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News of Hope email.
 
Welcome to November, 2008 "News of Hope

     

          

November "News of Hope" updates you with some current trends worth being aware of AND some interesting perspectives on how to best reach certain populations of youth. In this issue, we are providing current insights into helping prevent alcohol use among Hispanic youth. Exploring underlying issues that may make our youth more susceptible can help us be better communicators, better empathizers and better encouragers!

May we also wish you a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I am so very grateful for the many educators, administrators, counselors, therapists, psychologists, law enforcement officers, social workers, non-profit volunteers and devoted parents that I have met at conferences, schools and community programs who support the emotional well-being of our youth. Blessings to you all!

NOVEMBER "NEWS OF HOPE" CONTENTS
. Helping Prevent Alcohol Use Among Hispanic Youth
. The New Deadly High - The Choking Game
. What's Up with Steroid Use and How to Test Your Kids
. Dealing with my Parents' Alcoholism - One Teen's Story (from Al-Anon/Alateen)


Pictured above:
Pic 1: Susie with Domestic Violence Coordinating Council members - Sheree Goldman and Patty Patterson. Susie keynoted their 10th Annual Conference in Monterey, California
Pics 2 & 3: Susie enjoying the ambiance of Monterey, CA! Bubba Gumps Restaurant and jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium!
Pic 4: Susie with two of the Sullivan County Schools, Blountville, TN - Teacher In-Service coordinators - Janie Barnes and Meredith Charles where she shared LEGACY OF HOPE and Thrive, Don't Just Survive!

Check out newsletters you may have missed over the year...

***************************************************

 
HELPING PREVENT ALCOHOL USE AMONG HISPANIC YOUTH

As I traverse the country, I have spoken to middle and high school students of every ethnic and cultural background imaginable, from very homogeneous to highly diverse student populations. Regardless of the mix, our young people are turning to alcohol and drugs to escape a variety of uncomfortable feelings -- from excess stress to severe self-loathing and PTSD.
Bottomline, EVERY PRE-TEEN and TEEN today can use a dose of emotional awareness when it comes to making healthy choices.

It does help to look at the particular cultural influences that youth experience when communicating to them healthy choices. I have had the opportunity to work with many Hispanic student and parent populations around the country - from 100% Hispanic schools in San Moreno, Calif and various cities in Texas to schools 50% Hispanic as in Quincy, WA to small populations across the Dakotas, Arkansas, etc. And after assemblies, I have had the privilege of sitting with and talking to troubled Hispanic students, as well as those from every other cultural and ethnic background, for hours on end.

So, when I saw this article from CADCA, I thought it just might be of interest and insight to those of you in the schools looking to better guide the Hispanic youth in your schools.

(Article below from CADCA - Community Anti-Drug Coalitions)

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, observed every September, CADCA´s Coalitions Online interviewed Dr. Judith Arroyo, Minority Health and Health Disparities Coordinator for the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), to help paint a clearer picture of the scope of alcohol abuse among the Hispanic community. Here, Dr. Arroyo discusses alcohol abuse rates among the Latino community and offers suggestions on how best to prevent alcohol use among Latino youth.

Q. How do the rates of alcohol use and abuse among Latinos compare to those of Caucasians?
A. We have two major epidemiologic studies that address ethnic and racial differences in Latino and other ethnic and racial groups samples. The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) sponsored primarily by NIAAA and NIDA, which is a representative sample of the United States over the age of 18, oversampled Hispanics and Blacks in order to examine alcohol use in these groups. The other is the Hispanic American Baseline Alcohol Survey (HABLAS) conducted by Raul Caetano under a grant from NIAAA, which looks at data on alcohol use by Latino national origin group collected in five major metropolitan areas. When you look at NESARC, you find that whites have higher rates of abuse overall than Hispanics. This surprises some people, because many people assume that Hispanics have worse problems overall. When you look at dependence, for Hispanics the rate is 3.95 and for whites it's 3.83. On the other hand, the HABLAS study showed a higher rate of alcohol abuse among Hispanics than whites, particularly among Hispanic men. However, these differences could have been a function of the sampling approach. What should concern us the most is that while the rates of alcohol abuse and dependence appear to be going down among whites, they have not gone down that much among Latinos. That is, Latinos tend to have longer heavy drinking histories than whites.

