ANTI-DRUG UPDATE – March 6, 2009
Prevent Teens from Engaging in Risky Behaviors as a Means of Coping with Stress
Resources to Help Parents Deal with Teen Stress Now Available Online
Even under the best of circumstances, teens in your communities struggle with a great deal of stress in their lives – from school to money to peer pressure. Yet many teens lack appropriate coping mechanisms. Without the proper guidance from a parent or other trusted adult, they may turn to risky and unhealthy behaviors, such as drug use and drinking. A recent survey shows that 43 percent of 13- to 14-year-olds say they feel stressed every single day. By ages 15 to 17, the number rises to 59 percent. And nearly two-thirds of teens say that they are “somewhat” or “very concerned” about their personal finances, with girls reporting feeling “frequently stressed” more often than boys.
As research has proven time and again, parents are the greatest influences in their children’s lives. During tough times, it is critical that you remind parents in your community about the need to build communication, and trust, with their teens. Valuable information and a new expert column are now available on the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign’s parent website, www.TheAntiDrug.com, atwww.TheAntiDrug.com/Advice/Safeguarding-and-Monitoring/Monitoring-Skills/Managing-Teen-Stress.aspx andhttp://www.TheAntiDrug.com/Advice/Expert-Advice/General-Parenting/Stressed-Out.aspx.
In addition to the new online content, you’ll find many other FREE resources and print materials for parents. You may order the following by visiting www.TheAntiDrug.com/Resources/ or calling 1-800-788-2800 to place bulk orders free of charge:
Navigating the Teen Years: A Parent’s Handbook for Raising Healthy Teens, endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, is packed with useful tips and expert advice on how parents can tune into their teens, set rules and expectations, and monitor them through their adolescent years. [PHD1127]
The Teen Years: A Roadmap for Parents is an interactive CD-ROM that provides in-depth information about how your teen is developing throughout adolescence and offers expert advice for parents on how to best guide their teen through this transitional time. [AVD228]
Keeping Your Teens Drug-Free: A Family Guide specifically addresses the importance of family as a drug deterrent and notes simple techniques that even busy parents can use to help prevent drug use. [PHD1114] Versions specifically written for African-American [PHD1116] and Hispanic [PHD1115] parents are also available.
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ANTI-DRUG UPDATE (formerly Media Campaign FLASH) is your source for the latest news on the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. Feel free to forward this information to your community partners and announce this information on your website or in your organizational newsletter. Sign up for the ANTI-DRUG UPDATE here:http://www.TheAntiDrug.com/Resources/Form.aspx. Free materials from the media campaign are available to distribute in your community by visiting www.TheAntiDrug.com/Resources or calling 800-788-2800.
ABOUT THE MEDIA CAMPAIGN: Since its inception in 1998, the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign has been authorized by Congress to reduce and prevent teen drug use. For more information on the ONDCP National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, visit www.MediaCampaign.org.