There are several myths about drugs and alcohol that can play a role in leading people down a dangerous road to addiction. In the age of internet media outlets, such as Facebook, many Americans now get the majority of their information from sources that are not always accurate. It can be easy to form opinions about behaviors and issues that will dictate certain choices, based off of inaccurate information. We are all susceptible to misinformation, which is why it is vital that serious efforts are made to present truthful pictures of substance use and abuse, especially when it comes to teenagers and young adults.
Teenagers are often led to believe by their friends or certain media outlets that certain drugs may be safe to use. Misconceptions that can be a slippery slope to years of heartache (or worse) later in life. With that in mind, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) launched the National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week ® (NDAFW) in 2010; with the hope of making teens and young adults more informed about mind altering substances. The hope is that NDAFW will counter the myths about drugs and alcohol young people receive from the:
- Internet
- Social Media
- Television
- Movies
- Music
- Friends
National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week
This week, January 23rd through January 29th, NIDA and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) have helped organize events across the country, pairing experts with high school students. Such events give teens an opportunity to ask questions about drug and alcohol use and abuse, learning how such substances affect the brain, body, and behaviors.
When young people have the facts, they are more informed and may be less likely to experiment with mind altering substances. Teenage substance use is not rare, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). When looking at past month drug use among high school seniors: over 5 percent misuse prescription drugs, more than 20 percent use marijuana and 35 percent use alcohol.
Shatter the Myths
NIDA and the NIAAA offer a number of resources to help better inform young people during their Shatter the Myths ® of drugs and alcohol campaign. Including:
- National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge quiz.
- Drugs: SHATTER THE MYTHS booklet.
- Toolkits, in both English and Spanish, for hosting your own NDAFW event.
Please take a moment to watch a short video on the subject:
If you are having trouble watching, please click here.
Hemet Valley Recovery Center and Sage Retreat offers a Young Adult Addiction Treatment Program. Our team of experts realize clients in their late teens and early twenties are often unaware the use of alcohol and drugs during the developmental years can inhibit the necessary skills and abilities necessary to manage emotions, communicate thoughts and feelings, and problem-solve effectively. Continued use can ultimately frustrate efforts to build healthy relationships and develop realistic goals for a productive future by a related cycle of poor choices, impulsivity, and destructive behaviors. You can call us at 866-273-0868 for a confidential assessment.