Alcohol Awareness
Warning Signs May Mean Your Teen is Abusing
Alcohol
Is your child sick on weekend mornings, and
you're not sure why?
April is Alcohol Awareness Month and
according to Cheryl Terrell, Ph.D.,
licensed professional counselor at Kneibert Clinic, your teen-ager
may be suffering from a hang over and trying to pass it off
as being physically ill.
"Teens can become very secretive and sneaky,"
Dr. Terrell says. "Kids that are using and abusing alcohol
may be hung over and try to convince their parents it's something
else."
Dr. Terrell says 90 percent of the teens she
sees in her practice use alcohol or drugs by the time they're
out of high school.
She says signs a child may be abusing alcohol
include
- Sudden changes in mood
- Sudden drop in school grades
- A turn toward making bad decisions about peer group associations
- A change in attitude
"If alcohol consumption is interfering
with your teen's education, social life or family life, at
least once or twice a month, your child may benefit from outpatient
mental health therapy," Dr. Terrell said.
"If alcohol consumption is interfering
with your child's life several times a week, your child may
need inpatient therapy."
Counseling Awareness
Most Effective Treatments Use a 12-Step Program
April is also Counseling Awareness Month.
Dr. Cheryl Terrell, Ph.D., says parents need to be aware of
the different types of treatments available.
"When parents are looking for an outpatient
therapist or an inpatient treatment facility for substance
abuse, they need to ask questions about the provider's qualifications
and treatment philosphy," she says.
According to Dr. Terrell, the most successful
drug and alcohol treatment programs use a 12-step recovery
program.
"A 12-step program is based on a spiritual
philosophy which helps the patient examine and take responsibility
for their drinking problem and other life difficulties,"
she says.
"This program teaches them how to admit
good and bad things in their lives, and to accept that these
behaviors and situations help make them who they are today.
It teaches them to learn from their mistakes and not repeat
them."
There are several different types of qualified
mental health professionals.
A psychiatrist is a person who has a
medical degree with a specialization in psychiatric medication
therapy and talk therapy.
A psychologist is a person who has a
doctorate degree in psychology or a related field and they
have passed a state test to demonstrate knowledge and skill.
A licensed professional counselor is
a person who has a doctorate or master's degree in psychology
or a related field and they have passed a state test to demonstrate
knowledge and skill.
A licensed clinical social worker is
a person who has a doctorate or master's degree in social
work or a related field and they have passed a state test
to demonstrate knowledge and skill.
Terrell has a doctorate in clinical psychology
which qualfies her to do several types of psychological testing,
such as intellectual testing (I.Q.), academic achievement
testing (what you have learned), and tests that measure personality
traits.
"I do quite a bit of testing for the school
system for attention deficit disorder or learning disabilities,"
she said. "I have doctors and nurse practitioners who
refer kids to me to see if they need on medication for attention
deficit disorder."
Related Links:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Low-Fat, High-Fiber Diet Can Help
April is also Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Month."This disease affects over 25 percent of the population
over a lifetime," says Dr. Ben Till
of Kneibert Clinic.
He says IBS is more common with females and
that symptoms include increase gas, intermittent abdominal
cramping and pain, and bloating. "They may have intermittent
episodes of constipation and diarrhea," he said.
Dr. Till says there is no known cure but a change
in diet and/or medication often can be effective.
"I try to get patients to alter their eating
to a low-fat, high fiber diet," he says. "Occasionally
medication works by relaxing the smooth muscles of the colon."
He says IBS is a functional illness of the colon
and that it is a diagnosis of exclusion; one must rule out
cancer of the colon, diverticulosis and inflammatory bowel
disease.
"IBS is also called spastic colon, nervous
colon. It's made worse by chronic stress and overeating fatty
foods," Till says. "The most common place it hurts
is the lower left quadrant of the abdomen."
Related Links:
Alcohol Awareness
Counseling Awareness
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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