Teen Issues: Addiction

Most people think of drug and alcohol addiction as a bad habit or a form of weakness but according to Teen Health and Wellness addiction should be thought of as having a chronic disease or illness such as adult diabetes or high blood pressure.  Are you at risk? Dr. David Sak has put together a list of high risk factors that you should know. There is also another type of addiction called cross addiction that replaces one addiction for another as described in this cross addiction article on Teen Health and Wellness  If you are facing an addiction please seek help from our social workers and counseling staff. WEGO is a community of teachers and support staff willing to help you.

Health Guru on this You Tube video offers some helpful suggestions for parents to get involved and teen information about addiction and its relationship to self esteem.

From Our Library Shelves: Here are three well written books about drug addiction from very different points of view

Augusta Gone by Martha Dudman (Written by a mother about her addicted daughter)

Tweak: by Nic Shelf (Author writes about his addiction to methamphetamines)

Crank by Ellen Hopkins (Fictional story that reads true about addiction to cocaine)



Today's post is the last in a series on Teen Issues. If you would like to see Teen Issues or another Teen Series return next fall let us know by posting your comments below.