unfortunately, teens who attempt suicide as an answer to problems tend to try it more than once. Though some depressed teens may first attempt suicide around age 13 or 14, suicide attempts are highest during middle adolescence. Then by about age 17 or 18, the rate of teen suicide attempts lowers dramatically. This may be because with maturity, teens have learned to tolerate sad or upset moods, have learned how to get support they need and deserve, and have developed better coping skills to deal with disappointment or other difficulties.

Depto. Ciencias Forenses, Cat. de Medicina Legal

Facultad de Medicina, U.B.A.

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