What do parents need to look for when considering teen alcohol abuse?

What do parents need to look for when considering teen alcohol abuse?

What are the signs at home that a teen is drinking?

What are the signs at home that a teen is drinking?

What are the signs at school that a teen is drinking?

What are the signs at school that a teen is drinking?

What are the ways that a teen's personal behavior indicates alcohol abuse?

What are the ways that a teen's personal behavior indicates alcohol abuse?

What are some psychological and emotional signs that a teen is drinking?

What are some psychological and emotional signs that a teen is drinking?

How does teen drinking affect the family specifically?

How does teen drinking affect the family specifically?

Is drinking a normal activity?

Is drinking a normal activity?

Why would a person consider quitting drinking?

Why would a person consider quitting drinking?

How to Quit Drinking

How to Quit Drinking

The Risks of Teen Drinking and Drug Use

The Risks of Teen Drinking and Drug Use

What can influence a teen to drink?

What can influence a teen to drink?

What do parents need to look for when considering teen alcohol abuse?

What do parents need to look for when considering teen alcohol abuse?

What is a protective factor with alcohol abuse?

What is a protective factor with alcohol abuse?

Understanding The Importance Of A Child Safety Seat

Understanding The Importance Of A Child Safety Seat

Rear-Facing Car Seat Facts

Rear-Facing Car Seat Facts

Forward-Facing Car Seat Facts

Forward-Facing Car Seat Facts

Booster Car Seat Facts

Booster Car Seat Facts

Seat Belt Safety Facts

Seat Belt Safety Facts

Tricks To Reduce Rushing Through Homework

Tricks To Reduce Rushing Through Homework

Monitoring Homework As A Working Parent

Monitoring Homework As A Working Parent

Understanding Math Anxiety In Students

Understanding Math Anxiety In Students

Need To Know ACT & SAT Information

Need To Know ACT & SAT Information

Perfect Prom Etiquette

Perfect Prom Etiquette

Kids And Money Management

Kids And Money Management

When To Introduce Kids To Money

When To Introduce Kids To Money

View more ...

Judith Welles Cousins

Licensed Clinical Social Worker, private practitioner

judithwellescousinslcsw.com  

703-921-1166

Judith has worked in the field of mental health and substance abuse since 1988,  She received her Masters in Social Work from Virginia Commonweatlh University in 1991 and was licensed as a clinical social worker in 1994.  In her private practice, Judith sees adults, families, children and adolescents, and couples. She addresses such issues as substance abuse, depession, anxiety, family discord, couple conflict, poor school performance, and  life transitions. Judith believes that within each individual, family, and couple are the resources to change, heal, and thrive.  Through the process of psychotherapy, she assists clients to identify and use these resources to gain personal and relational well-being.      

What do parents need to look for when considering teen alcohol abuse?

Judith Welles Cousins: Hi, I am Judy Cousins. I am clinical social worker. I have a private practice in Old Town Alexandria, Virgina and I am here to talk about how to recognize teen alcohol and drug use, what are the signs and what are the symptoms and what I want to talk about right now is actually that what are the signs -- what are the specific signs and symptoms of teen and alcohol and drug use.

This expert: 201,265 views
This series: 19,331 views

Download to Mobile Device

Print

Transcripts

Judith Welles Cousins: Hi, I am Judy Cousins. I am clinical social worker. I have a private practice in Old Town Alexandria, Virgina and I am here to talk about how to recognize teen alcohol and drug use, what are the signs and what are the symptoms and what I want to talk about right now is actually that what are the signs -- what are the specific signs and symptoms of teen and alcohol and drug use.

Host: What do parents need to look for when considering teen alcohol abuse?

Judith Welles Cousins: I think it's very important for parents, other adults as well who contact with teens, but parents in particular, to have a framework, to have a perspective when they are concerned about the possibility that their teenager is using alcohol and drugs and what I mean by that is when you as a parent are looking at your teenager and you have concerns that they are using, what I say to families, what I say to parents is what you are looking for is, what you typically see in your teenager in terms of behavior in the extreme and we all know that teenagers when they get to be that age, tend to behave in ways that may cause anxiety or may cause angst. They maybe at age 10 or 11, maybe happy go lucky always with the family, always talking, always bubbly and then they turn into a teenager and they may go in their rules more. They may talk less. They may spend more time with their friends and they spend more time themselves. So what I am saying is when you see those changes you are going to see for the most part you are going to see typical changes in you are teenager. What you need to be looking out for is when you see those changes are you seeing them in the extreme? Are you seeing a teenager who never comes out of his room? Are you seeing a teenager who really never talks to you, never talks to their family members, who really doesn't have a happy go lucky attitude when they did before.

So you are looking at changes, number one and you are looking at extremes in changes number two and again, what you are looking at is behavior that you have seen probably seeing before or changes that you have haven't seen before, but you see them in the extreme and what you are looking for is what I call kudos. So if your teenager is spending hours and hours in their room, what I would say is don't automatically jump to the conclusion that they are doing something really negative with alcohol and drugs, but that you want to talk to your teen and you want to check that out. You want to find out. 1

Why is it important to consider teen drinking a problem?

Why is it important to consider teen drinking a problem?

Isn't teen drinking normal?

Isn't teen drinking normal?

Are there significant risks to teen drinking and drug use and what are they?

Are there significant risks to teen drinking and drug use and what are they?

If a teen does not drink in highschool are they more likely to go crazy in college?

If a teen does not drink in highschool are they more likely to go crazy in college?

What can influence a teen to drink?

What can influence a teen to drink?

How do genetics influence teen drinking?

How do genetics influence teen drinking?

What are the effects of teen drinking?

What are the effects of teen drinking?

How does approval or censure influence teen drinking?

How does approval or censure influence teen drinking?

How does a social environment or cultural environment influence teen drinking?

How does a social environment or cultural environment influence teen drinking?

What are some protective factors you can put in place for teen drinking?

What are some protective factors you can put in place for teen drinking?