My Children ~ Our Journey ~ Awareness

Substance Abuse is affecting our kids!

I know this article will probably be dismissed by many, but it means a lot to me and others who feel shame and guilt about not seeing the signs.

AWARENESS is the key!

Today, I discovered that one of my niece's friends died of an overdose. She got involved with the wrong crowd of kids; started vaping, using alcohol, and smoking marijuana, which led to heroin. She was clean for a little bit and then went out and used again, which ended her life at age 19. This happens way too often.

Here are some stats about: Substance Abuse Among Youth

Early drug abuse corelates with substance abuse problems later in life, and the most significant increases in destructive behavior appear to take place among older teens and young adults.

• 2.08 million or 8.33% of 12- to 17-year-olds nationwide report using drugs in the last month.
• Among them, 83.88% report using marijuana in the last month.
• 591,000 teenagers aged 12- to 17-years-old used an illicit drug other than marijuana in the last month.
• 8.7% of 8th?graders have used illicit drugs in the last month.
• 21.3% of 8th?graders have tried illicit drugs at least once.
• By the time they’re in 12th?grade, 46.6% of teens have tried illicit drugs.
• 11.89 million 18- to 25-year-olds used drugs in the last month.
• 4,777 Americans aged 15 to 24 years old died of an overdose of illicit drugs in one year.
• 11.2% of overdose deaths are aged 15 to 24 years.

Ways to combat the situation:

• AWARENESS!
• How to address underage drinking with our kids: LINK
• Helpful Resources: LINK

My Journey Discovering I am a CODENDANT:

I grew up in a family where I never saw it or understood the signs. I was sheltered. Fast forward to my early 40's, I discovered 300 oxycontin in a plastic bag in my husband's briefcase. It had been going on for years, and I had no idea. I think there were loads of challenges and pressures that my ex didn't know how to deal with. He also had a skiing accident. This all led to a significant substance abuse issue. I left the marriage with my two children, a dog, and two cats. We lost everything: house, cars, credit, and a multi-million dollar Design/Development company, operated in the South East.

I discovered Faces and Voices of Recovery (FACES) Upstate, family recovery meetings. They had a children's education series at the time. I got my two children involved. Substance abuse can be hereditary. Another fact I learned is to try and delay a young person from using mood-altering substances until age 25 (the brain fully develops).

In all of this, I discovered I am a codependent. I needed to learn to set healthy boundaries in all areas of my life. I consider this a tremendous blessing.

When I started attending FAVOR Upstate Family meetings, it brought me hope. Because I could hear others' stories of recovery (individuals and families). I felt a sense of belonging and a place where I had friends that could relate to what I was going through. I found a place where I could #giveback as a family recovery coach. I made lifelong friends. I found a way to heal.

This problem isn't just affecting adults, it is affecting more and more of our children. The key to reducing exposure is AWARENESS. This is why I am sharing this article. No, it isn't about my professional life, BUT it can be associated with our professional lives.

Here's how:

• Individuals are suffering!
• It impacts our workforce shortage issues.
• Families suffer: stresses it causes a family is real and significant.
• It hurts our economy.
• Companies fail because of it.

We can combat this by bringing awareness to our children at an early age. It is real, and it doesn't matter who you are!

There are loads of people on LinkedIn that talk about #recovery and other topics surrounding it. Look them up and follow them to learn more. Or reach out to your local recovery community or FAVOR Upstate. Any of them will put you in touch with the best resources for your immediate needs. Another book that helped me tremendously is "Codependent No More" by Melody Beattie and Boundaries book I mentioned above. I created an article because I want it to live on my LinkedIn page.

Big hugs,

Angela

#substanceabuse #youthsubstanceabuse #familyrecovery #codependency #recoveryispossible #recovery #awareness #giveback #impactingoursociety