According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol, marijuana and tobacco are the most commonly used substances by adolescents. Half of all new drug users are under the age of 18. While teens may experiment with drugs, this doesn’t necessarily mean they will become addicted. However, teen drug abuse can have long-term cognitive and behavioural effects due to the rapidly developing teenage brain. On this teen-centered episode of the Baby Steps Nutrition Podcast, Argavan speaks with Richard Capriola, a seasoned mental health and addictions counselor for over two decades, having worked with adolescents and adults diagnosed with psychiatric and substance abuse disorders. He is the author of, The Addicted Child: A Parent’s Guide to Adolescent Substance Abuse”. Argavan and Richard speak about what makes the teenage brain susceptible to substance abuse, how the pandemic has impacted teen mental health and how parents and caregivers can identify the symptoms of substance abuse. A must listen for all parents and teens of caregivers!
Mentioned in this Episode:
The Addicted Child- A Parent’s Guide to Substance Abuse
For more on Richard Capriola, you can follow him through his website https://helptheaddictedchild.com/.
For more on Argavan Nilforoush, be sure to follow her on Instagram @babystepsnutrition, on Facebook: Baby Steps Nutrition page, on Twitter @argavanRDN, on LinkedIn @ArgavanNilforoush and through her website www.babystepsnutrition.com.