Q. Are there different rates of abuse within the Hispanic community?
A. When you drill down into the national origin group level in HABLAS, the prevalence of alcohol abuse appears to be higher among Mexican American males, followed by Puerto Rican Americans, Central and South American, and Cuban males. For women, the rates of alcohol abuse didn't differ significantly and were fairly low among all national origin groups. For alcohol dependence, it's higher among Puerto Rican and Mexican American males.

Q. How prevalent is binge drinking among Hispanics?
A. Binge drinking, five or more drinks per occasion for males (and 4 or more for females), is somewhat common among Latino males. That may indeed be something that could have a cultural link. Latino men in their country of origin, may not drink frequently, but when they do drink they tend to drink to intoxication. That pattern of drinking apparently continues when they come to United States. In fact, in some studies, binge drinking is more common among Latinos than Caucasians.

Q. The data consistently shows that alcohol abuse is lower among Hispanic women. Why?
A. Generally speaking, there are much stronger social norms against women drinking in the Latino community than there is among white women. One needs to keep in mind that most cultures have prohibitions about women drinking as much as males, it is just that among Latinos this norm is stronger than among white women in the US. In both NESARC and HABLAS, women have lower rates of alcohol use. In Latin American countries, if a woman drinks heavily, particularly in a public setting, it's generally seen as inappropriate and frowned upon. Whereas for men, people tend to turn a blind eye if he drinks a lot in a public setting at a wedding, for example, so long as he does not get out of control or set a bad example to his children. However, it's important to note that national surveys such as the Monitoring the Future Survey are showing that the rates of alcohol use between younger men and women are actually starting to look more similar. That seems to happen the more Hispanic women become acculturated to American society.

Q. What are some of the factors that contribute to these rates?
A. There are many factors. Gender is an issue because Hispanic men are more at risk; acculturation to the American way of life is another factor, especially for women. For example, as women acculturate to the American way of life, their drinking increases, but it has not reached the rate of Hispanic men or their white female counterparts. For men, it appears that usually within the first generation, their drinking pattern increases. Alcohol use rates are also influenced by employment factors. For example, when men come and work in labor camps, agricultural industries or factories, they often don't have their entire families with them, so the social norm about setting a bad example to one's children is not a factor. Age is also a factor because generally, dependence decreases with age. Income and education also plays a role. The higher the education and income, the lower the rates of dependence.

Q. Do rates differ between U.S.-born Hispanics versus Hispanics who immigrate here from Latin America?
Hispanics who migrate to the United States for the most part tend to be healthy when they get here. The drinking of first generation of Latino females drops to almost nothing. But as a group, as Latinos acculturate their rates of use and abuse increase.

Q. Are Hispanics likely to seek treatment for their alcohol use dependence problem?
Generally, Latinos don't seek treatment for mental health or addiction problems at the same rate as the epidemiologic evidence they should. Some of it is due to stigma. There is a stigma associated to seeking treatment. Hispanic males, in particular, would not want to admit that they have a problem for fear of being seen as a failure to their family and peers. It's a pity because large clinical surveys have shown that on the whole, treatment for alcohol disorders works just as well for Hispanics as it does for whites. Admittedly, some of the Hispanics seeking treatment in these clinical trials tend to be more acculturated because in order to participate in the research they generally have to read and write English fairly well. So we do not know for sure how well alcohol treatment work for non-English speaking Latinos. Another unknown is the rate of Latino participation in AA groups; increasingly AA has Spanish language meetings.

Q. Research suggests that Latino youth view more alcohol ads than other young people. How does this impact alcohol use rates among Latino teens?
Some studies have found that the prevalence of alcohol use, the degree to which alcohol is readily available maybe somewhat higher in neighborhoods with a high concentration of Latinos and other racial/ethnic minorities. There is some reason to associate environmental condition with increased rates of alcohol rates of young people. That's why it's important for the community to discourage alcohol advertisements and make sure retailers are following the law.

Q. What are some things that community prevention organizations should consider in trying to prevent alcohol use among Hispanic youth?
A. Prevention efforts should include a family component and try to encourage stronger bonds with the family. Familism is one of the protective factors that continues to be key among Hispanics, regardless of acculturation. It's also important to encourage parental involvement in monitoring and guiding kids and perhaps even encouraging traditional gender roles, at least as they influence alcohol use. Also, when trying to do any type of prevention work in the Latino community, it's important to first gain the community's trust. You have to put in the time to gain the trust of the community, and to have informed stakeholders help guide intervention and interpret results. Stakeholders could be people such as PTA leaders, clergy, ministers and teachers that are already well established in the Latino community.

