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 Assessment
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I think my boyfriend is using X? What should I do?
A: Ecstasy, often called "X," can be dangerous
whether it’s used once or multiple times. Since you’re not sure
whether or not your boyfriend is using Ecstasy, you can look for the following
signs:
• Use of slang terms like rolling, candy flipping, beans
• Paraphernalia such as Vick’s Inhaler, Vick’s Vapor Rub,
Dust Mask, Tampon Tube, Glow Stick
Effects include dilated pupils, hand tremors, teeth grinding, racing heart
beat, depression.
If a number of these signs show up over a period of time it may indicate
that your boyfriend is using Ecstasy. If you believe your boyfriend to
be using Ecstasy, you should seek guidance from an adult you trust –
a counselor, parent, teacher, religious leader or medical professional.
You don’t have to reveal your friend’s name and you can ask
whomever you speak with to keep your conversation confidential. This should
help you decide what to do.
It is important for you to understand that you can express concern for
your boyfriend and offer to help him seek assistance, but ultimately he
makes his own decisions and is responsible for his actions. If you want
to talk to your boyfriend, you may want to approach him with another mutual
friend to express your concerns. The important thing to remember is that
you should express your concern without blaming or accusing him. The conversation
may not go as you plan, but it is important for you –and him- that
you express your concern. Remember that this may be a difficult issue
for your boyfriend to face and discuss.
Depending on how severe the situation, you may want to find an adult you
trust to talk to about your feelings and options regarding the relationship.
Q: My mom has been drinking a lot lately and she gets
angry and takes it out on my brother and I when she gets drunk. What should
we do?
A: If you have another adult in your family whom you can
trust, it would probably be best to talk to that family member. If you
don’t feel that there is an adult member of your family you can trust,
consider talking to a teacher, a school social worker, a religious leader,
or a neighbor. Most police departments also have social workers and/or
youth officers. It is really important that you find an adult you can
talk to. It is also important to understand that you are not causing your
mom to drink. It sounds like she has a serious drinking problem. She may
even be alcoholic. That doesn’t make her a bad person, but it also
does not make it okay for her to take her problems out on you and your
brother. She can get help from a local substance abuse treatment program.
Phone numbers for programs are often found in local yellow pages under
drugs or alcohol. Many hospitals also have programs to help people who
abuse alcohol and/or other drugs. There is also a program called Ala-teen,
which is designed to provide support for kids like you whose parent(s)
often drink too much. You probably are feeling lots of different feelings
all at once; you might be scared and angry all at the same time. You are
not alone. There is help all around you. But you have to have the courage
to reach out and talk to someone.
Q: Some of my friends smoke marijuana almost every day
and they say it’s OK because it’s natural and their parents
used to use it. Is that true?
A: Although some teens claim marijuana is not dangerous
because it’s "natural," marijuana is a harmful drug. Marijuana
is a mind-altering drug that contains more than 400 chemicals. Most marijuana
that is available today is more potent than it was in the 1960’s
and 1970’s, due in part to the fact that growers of the drug cultivate
the plant to increase its’ psychoactive properties and boost sales.
Therefore, although marijuana is a plant, it is grown and altered to become
more potent and dangerous.
The brain is most affected by THC, the psychoactive ingredient of marijuana.
Marijuana affects the brain by causing difficulty in forming thoughts,
short-term memory loss, mood swings and poor concentration. Marijuana
use affects many skills required for safe driving: alertness, the ability
to judge distances, concentration, coordination, and reaction time. These
effects can last up to 24 hours after smoking marijuana.
Marijuana is a fat-soluble drug and is stored in the brain, liver, lungs
and reproductive organs for up to one month after use. Marijuana contains
more tar and cancer causing agents than tobacco. Regular use of marijuana
or THC may play a role in cancer and problems in the respiratory, immune,
and reproductive systems.
Q: My parents are upset because I came home drunk last
weekend & they want me to go to a rehab program. Aren’t they
blowing this whole thing out of proportion?
A: It sounds like your parents are quite concerned, and
with good reason. The best way to determine whether or not you need a
rehab program is to talk to a counselor and get a professional assessment.
Just because you talk to a counselor doesn’t mean you will need treatment.
Be open and honest and try to follow through on whatever recommendations
are made. Also, think about the risks of drinking. Alcohol is a depressant
drug that affects judgment, coordination and memory. Underage drinking
increases the risk of injury form car accidents, falls, burns, drowning
and suicide, as well as the chance that a young person will commit a crime
or become a victim of crime. Also, kids who begin drinking before age
15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin
at age 21. You may want to open up the lines of communication between
you and your parents so you can start to earn back their trust.
Email your questions to us at: prevention@peerservices.org
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