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For the love of god, talk to your kids about drugs....

OscarB63

Farts in Elevators
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For the second time, in less than two weeks, I attended the funeral of a young person who died from an overdose. 17 y/o kid. sad and pointless.
 
It is sad and pointless, but the problem goes much deeper than talking to them about drugs. Kids at that age are often confused and feel lonely, in spite of how many people gather around them, or tell them that everything will be okay. It's a cultural problem nowadays, where families often are no longer intact, and kids' minds are getting filled with all kinds of useless crap via entertainment, and they don't understand what is going on inside their minds. Very sad indeed.
 
So many kids are doing so many foolish things. I have met with several groups on this and it is astounding their lack of knowledge of what they are ingesting, inhaling, injecting, and the impact it is having (or even why it makes them 'high'.

We have always found ways to get high and my generation was certainly not slacking in our efforts, but there is just so little thought given to what is being done today.

Talking to kids in general is a pretty good place to start...not just about drugs.
 
In my experience, kids popped pills people were ODing on because they couldn't get pot. In college adderall and pain killer abuse was insane, people offered me up to $50 a pill of my Percocet when I got a pelvic fracture in a car accident.

Talking to kids could help, but perhaps it would be better if we stopped medicating them so much. Especially if said talk consists of mindless unconvincing "Just say no" tripe.
 
what's really sad is that both kids had played on my son's club soccer team. the kid that ODed this week had attended the other kid's funeral last week and knew that he had ODed.
 
We do - often - when the kid's lost their cousin to heart failure from a life time of drug abuse we didn't hide the reasons . . . Drugs kill - it's that simple.
 
what's really sad is that both kids had played on my son's club soccer team. the kid that ODed this week had attended the other kid's funeral last week and knew that he had ODed.

Mind if I ask what he OD'ed on?
 
We do - often - when the kid's lost their cousin to heart failure from a life time of drug abuse we didn't hide the reasons . . . Drugs kill - it's that simple.

I have a cousin that we use as an example. The guy is a couple of years older than me (52-53). He was a freakin genius in HS and got an academic scholarship to study engineering at Auburn University. Fried his brain on LSD and for the last 30 years has had the mental capacity of an 8 y/o. Lives off a disability check in a crappy trailer in his parent's back yard. When his parents die...one of his siblings will be saddled with the responsibility for his care/supervision.
 
In both cases it was prescription pain killers.

People are trying to ease the pain that they feel inside- not in their bodies, but in their minds. It's not uncommon, especially when you're a confused kid. It's a sad world that we are living in, and just saying no is only part of the solution. This is why I hate to see religion (and the religious) constantly being hammered by society at large these days. Religion, or some type of philosophy, contributes to helping people deal with some of the crap that being human brings with it.
 
In my experience, kids popped pills people were ODing on because they couldn't get pot. In college adderall and pain killer abuse was insane, people offered me up to $50 a pill of my Percocet when I got a pelvic fracture in a car accident.

Talking to kids could help, but perhaps it would be better if we stopped medicating them so much. Especially if said talk consists of mindless unconvincing "Just say no" tripe.
My experience is that today kids can get pot easier than they can get cigarettes. I dont know if it is the lack of marijuana but rather the 'trends'. Huffing is still considered 'in', as are pharm parties, spice use, etc.
 
People are trying to ease the pain that they feel inside- not in their bodies, but in their minds. It's not uncommon, especially when you're a confused kid. It's a sad world that we are living in, and just saying no is only part of the solution. This is why I hate to see religion (and the religious) constantly being hammered by society at large these days. Religion, or some type of philosophy, contributes to helping people deal with some of the crap that being human brings with it.
I dont think its out of pain so much as it is out of boredom.
 
I dont think its out of pain so much as it is out of boredom.

That could be a part of it, but remembering back on my youth, when I was trying to alter my state of mind chemically, it was because I found reality to often be painful. I still do, from time to time. These days, I try to alter my state of mind by using my mind, but it's difficult to do.
 
My experience is that today kids can get pot easier than they can get cigarettes. I dont know if it is the lack of marijuana but rather the 'trends'. Huffing is still considered 'in', as are pharm parties, spice use, etc.

Most kids aren't into cigarettes. There isn't a lack of pot anywhere, its just hard to get pot because they don't have money... what they do have are parents who will pay for adderal/pain killer prescriptions. In some states, like Florida, there is no limit to the pain killers they can buy.

That could be a part of it, but remembering back on my youth, when I was trying to alter my state of mind chemically, it was because I found reality to often be painful. I still do, from time to time. These days, I try to alter my state of mind by using my mind, but it's difficult to do.

Ever try yoga?
 
Most kids aren't into cigarettes. There isn't a lack of pot anywhere, its just hard to get pot because they don't have money... what they do have are parents who will pay for adderal/pain killer prescriptions. In some states, like Florida, there is no limit to the pain killers they can buy.



