No child thinks that they will become addicted to drugs while they go through their teenage years. No parent wants to think that their kids might become addicted to something when they reach that age either. In fact, most parents who care about their children see their kids growing up to become decent members of society who will hopefully be happy and successful in their life. The sad truth is that many teenagers do become involved in things they should not, such as drugs. It could be alcohol, it could be a prescription drug or it could be a street drug. What it is does not matter; what does matter is what encourages these kids to start taking such things in their bodies. Some do it because they like the high and they keep taking it because they can't stop, others do it because they are trying to hide from a world they have no control over.
Many teens will often turn to substance abuse because they feel it is the way to deal with the stresses and/or abuse they are suffering at home. It could be both, or just one or the other, but both play a significant role in pushing teens toward substance abuse. The sad part in all this is that in many cases this could have been avoided. It starts with the parents communicating with their child. Parents should be talking to their kids and taking part in educating the child in what is and isn't a good idea. Parents should be encouraging their kids, supporting them and ensuring that if things are going wrong the child knows that their parent is there for them to talk to. A breaking up of a family, such as divorce, can make this communication difficult, but it is up to the parent to try and explain what is happening and help the child to understand that it is not their fault and that they are still loved and supported. Unfortunately, there are many families out there who are not great at communicating with their children and it only gets worse as the children become teenagers. During this age, when the child is going through changes, they could really use the support of their parents, but if the relationship between them and their parents is not healthy and they don't feel they can get the help they need from their parents, they may look to something else that can.
Online therapy can go a long way in helping a family take a moment to look at their situation and the current relationships they have within the family unit. Online counseling can help the parents and the children to calm down, set aside their differences and work on developing a healthier relationship. The online therapist can give advice and suggestions to the family that can help the family in dealing with issues that might be driving a wedge in between the parents and the children. When these issues are dealt with, bonds can be created and trust can eventually be developed. A stronger bond and understanding between the children and their parents will improve the communication between them and hopefully encourage the children to go to their parents for help and support. If further therapy is required for the child, the online counselor can help as well. All this can work to make the family unit healthier and to possibly help avoid the child from making future mistakes that can make their lives extremely difficult.
Medical practitioners commonly acknowledge that substance abuse plays a part in many cases of traumatic brain injury. A victim may have engaged in recreational drug use or alcohol abuse before the injury, the brain injury event may have been caused by intoxication, and problems with substance abuse can arise in victims of traumatic brain injury after they are discharged from medical facilities.
What role does substance abuse play in traumatic brain injury? What can you do if a loved one suffering from traumatic brain injury is also struggling with drug or alcohol abuse?
Who Is At Risk For Traumatic Brain Injury?
Alcohol abuse plays a major role in traumatic brain injury, with many incidents occurring in relation to automobile crashes or heavy equipment used while under the influence. The medical community recognizes that young males are the most likely to suffer from alcohol-related TBI.
These incidents may be isolated, but many fall within a context of broader substance abuse: for example, a longitudinal study at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio has found that nearly 60 percent of their patient sample had prior histories of drug and alcohol abuse.
Those with prior histories of serious substance abuse can have an even harder time while hospitalized than those with no prior history. This is due to the fact that many patients are both recovering from their brain injuries and dealing with the frustrating physical and emotional effects of detoxification.
The presence of drug or alcohol abuse can also complicate diagnoses, as many of the symptoms of overdose (respiratory depression, lethargy, confusion, apathy, and disorientation) are similar to those of traumatic brain injury. Thus, TBI is sometimes overlooked, leading to complications and ongoing symptoms related to insufficient care.
After Discharge: Substance Abuse A Risk For TBI Patients
The struggles with substance abuse do not necessarily end when a traumatic brain injury patient is released from the hospital and discharged to his or her home and community. In fact, they are sometimes just beginning: the difficulty of adjusting to personality changes, emotional upheaval, inability to work, memory and cognitive deficits and other effects of TBI can cause extreme stress and lead a brain-injured patient to indulge in drugs or alcohol to numb the pain.
The brain injury victim may be unable to report his or her own substance abuse problem due to memory problems or speech disorders related to his or her TBI; similarly, they may already exhibit external symptoms some would associate with intoxication and may feel that it doesn't matter if they actually indulge in those substances since their physical symptoms already make them seem as if they do.
What Can Families Do About Substance Abuse and Traumatic Brain Injury?
Families can play a large role in both recognizing and intervening in substance abuse in a traumatic brain injury survivor. Since families usually take on a caretaker role after a brain injured victim is discharged from intensive medical care, they are often the first to recognize that their family member has a substance abuse problem.
Families can help inform health care providers of these issues, encourage their loved one to seek rehabilitation, and refuse to enable the addictive behaviors of a traumatic brain injury victim with a substance abuse problem. They can also provide a supportive atmosphere that is drug-free and oriented towards rehabilitation and high function. However, substance abuse can have an enormous negative impact on family members who suffer emotionally as their loved one slides into dangerous habits.
It is essential that families of traumatic brain injury survivors with associated substance abuse issues seek out their own support, either through a professional counselor or a local Al-Anon group, in order to cope with the ravages of substance abuse.
Some families may wish to hire an experienced brain injury attorney to help them address not only medical care for substance abuse treatment, but the myriad of other issues related to traumatic brain injury. TBI is stressful on families and individuals; a savvy brain injury lawyer can help navigate the system, obtain necessary services, and even seek financial compensation for expenses such as lost wages, future medical care, medication and hospital costs, and pain and suffering.
Both Dr. Jennifer Lagrotte, Dmft & Alan Haburchak are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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