CITIZENS RALLYING FOR CHANGE ON ALCOHOL

 Top 5 Reasons Teens Use Drugs During Transitions

•  To combat loneliness, low self-esteem, anxiety, or depression
•  To mentally "check out" of family issues or school trouble
•  To ease discomfort in an unfamiliar situation
•  To look cool or change their image/reputation
•  To fit in with a desired group of friends

Information taken from the timetotalk.org website 

They say that "the only thing permanent in life is change," and that may very well be true. But just because change is natural, that doesn’t make it any easier – especially for teens.

Studies show that adolescents who haven’t tried drugs or alcohol are more likely to start during times of transition in order to cope with stress.

But don’t worry – while change is a part of life, risky behavior, like drug and alcohol use, doesn’t have to be. The timetotalk.org guide has everything you need to know to help keep your child healthy – and even happy! – during transition periods.

Even life events that are typical and expected – starting puberty or moving up a grade – may feel like a big deal to your tween or teen. By knowing what transitions usually affect kids the most and why, it will be easier for you to recognize the situations that can be emotionally tough for your child.

THE TRANSITION:

Your child has moved from grade school to middle school or from middle school to high school.

WHY IT’S TOUGH:

Your child has just gone from being a big fish in a little pond to a little fish in a big pond. "Cool" older kids can be intimidating and may even purposely try to make younger students feel unwelcome (elevator pass, anyone?).

Freshmen boys tend to have a particularly hard time with this transition because the girls in their grade want to date juniors and seniors – and they ignore all the boys their own age.

THE TRANSITION:

Your family has just relocated to a different town.

WHY IT’S TOUGH:

Being the new kid in school is hard! Your teen is probably worried about meeting new people and making friends in this unfamiliar environment. Plus, kids often target a group or clique that they want to become friendly with – but they may feel unwelcome or unsure how to fit in.

THE TRANSITION:

Your child is going through puberty.

WHY IT’S TOUGH:

Puberty is natural, but it sure doesn’t feel that way to a kid going through it. Your child is experiencing major physical and hormonal changes, and she’s probably uncomfortable with or embarrassed by her body. Also, even though puberty is normal, almost all kids feel at some point that they’re abnormal – and they’re too afraid to ask whether something’s actually wrong.

THE TRANSITION:

Your tween or teen had a boyfriend or girlfriend at school – but not anymore.

WHY IT’S TOUGH:

You may have shrugged it off as puppy love, but in adolescence, having a significant other is everything. Middle schoolers and high schoolers judge themselves by how others view them, so when a relationship ends, it feels like the ultimate rejection. To make matters worse, break-ups in school are usually accompanied by a fall in popularity and maybe even nasty rumors.

THE TRANSITION:

A big event, such as death, divorce or remarriage, has happened in your immediate family.

WHY IT’S TOUGH

When the whole family dynamic changes, your kid may be the one who’s forced to adjust the most. He’s being introduced to new living arrangements, rules, spending habits and/or people. And if your teen has just lost a parent -- both death and divorce can create feelings of loss for kids -- he’s probably having a very hard time coping.