Pubdate: Wed, 23 Apr 2003
Source: Dispatch, The (NC)
Copyright: 2003, The Lexington Dispatch
Contact:  http://www.the-dispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1583
Author: RACHEL LEONARD

TEEN DRUG USE IS PROBLEM, SPEAKER SAYS

LeRoy Glenn is not an unfamiliar face to many of Davidson Countyīs 
teenagers. Glenn, a substance abuse counselor at the mental health center 
and speaker at Tuesday nightīs talk on drug abuse at Lexington Memorial 
Hospital, knows firsthand the problems local adolescents face - and the 
drugs that many of them turn to to cope with those problems.

"There are a lot of kids in this area using drugs," he told his audience of 
about 20 health care and social work professionals. "A lot of kids."

The talk, which focused on signs and symptoms of adolescent drug abuse, was 
held as part of Aprilīs designation as Child Abuse Neglect and Prevention 
Month. It was sponsored by the hospital and the SAY NO Task Force of 
Davidson County.

In his 25 years of experience in substance abuse counseling, Glenn said 
heīs known only one reason why teenagers use drugs.

"Kids use drugs for one reason and one reason only: to feel good," he said. 
"Drugs make you feel good. They'll tell you that everyday."

What varies is why teenagers feel bad in the first place, he said. Some are 
dealing with guilt, others with hurt or family problems, and still other 
children use drugs to cope with boredom.

But teens who get involved in drugs donīt realize the dangers that they 
could be facing, Glenn said. "The kids feel that they are Teflon and 
nothing is going to happen to them."

Glenn has compiled a list of signs of drug use from information given to 
him from the teens he works with. Items associated with drug use like blunt 
wrappers, needles, razor blades, bent paper clips, cut straws and scratched 
mirrors are often telltale signs of substance abuse. Other indicators 
include having too much or too little money, having friends who use drugs 
or talking about drugs.

But other common symptoms of drug problems in teens - such as mood swings, 
loss of interest in school and hobbies, personality changes and 
concentration problems - could also be signs of behavioral disorders or 
teenage growing pains, he said.

Unfortunately, Glenn said, many teens have told him one way for parents to 
know if their children are using drugs is to check their own stash of drugs 
and alcohol for missing substances.

The best strategy for parents to prevent and deal with teenage drug use is 
to hold children accountable and to parent with authority, Glenn said. 
"Donīt be a best buddy to your child. Be a parent."

Parents should feel free to enter a childīs room, to know where their child 
goes and to know who the childīs friends are, he said. Parents who suspect 
or should suspect that their child is using drugs also need to avoid the 
trap of denial, Glenn said as he told the story of one teenage girl who 
came to his office and told him which drugs she was using.

"She was a master pharmacist," Glenn said. But when he informed the girlīs 
father of the severity of the situation, the father said only, "Not my 
child." The father told Glenn that his daughter did not need treatment.

But on top of keeping an eye out for possible drug use among teens, parents 
also need to treat their children with understanding, he said. Get children 
to discuss their future goals and motivate them to reach those goals. Treat 
them with respect. Learn to let go as they mature. Hug them.

"Anytime you tell a kid `Do something,ī of course theyīre going to rebel," 
Glenn reminded the audience. "Thatīs their nature. Thatīs what we did when 
we were growing up."

One audience member, Denise Mitchell, of Davidson County Social Services, 
said she learned a great deal from Glennīs real stories about children heīs 
worked with. "It wasnīt just that general textbook stuff," she said.

Michele Garkusha, who works with teenagers at Family Services of Davidson 
County, said she found the talk enlightening. "I think itīs just important 
to be as informed as possible of whatīs out there," she said.

It still takes a village to raise a child, Glenn reminded the audience.

"I think itīs important that we as a community get together and work toward 
a drug-free community," he said. "I think itīs time for us to really start 
taking a look at our kids and making sure itīs not getting out of hand."
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