This interview is part of an ongoing editorial series in Coalitions Online with experts from the NIAAA.


For more information on the NIAAA

THE NEW DEADLY HIGH - THE CHOKING GAME

Offer

THE NEW DEADLY HIGH
Children who play the choking game (also known as the pass out game, black out, funky chicken, space monkey, flat liner, tingling and suffocation) say it's a high without drugs. According to Michael Okwu of MSNBC, it's also an addiction easily hidden from their parents and adults.

Both boys and girls seem to play the asphyxiation game. Choking yourself or having a friend do it for you, passing out and reviving supposedly create an euphoric 10 second high as oxygen rushes back to the brain.

They choke themselves with belts, ropes, ties, their own bare hands, and in the case of Kimberly Wilson, a 15-year old who's life was taken by the game, a bicycle chain lock.

Deaths resulting from the game are often misdiagnosed as suicides. An expert in Atlanta says more and more kids, including "good kids" seem to be choking themselves. Ian Max, who used to play the choking game, explained, "It's like a drug. You'd just be out for half a minute but if feels like you were out for an hour or two."

Sixteen year old Kayla Statman, who says she does not drink or do drugs, admits to playing the game hundred of times, including a seven hour stretch with Kimberly Wilson.

According to Okwu, kids do it to one another or to themselves. Doing it alone is more deadly because there is no one there to assure that they come out of the pass out phase. Some develop brain damage and others die.

A recent government report reveals that at least 82 youths have died since 1995 from playing the choking game. According to Robin Tobin of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Nearly all parents whose children died were not aware of, or familiar with, this activity before the child's death, therefore it's important that parents, educators and health-care providers become aware of the choking game and learn to recognize the warning signs. If parents believe their child is playing, they should speak to them about the life-threatening dangers and seek additional help if necessary."

According to Amanda Gardner of the Washington Post, almost 96 percent of deaths occurred while the youth was alone, and 93 percent of parents said they were not aware of the game until their children died. More than 86 percent of the deaths involved males, with most fatalities occurring in the 11 to 16 age range, with a median range of 13.

Warning signs include T-shirts, scarves, bungee cords, dog leashes, and more.

Other warning signs include:

-Discussion of game, including other terms for it
-Bloodshot eyes
-Marks on the neck
-Severe headaches
-Disorientation after spending time alone
-Ropes, scarves and belts tied to bedroom furniture or doorknobs or found knotted on the floor

From
Kids are Passing Out for a Deadly High by Michael Okwu, MSNBC, August 18, 2008

Choking Game Turned Deadly for 82 Youths by Amanda Gardner, the Washington Post, February 14, 2008.

Early identification of teens with emotional pain can help. LEGACY OF HOPE assemblies coupled with the SURVEY OF HOPE get kids talking!


WHAT'S UP WITH STEROID USE AND HOW TO TEST YOUR KIDS
Findings from the 2007 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed that 3.9 percent of high school students in the nation have used anabolic steroids without a prescription. Of great concern is the easy access youth have to obtaining anabolic steroids over the Internet.

A new report, released by LegitScript.com, an online pharmacy verification service, and KnujOn.com, an Internet spam and criminality watchdog, identified 156 Web sites engaged in the illicit sale of anabolic steroids, making it easy for youth to obtain steroids without a prescription.

According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, there are a total of 581 Web sites advertising or selling controlled prescription drugs, with only two certified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy as Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites. LegitScript and KnujOn identified at least 150 Web sites that offer or purport to offer anabolic steroids without a prescription. These 150 sites constitute just over half of a larger group of 300 Web sites that LegitScript and KnujOn believe to be responsible for a significant portion of illicit steroid sales over the Internet to U.S. residents.

"None of the steroid websites we reviewed required a prescription, and none used any sort of age verification service," said John Horton, President of LegitScript. "Studies indicate that youth and young adults are the most at risk for illicit steroid use, and these websites are just a fraction of those we identified selling these drugs."

NEW TEST TO DETECT STEROID USE:
Steroid use among high school athletes often goes undetected because regular drug tests cannot pick up steroid use. To remedy that, a new test is available from Phamatech to help schools and parents identify steroid use and ensure that youth get help for their addiction.

