If your child is one of the millions of people struggling with substance use/abuse, you may feel dejected, confused, and unsure where to look for help. No matter how old a parent’s kids are, discovering that your child may or does have an addiction problem can be an unpleasant, rude awakening. Parents of addicts, often blame themselves for the development of the substance use disorder. For teenagers and adolescents struggling with use/addiction, the problem can be perceived as being potentially more dangerous, with the child not evenly fully mature to understand the negative consequences of their life moving forward. This is a critical time for use/addiction to be stopped before its clutch is too strong.

  • Nine out of 10 Americans who meet the criteria for addiction began smoking, drinking or using other drugs before age 18 1
  • 75 percent of all high school students have used an addictive substance. One in five of those students meet the criteria for addiction. 2
  • 46 percent of all high school students currently use an addictive substance, with 33 percent of them meeting the criteria for addiction. 3
  • 10 percent of all youth aged 12 to 17 are current illicit drug users. 4
  • An estimated 6 percent of 16- and 17-year-olds and 17 percent of 18- to 20-year-olds reported driving under the influence of alcohol within the last year. 5

It’s rare that the impact of addiction is limited solely to the addict. Everyone around him or her is affected in some way. Frequently, the people who spend the most time around the user/addict are family and friends – these are the people who are likely to be most impacted by drug and or alcohol use/abuse.  Consequently, this is why addiction recovery is most successful when friends and family members closest to the user/addict are involved. Since addiction damages the whole family, addiction recovery needs to heal the whole family. This is where Gobi can help.

Citation links:

1. https://www.centeronaddiction.org/newsroom/press-releases/national-study-reveals-teen-substance-use-america%E2%80%99s-1-public-health-problem

2. https://www.everydayhealth.com/kids-health-pictures/13-sobering-facts-about-teen-substance-abuse.aspx#high-school-drug-users-are-becoming-addicts

3. https://www.campussafetymagazine.com/news/study-1-in-4-americans-who-started-using-substances-before-age-18-are-addic/

4. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-trends

5. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/underage-drinking