Get Out of Denial, America

Have you ever heard a teenager talk about an alcoholic parent and the resultant chaos of their family life? Their self-blame? Their fears and how they fuel enormous amounts of anger, rage and driven to act out because it feels like nobody cares?

I have, in abundance; likely, over 20,000 such teenagers over the past 20 years. And yet, when I heard some teenagers share again this past weekend about the insanity of their parents who drink or react to the drinking spouse, of the verbal and physical abuse, the enormous amount of neglect, the depth of their grief and loss – it hit me in the heart and in the gut, just like it always does.

What’s up with a society that doesn’t acknowledge the emotional damage done to children of alcoholics and addicts? Where are the compassion, honesty and civilized discourse about the family impact of the disease of alcoholism and addiction – especially on the children and the desperate acting-out of teens?

American society is in a thick cloud of denial and ignorance fueled by corporate entities and gang-organizations that make millions if not billions promoting and selling alcohol, legal and illegal drugs to deal with the emotions and the stress in people’s lives. The profiteers do not want to reduce the dependence nor soothe the emotional wounds of the next generation. The more troubled and filled with pain and angst teens and young adults are, the greater consumer of mind-altering substances they become.

In this time of economic crisis, school funding for alcohol and drug abuse counselors is being axed, considered a luxury. Teens dependent on alcohol and drugs to cope with emotional trauma are not about to be academic achievers. And yet, addressing the emotional wounds and the misguided methods of coping are luxury items?

Sorry, but that’s not acceptable humanity in my world view. If youth are the most important resource on the planet as educators and administrators claim, then address their total needs, especially when the stats currently say that 1 in 4 children are living in a home where there is alcoholism or drug abuse. It is time to take alcoholism and drug addiction out of the closet of shame and into the discussion of active, committed prevention, intervention and treatment.

2010 News of Hope Newsletter

January, 2010 - http://www.legacyofhope.com/Jan_2010.htm
* Grant Money Available for Public-Health Conferences
* Excellent Information Resources You May Not Be Aware Of
* The Debate over Legalizing Marijuana is hot and heavy - New Information for to consider:
Article 1: Daily Marijuana Use Could Cause Permanent Brain Damage
Article 2: Should California Legalize Marijuana?
* Organizations Pushing Back Against Drugs

February, 2010 - http://www.legacyofhope.com/Feb_2010.htm
* One In Ten Jobless Young People Driven To Drugs Or Alcohol
* U.S. Teens VS European Teens on Alcohol, Tobacco Use
* WEBINAR FOR EDUCATORS: Drugs, Abuse, & At-Risk Students: Do's & Don'ts for Helping
Your Students
* One in Four Girls Aged 12-17 Involved in Serious Fights or Attacks in Past Year
* FREE ON-DEMAND WEBCAST - The Brain On Drugs
* Legacy of Hope® - Evidence-Based motivational school assemblies - Impact and Efficacy of
the program Evidence of the Efficacy of the LEGACY OF HOPE® Program

March, 2010 - http://www.legacyofhope.com/Mar_2010.htm
* Believe that PARENT influence is CRUCIAL - Curb alarming rise in use levels
* Believe you CAN: Get a Grant! LEGACY OF HOPE IS evidence-based
* Believe in Helping: Many U.S. Kids Have Addicted Parents
* Believe in Change: DSM-V to include Addictive Disease Classifications
* Believe you CAN: Relieve the stress, Be happy!
* Believe there is Hope: Websites for Therapeutic Schools and Boot Camps

April, 2010 - http://www.legacyofhope.com/Apr_2010.htm
* ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH:
* Help Save a Friend's Life
* Socializing with Heavy Drinkers Increases Alcohol Consumption
* New Research Finds Link Between Drug Abuse and Obesity
* Healthcare Reform Law Gives Big Boost to Addiction Treatment and Prevention

May, 2010 - http://www.legacyofhope.com/May_2010.htm
* Colleges Confront Misuse of Prescription Drugs
* Awash in Synthetic Drugs
* Poisoning by Prescription Drugs on the Rise
* NIH Podcast Shines Light on Prescription Drug Abuse in Women

June, 2010 - http://www.legacyofhope.com/June_2010.htm
* Countries Agree to Fight the Harmful Use of Alcohol with Global Strategy
* Kerlikowske Says Drug War Has 'Not Been Successful' - What do you think?
* More Teens start Smoking Marijuana in June and July ---
* How Teens can Handle Feelings and Gossip - full article on Susie's Blog
* How One community Successfully and Significantly Reduced Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse
*Is it TIME for Stress Management?

July, 2010 - http://www.legacyofhope.com/July_2010.htm
* Dentists May Be First to Detect Methamphetimine Use
* College Students Today are Less Empathetic Today
* Prescription Drug Use has Gone Sky High - DON'T NEGLECT PREVENTION
* Hooked on Hookah: More Carcinogenic than Cigarettes?