The new test, which is available at Walgreens stores now, offers an affordable alternative to other steroid tests at $75 per test. Samples can be taken at home or in any location and then are sent to a lab. The results will be available within 2-3 days via the internet or via Phamatech's drug test hotline.

The new steroid test comes at a time when more and more national athletes make the news headlines for steroid use.

"Sports figures are role models for young athletes. So if they use performance enhancing drugs to further their career, kids look at that and say, 'Wow I can do that, too,' said Carl Mongiovi, Phamatech Vice President. "Long-term steroid use can have devastating results for kids and a test like this can help parents who suspect that their young athlete is using a steroid."

For more information on this and other drug tests developed by Phamatech, visit www.phamatech.com.


Develop Emotional Wisdom Behind Choices - LEGACY OF HOPE


DEALING WITH MY PARENTS' ALCOHOLISM - One Teen's Story
I meet hundreds of teens every year all across America who are struggling with severe self-loathing, self-blame, loss of childhood, and/or cutting/drinking/having sex to cope as a result of a parent(s) drinking problems. Here, we include something helpful with which the teenage "child of an alcoholic" may identify and find HOPE:

Reprinted with permission from the Al-Anon monthly magazine: The Forum December 2007

There are many trials in life that one must go through and every-body deals with these problems differently. Some write. Some fight. Everyone in my family seemed to drown their problems in alcohol.

As a six -year-old, I didn't see the problems that my family faced. The world was big and full of wonder in the eyes of a curious little boy, but having alcoholic parents made my world a lot smaller. I couldn't put into words how scared I was. I learned quickly to figure out what my parents were thinking and feeling. I needed to know if I was coming home to the warm, loving place that a home should be, or to a war zone where people were afraid to speak their feelings.

At some point, my parents thought it would be a good idea for my mother to leave. During this time, my mom and my dad jumped in and out of sobriety. One time my dad left on a Friday night, leaving me and my friend at home. When he didn't come home, we went to my friend's house. My dad picked up me up hung over. He said he wanted to change. I saw my mother after that, and she was sober. She brought up Alateen. I told her I would give it a try. I told my dad that I wanted to go, and he decided to go to A.A. We began the journey to recover together.

I remember my first meeting pretty well, though it feels like it happened ages ago. There were a lot of older kids, and all were complete strangers. I was trying to find a dark corner to hide in when an 18-year old girl came up to me and kneeled down so we were eye level, With a soothing voice and a loving smile, she asked me," Are you nervous?" I hesitantly nodded yes. She grabbed my trembling shoulders, shook them with great excitement, and screamed,"Don't be nervous!" I jumped. Everyone laughed and gave me hug.

At that moment, all the fear and tension I had in my heart was lifted. For some reason, that was the most love I had felt in years. I couldn't stop myself from smiling and laughing along with the rest of the group. I was truly happy for the first time in years. During that first meeting I shared and I cried. It felt so good-like walking on air. I went for years without missing a meeting.

I think about what my life would be like if I had never gone to that first Alateen meeting. I could have hurt myself or someone else. I could have ended up in jail or maybe become an alcoholic. When I picture the alternate world I could have possibly made for myself, I feel blessed that my Higher Power cared about me enough to lead me into the program.

Alateen didn't "fix" me or make me perfect. It showed me where to out things in my life so I could love the finished product. I learned that life is worth living. Being happy is when I look at the cards that God has dealt to me, relax, and smile. I may not have been dealt the best hand, but I don't have the worst.

Visit the Al-Anon and Alateen website for more info helpful to families of alcoholics



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HELPING YOUTH AND ADULTS MAKE HEALTHY LIFE CHOICES

Addressing alcohol and drugs, teen pregnancy, gangs, AIDS, violence, self-harm, depression, divorce, suicide and more -- in a disarmingly entertaining and uplifting way.

A dose of EMOTIONAL WISDOM that cuts across all boundaries with a universal message of insight and a large dose of HOPE! 
Good for every event where adults want to know more about dealing with teens and young adults and where teens want to make the best choices.

"The Best Keynote I have ever seen!" said attendees at the International Institute of New Jersey - Cultural Adjustment and Trauma Services Program Conference - for social workers, school counselors, educators and parents.

ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER:
Feel free to forward this newsletter to friends, colleagues, parents, and others who might find this information useful. Help us carry our message of hope and healing.

CONTACT SUSIE NOW!

 


Susie Vanderlip, CSP, CPAE & Ken Vanderlip, PhD
800-707-1977

 
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