“Not my child.”

“He was only smoking weed.”

“It started with his wisdom teeth being removed and pain meds.”

“It was a sports injury and the pain meds helped.”

“It was only pot.”

“It’s not my teen.”

If you missed Heroin in the Heartland on 60 Minutes, take fifteen minutes to watch it.

These are not your typical stereotype junkies many parents imagine an addict to be, these could be your child. These are good kids making some very risky and deadly decisions.

I have been speaking to parents since 2001 and two of the biggest misconceptions that parents have is exactly what this segment shared:

1. It’s not my teen/child.
2. It’s only weed.

Hannah Morris on 60 Minutes said the following, while she was 15 years-old:

“It started with weed and it was fun, and I got to good weed . Went to– oh my gosh, I went to pills, and it was still fun. You know, Percocet, Xanax, Vicodin, all that kinda stuff. And then yeah, heroin. I started smoking it at first.”

Both of Hannah’s parents are professionals and live in an upper middle-class area.  Hannah has been clean for a year and now attending college.

Don’t be a parent in denial.

Okay, marijuana is legal now, but get educated on it. It still has risk for youth and their brain cells – and more importantly when teens are buying it from dealers, it could be potentially laced with heroin. ABC 20/20 shared a segment on this a few years back – The New Faces of Heroin Users.

It’s basic economics, the dealers are going where the money is. – 60 Minutes

Parents need to learn more about heroin. They need to stop believing that it won’t or can’t happen to them. Heroin is deadly. Start talking about it – and don’t think of it as a stigma, but rather being proactive.  Start chatting about the 60 Minute segment. How do you feel about all the pain meds or the fact some parents flippantly say – it’s only marijuana?  This is not your parent’s weed.  This is your teenager’s life.

Read: 5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens.

Read: Goals of Behavior Modification Programs for Teens.

Read: Why Residential Therapy Works.

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If you are struggling with your teenager and have exhausted your local resources, learn more about how residential treatment can help your teen make better choices. Contact us today for  a free consultation.

The post How Good Teens Can Get Hooked On Heroin first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Not my teen, it’s only marijuana.  It’s only prescription drugs.  It’s only….

That’s the way it usually starts.  One of the biggest misconceptions of heroin addicts, especially with teens and young people is that they are from bad neighborhoods, possibly homeless, and typically don’t have families that care for them.

According to the latest studies, heroin use is reaching epidemic proportions, moving away from the inner-city and into the suburbs, bringing along its deadly consequences.

Parents can sometimes be late to the game when they finally wake-up to admitting their child has a problem.  Heroin addiction is deadly.  Heroin addiction is growing and heroin is becoming more and more available to your  teenagers.  It’s cheaper, not only financially – but a cheap high too.

Drug use and abuse is not what it was when you were in school or in college.  If you continue to tell yourself that, it’s a mistake that you may regret.  This is not about creating fear into parents, but it’s about educating you.  Dealers on the street don’t want you to understand this – however knowing what is going to be available to your teen can help you talk to them about the risks and how things have changed since the 60’s and 70’s.

So what do they consider the gateway to heroin?

According to Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, nearly half of young people who inject heroin surveyed in three recent studies reported abusing prescription opioids before starting to use heroin. Some individuals reported taking up heroin because it is cheaper and easier to obtain than prescription opioids.

In March 2015 another study was released revealing the death rate related to heroin overdose among young white men  (as young as 18 years old) was the highest in the Midwest.

Back in 2010 ABC News 20/20 ran a series on The New Faces of Heroin (watch the 8 minute part-one segment below).  It was extremely compelling.  If you believe that it can’t happen in your family, think again.  No one is immune.  Drug dealers don’t discriminate.  As a matter of fact, your teen may be the perfect catch for them.  Social media has added a new platform for them to connect with your child.  Don’t make the mistake that your teen would never do that.  It only takes one bad day, one bad break-up, or maybe they are being harassed and you don’t know about it.

Take the time to have those conversations.  You never know when you are potentially saving your child from making the biggest mistake of their lives.

Read: 5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens.

Read: Goals of Behavior Modification Programs for Teens.

Read: Why Residential Therapy Works.

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Since 2001 we’ve been helping parents find the right therapeutic boarding schools for their troubled teens. Contact us for a free consultation.

The post Heroin: What Parents Don’t Talk About first appeared on Help Your Teens.