Ever try yoga?

Yes - availability. Prescriptions sit around in small vials, uncounted and unnoticed, easy for the taking. They're also over-prescribed. My husband got pissed when I recycled all of his old pain killers - if it was expired I turned it in. . . it's not safe to have around.

Kids/teens/adults will take drugs for all sorts of reasons - boredom, fun, peer pressure, drowning their perceived anxiety, coping issues, etc etc . . . pick one - its accurate for a large number of people.
 
In both cases it was prescription pain killers.

So by "Drugs" you mean from Heroin to Hay Fever tablets? Or am I just taking it over the top a bit?
Either way, had the parents not noticed what they were doing? maybe a change in behavioural patterns?
 
Most kids aren't into cigarettes. There isn't a lack of pot anywhere, its just hard to get pot because they don't have money... what they do have are parents who will pay for adderal/pain killer prescriptions. In some states, like Florida, there is no limit to the pain killers they can buy
Ever try yoga?
I completely agree with the overmedication problem. Its a hard sell convincing kids drugs are bad when people are handing out drugs like they were PEZ.
 
For the second time, in less than two weeks, I attended the funeral of a young person who died from an overdose. 17 y/o kid. sad and pointless.

I would venture to say it goes deeper than talking about things. How about parents need to just actually be involved in their kids lives?
 
People have been looking to do mind-altering substances since the beginning of time. And the reasons are varied for each individual.
 
what's really sad is that both kids had played on my son's club soccer team. the kid that ODed this week had attended the other kid's funeral last week and knew that he had ODed.

The families must be devastated. I'm so sorry for their loss, and for yours. :(
 
For the second time, in less than two weeks, I attended the funeral of a young person who died from an overdose. 17 y/o kid. sad and pointless.

That stinks and I know your pain. My daughters lost 2 friends in the last 2 months of the school year. Both seniors in high school. The first shot himself in his garage the week of prom, the other fell while horsing around on the green belt and died of head injuries. Losing kids is really awful.

I think the ready availability of prescription drugs of all types is part of the problem, they don't seem "wrong" because why would a doctor give it if it's harmful. Beyond that, I wonder if either of the deaths of these two kiddos was not accidental. Often teenagers are prone to huge mood swings and short sightedness. It's quite unfortunate. I hug my daughters tight every day and tell them often that I love them and try to keep lines of communication as open as possible. I've worked with troubled teens for years and problems like this are often quite complex.
 
Got some more details on the kid who died this weekend. He was driving and had drugs in the car. Cops pulled him over for speeding and he swallowed them to avoid getting caught. For some reason (seems a bit sketchy here since 5-O doesn't usually take you in for speeding) they took him down to the precinct. By the time he felt bad enough to tell anyone it was too late. cops called for an ambulance and he crashed 3 times on the way to the hospital and they could not revive him.

sad and stupid
 
Got some more details on the kid who died this weekend. He was driving and had drugs in the car. Cops pulled him over for speeding and he swallowed them to avoid getting caught. For some reason (seems a bit sketchy here since 5-O doesn't usually take you in for speeding) they took him down to the precinct. By the time he felt bad enough to tell anyone it was too late. cops called for an ambulance and he crashed 3 times on the way to the hospital and they could not revive him.

sad and stupid

Oh my goodness. :( Oscar, I'm so sorry. I know that this has to be bothering you, because it hits so close to home. Go give your son a hug from us. Don't tell him it's from us or he'll think you're lame. Just hug him.

That's just awful. I hate hearing stories like this. :( :(

I'm with Auntie - I don't pull any punches with my kids, about anything. I always let them know about drugs, and what happens. If there's something on the news about someone who does drugs, and they get hurt, or hurt someone, I show them. I think that's the best way - it's almost like "scared straight."
 
what's really sad is that both kids had played on my son's club soccer team. the kid that ODed this week had attended the other kid's funeral last week and knew that he had ODed.

ODed on what? In order for me to determine my over-all position on this case I need to understand what drug(s) were involved. Did they steal mom's prescription? Did they try heroin for the first time and get an infection? Have an allergic reaction to cannibis? What?

"Talking to kids about drugs" seems to mean to most people who bring it up: "Try to explain how BAD they are." We've been doing that for DECADES and they just don't buy it because we LIE! We lie about the effects of drugs a lot to try and scare them straight. Then they experience the drugs, have fun, and stop worrying about what we say about drugs because they don't believe us anymore.

It's like "talk to your kids about sex" always means, "tell them they'll get AIDS, Syphillis, pregnant, never fall in love, face damnation, hairy palms." The kids have sex anyway.

I think a little more honesty about drug use is the order of the day. Discuss drugs that are okay to use, those usually okay but be careful, and those that can really harm you after a period of usage, and THAT kind of conversation might have some impact.
 
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