Adolescent substance use is a multifaceted public health issue that poses significant challenges to clinicians, including physicians and counselors. The complexity of this issue is heightened by the developmental stage of adolescence, a period characterized by experimentation, identity formation, and risk-taking behaviors. The Transtheoretical Model (TTM), also known as the Stages of Change model, provides […]
Category Archives: Substance Abuse
Motivational Interviewing in Adolescent Substance Use: A Review for PCPs and Counselors 9/11/24
Adolescent substance use is a pervasive issue, with significant implications for public health. Adolescence, a critical period of development, is marked by experimentation and risk-taking, often manifesting in the initiation of substance use. The importance of early intervention in this population cannot be overstated, given the potential for substance use disorders (SUDs) to disrupt healthy […]
Why Do Teens Use Substances? An Overview 7/16/24
This is a first in a series of upcoming newsletters on substance use in youth. Substance use among teenagers remains a pervasive and multifaceted issue, eliciting concern from healthcare professionals, educators, and parents alike. Adolescence, a period marked by rapid physiological, psychological, and social changes, is often associated with experimentation and changes in behavior and […]
4 Traits That Put Kids at Risk for Addiction 4/6/23
The looming question of “What can we do to curb the addiction crisis facing our youth?” has remained unanswered because there is no single way to reduce the drug and alcohol epidemic in our society. Traditional anti-drug education in schools that focuses on scare tactics and the message “Just Say No”, has been found to be […]
Opioid Use Disorders: The Current Epidemic (Part 1) 8/2/2018
The opioid epidemic has become a national emergency. Opioid related deaths have increased ~300% from 2001 to 2016. It is known that overdoses are a leading cause of accidental death in the United States, and the number has been increasing yearly from 2002 to present time. Drug overdoses cause more deaths than car accidents and […]
CBD Oil: What Do We Know? 4/5/2018
Particularly with legalization of marijuana and increasing use of medical marijuana, a buzz has developed about CBD oil and many patients are asking their primary care providers about using it for various medical conditions. It can be challenging to know how to answer many of the questions, but it helps to be as up-to-date as […]
Primer on the Opioid Epidemic 12/21/2017
The opioid epidemic is all over the news, and has become both a national political football and a health care crisis. It might be worthwhile to look at some of the factors that got us here. The opioid epidemic has become a national emergency because of multiple factors: deaths related to overdose, lost employment, harm […]