Teen Steroid Abuse

Professional athletes and Olympians aren’t the only ones juicing up. Performance-enhancing drug abuse by teenagers is an area that is often overlooked. Junior high and high school athletes often feel intense pressure to perform well from the stresses of trying to obtain athletic scholarships, coach, parental and peer pressure, and unhealthy body images. As junior high and high school has become more and more competitive, the demands of scholastic and athletic success can lead teens to look to drugs to gain a competitive edge, as mentioned earlier this week in regards to stimulants. Sometimes teens look to performance enhancing drugs such as Creatine, Anabolic Steroids, and Steroid Precursors such as DHEA. Creatine is an over-the-counter supplement used to increase muscle mass and strength. Side effects include muscle cramps, nausea, and high doses can severely damage the kidneys. Anabolic steroids are synthetic testosterone that can increase strength and muscle mass, but also can halt bone growth resulting in a short stature for still-growing adolescents. Most steroid precursors are illegal without a prescription, but DHEA can still be bought in over-the-counter supplements, says the Mayo Health Clinic. Side effects are similar to those of steroids. Dependence on these substances can have devastating effects. Signs of performance-enhancing drug abuse in your son may include increased acne and male pattern baldness. Girls who take these drugs may develop a deeper voice and dark facial hair. Teens abusing these drugs may have increased moodiness or fits of “’roid rage”.

Since this is an area often left out of the discussion about the dangers of drug use and few people suspect teens of such abuse, increased discussion is imperative. Talk to your teen about the dangers of performance-enhancing drug abuse, and encourage an ethical attitude and the importance of fair play. Set rules, such as taking away their sports privileges if drugs are taken, and make sure they understand the dangers and consequences of drug abuse. Monitor your teen’s purchases, checking for potentially harmful ingredients, and make sure your child’s coach knows that performance-enhancing drug abuse will not be tolerated. Communication with your teen is essential- even if they act like they know everything. Let them know you support them regardless of their athletic ability. Teens often perceive pressure from parents and coaches and put undue amounts of pressure on themselves. Check in with your teen about the demands of their schedule. If it seems to be too much, work with them to make life more manageable. Athletics can be a fulfilling part of high school life, but if they are negatively affecting other parts of your teen’s life, it may be time to reassess their importance. Having your child playing for the [insert favorite college team here] may be great, but not if it kills them in the process. If you do suspect that your teen is abusing performance-enhancing drugs, don’t hesitate to contact us. Performance-enhancing drug abuse is a serious issue with serious consequences. Regardless of the substance, teen drug abuse deserves serious attention, and we are here to help.

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Positive Peer Pressure (PPP)

Positive Peer Pressure (PPP)

Believe it or not the concept exists! I hear it every once a while and I’m always pleasantly surprised. What is positive peer pressure? It’s when kids encourage their peers to do the right thing instead of the wrong thing. As a teacher, I especially like to see it happen because kids will often listen to other kids before they will listen to an adult. Adults can come across as stuffy authority figures, far removed from what it’s like to be a teenager. The key to effective PPP is in the delivery. Peers need to get the message across without sounding condescending. So often they may mean well, but their message is lost in their tone. Just today I heard a few of my students encouraging another student to refrain from disruptive behavior. So often, society is quick to point out negative peer pressure that we fail to recognize PPP. Ask yourself this question: Are my friends enabling my self-destructive behavior, or do they have the guts to call me out? Do you have the courage to confront your friends when they are messing up their life? What if you don’t say anything and you later find out that they were seriously hurt or died because you failed to act? No one needs that kind of guilt on their conscience. One thing I have learned from teaching kids is that positivity can be just as contagious as negativity if you give it a chance.

Peer Pressure

Peer Pressure
Why can't I do it? Everybody else is doing it. This sounds so familiar to me, I hear this all the time from the families and adolescence I work with. I really try hard not to fall into the trap and respond with, “if they were jumping off a cliff would you do it?" I hated that response growing up. So as teachers, what can we do instead?
One way I think that would help is to have open honest non-judgmental communication. When a child ask or wants to be a part of something dangerous we can explain the dangers. Also, we can use I feel statements to explain how we feel about them doing that particular activity. Another example would be to explain the pressures we felt in similar situations growing up and how we handled it. This would help them not feel so alone and that we as adults are not that different. We could always relate how we handle social pressures by our peers. In doing this they will hopefully make the right choice. In doing so they may gain a stronger sense of self.

Brian Wildason