In Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Our Staff Makes The Difference

Here at Visions Teen, We know that adolescent substance abusers differ from adults in many ways. Teen drug and alcohol use often stems from different causes, and they have even more trouble projecting the consequences of their use into the future. In teen addiction treatment, these adolescents must be approached differently than adults because of their unique developmental issues, differences in teen values and teen belief systems, and environmental considerations (e.g., strong peer influences). The use of substances may also compromise an adolescent's mental and emotional development from youth to adulthood because substance use interferes with how people approach and experience interactions we understand, and are ready to help.

Serving Your Head on a Silver Platter

As a kid my parents talked to me about drugs, sex and their expectations regarding these matters. It went something like this, "If I ever catch you doing ____ I will serve your head on a silver platter. The image of my head on a silver platter was firmly set in my mind. The list of what I should not do was quite clear.

As a parent I have a similar and growing list of what I do not want my kids involved in. Today's dangers can seem far more threatening, the losses far more serious and sometimes very permanent and even more tragic. When I read the news I am terrified by stories of children with household inhalants, the internet's myspace pages and sexual predators, school shootings, prescription drug abuse, cough syrup abuse, date rape drugs, sorting out the potential threats to your children is downright frightening.

Add on to this the firsthand experience seeing a number of the brightest minds of my generation lost to addiction, death or more subtle still, the individuals stifled by recreational drug use slowly eroding their potential, stealing their ambition and drive, and ultimately undermining their character development therefore weakening them for the challenges life naturally brings.

My desire for my children to be free from these dangers only grows.

• How do we protect them?


• How to we let them know how important is it for them to stay safe from these dangers?


• How do we tell them that listening to us on this subject is so very important?


• How do we warn them that ONE foolish decision, that only takes a moment to make, can affect them for the rest of their lives?


• How do we alert them to a world with these dangers without instilling unnecessary fear?

As much as I distinctly remember the "silver platter threat" I also remember thinking, "Geez I can't do this, I can't go there, I can't stay out with my friends ... what do I get to do!"

In retrospect, I wonder if my parents had discussed topics such as drug use and sex in terms of what they wanted for me, instead of in terms of fear and what they didn't want for me?

Instead of saying: "If you are caught doing drugs I will serve your head on a silver platter." What if you shared your dreams for your child and made it repeatedly clear that drug use and risky behavior can and will steal it all away.

I don't want you to ____(smoke pot for example) because:

• I want you to be healthy.


• I want you to have friends who encourage you to be the best that you can be.


• I wish for you to be truly free.


• I want you to develop the gift of self-discipline (defined as the ability to take action regardless of your emotional state).


• I want you to be proud of who you are.


• I want you to be truthful (especially with yourself).

... just to name a few.

Teen Drinking Problems Illicit New Laws in Orange County

Today in the Orange County Register a new law is under consideration to discourage the rampant teen drinking problem. If Mission Viejo and Laguna Hills adopt this ordinance they will be the first cities in Orange County to implement this new law.

More cities cracking down on parents allowing teen boozing
City councils in Mission Viejo and Laguna Hills might be county's first to impose new law to fight underage drinking.

"With the prom season under way and neighborhoods under siege with drunken teens, public urination and violence, city officials in two South County cities hope a new law could crash these out-of-control parties.

In Mission Viejo, the City Council voted last week to draft a new ordinance and will consider it at Monday night's meeting. Proposed by Mayor Trish Kelley, the social host underage drinking ordinance would hold adults accountable for teen drinking and could result in $1,000 fines. It could also require adults to pay for law enforcement response costs as well as costs associated with repeated calls to the same address."

The "Social Host Ordinance" is aimed at reducing the venues teens have for consuming alcohol by creating steep fees in hope of increasing adult supervision and accountability for teen drinking on personal property.

Local communities have witnessed increase in alcohol related property damage, driving related arrests, injuries and public disturbances.

"Since May 2007, Mission Viejo deputies have responded to reports of 1,325 loud parties. A good percentage of these have involved teens, said sheriff's Lt. Steve Bernardi, chief of police services for the city. In 2007 there were 18 crashes in which underage drivers were arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Ten people were injured, and in 11 cases, juveniles told deputies they had been drinking at a party, at a friend's house or at home."

Nancy Reagan

Nancy Reagan. My involvement with Visions and my work with teens in their efforts in recovery can all be traced, I believe, to Nancy Reagan.

I was only two years old when the first lady of our nation began championing the “Just Say No” generation into action. There were endless public service announcements and nationwide elementary school campaigns in effort to stop the next wave of drug users from making the same mistakes our parents did. sThere we were, smack dab in the middle of the decade of self-indulgence, signing sobriety pacts years before we would start wearing deodorant.


The first lady’s anti-drug movement was about as effective as all the other trickle-down syndrome policies of the Reagan administration. Fast-forward ten years and those same children were doing the same drugs we were warned about. The ‘Just Say No’ moniker, as much a part of Saturday morning as cartoons and
fruit loops, gave the impression that the disease of alcoholism and addiction was a question of will. We were made to believe that fighting this progressive and fatal affliction was so simple. “Would you like onions on your burger?” No thanks. “Would you like to trade self worth and the innocence of childhood for jails, institutions, or death?” No thanks. As we now know, there is a lot
more to it than that.


For most people, these questions are that simple, but for people like me and the brilliant young people I have the gift to work with; it takes a complete psychic change as brought forth from working the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. This is why I do what I do. It is my wish to dispel the myth of willpower as a solution to our disease, and usher a new era of tolerance and understanding in
the fight that Nancy lost.

The Chemical Dependency Counselor: Nurturer

A Chemical Dependency Counselor is both a nurturer and a disciplinarian. The clients that we work with at Visions definitely need structure. They are in denial that their lives are spinning out of control. Most of them have a dangerous combination of low self-esteem and an invincibility complex. Academically, their grades are dropping due to a lack of motivation and numerous absences. Their family is falling apart because of a breakdown in communication. By the time our clients reach us, their parents have lost trust and are extremely frustrated. That’s where I come in.

As a Chemical Dependency Counselor, I attempt to help the client put the fractured pieces of their lives back together. The trick is finding a balance between providing the necessary structure, but in a nurturing way. The basic problem with the kids I see is that they don’t have the tools they need to deal with the problems of adolescence. They try to fix themselves with drugs and alcohol. I teach them new ways to cope with the stress of being a teenager. My clients are educated about addiction as a disease of the mind and the body. They need to find new ways to process their feelings. I assist them in finding outside support, such as a sponsor and good 12 Step meetings. I meet with them individually throughout the week, formally and informally. When the client leaves Visions, the clinical team tries to make sure that everything is in place so that the transition will be easy. Working with the clinical team, I help in planning a home contract that will keep them on the road that they started in treatment. Even though we do everything possible to ensure success, not knowing how things will work out is one of the hardest parts of my job.

My path began during my adolescence. I went off the deep end. I “bottomed-out,” felt lost, and had nowhere to turn (or so I thought). Fortunately, I found AA and now I am a recovering addict, so I bring a wealth of experience to my job. I’ve been working at Visions for three years. I started out as a Program Aide and I am now a counselor. I completed a two-year program at Glendale Community College. I have helped many young people regain their hope and sanity. I remember one particular client who came in with low self-esteem. He couldn’t imagine life without alcohol. After a couple of months of working the program and sharing his feelings, he used his personality to become a leader, sharing his confidence, and speaking at meetings. Now, others want to be like him because he has the structure and the discipline that he lacked while he was using.

Brian Wildason