This pamphlet was originally published by Stanton Peele in 1983 with CompCare Publications, Minneapolis. It was revised in 1996 with the editorial assistance of Marianne Apostolides and financial support from The Lindesmith Center, New York.

A Parent's Guide To Understanding and Preventing Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Stanton Peele, Ph.D.
Morristown, NJ

Marianne Apostolides
Berkeley, CA

Abstract: Don't Panic offers parents a non-alarmist approach for understanding and dealing with adolescent substance use. In the place of panic, this pamphlet provides a sensible, human, and responsible perspective on raising children in a world where they confront drugs — whether legal or illegal — every day.

This pamphlet provides parents with tips for understanding and dealing with teenage alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use.

Many parents wish their children would never try drugs. But 8 out of 10 children will try alcohol and/or other drugs before they graduate from high school. Given that fact, what can a parent do? How can a parent prevent abuse? This pamphlet gives parents a sensible, responsible approach for raising children in a world where they confront drugs (whether legal or illegal) every day. It gives parents suggestions about how to prevent substance abuse problems in kids who don't have problems, and how to recognize and help those who do.

Teenagers often use drugs as a part of adolescent exploration. A small portion abuse drugs to escape from problems they can't handle in a positive way.

Almost half of teenagers graduating from high school have tried an illegal drug. Over 80% have drunk alcohol, and 65% have smoked cigarettes.¹ These numbers can surely be frightening for parents. But before we become alarmed, we should examine what these numbers actually tell us. They tell us the number of young users, not young abusers. Here's what we mean by this distinction:

• Drug use differs from drug abuse.

Drugs are powerful substances that can have harmful consequences. Teenagers or adults abuse drugs if they rely on drugs or use them to excess. However, many people in all societies use drugs occasionally without disrupting their lives. This is substance use. For example, most adults who drink alcohol do so only occasionally or with meals. These drinkers differ from alcoholics in the same way that drug users differ from drug abusers.

• The most important question is: Why do some kids move from substance use to substance abuse? The answer does not lie in the substance itself. The answer lies in the way a teenager relates to him/herself, other people, and his/her surroundings.

Problems arise when a teenager is not involved in activities that express positive values and does not have a supportive family and social environment. Without these anchors, some children seek ways of escape. Drugs offer such an escape, although their long-term consequences can be harmful. Teenagers susceptible to drug abuse can often be identified by "risk factors" such as poverty,² emotional problems like depression or anxiety, antisocial peer groups, and a disturbed family environment. These factors in turn create low self-esteem and a desire to escape feelings like self-doubt, powerlessness, and hopelessness.

• A child with risk factors is not destined to abuse drugs. He or she is simply at higher risk.

Up to 70% of kids in the highest risk conditions do not become substance abusers.³ These teenagers can build on their strengths (known as "resilience" or "protective" factors) to prevent the negative factors from dominating their lives. Resilience factors include having a strong relationship with an adult and confidence-building experiences at school, work, or other extracurricular activities. Such factors build self-esteem, a sense of personal control, a desire to be healthy, and a link to mainstream activities and values.⁴

What does this mean for parents? It means that you can help your child build resilience to avoid drug abuse.

• Most adolescent substance users do not become abusers.

It can be very reassuring to know that the large majority of people who try drugs do not go on to become regular users or abusers. This does not mean that parents should never discuss drug use with their children. But it should give parents greater comfort in thinking about teenage drug use, drug abuse prevention, and drug abuse treatment.

With this new comfort level, parents can focus on helping their children develop skills, confidence, and decision-making abilities. By giving kids some room for experimentation while still establishing boundaries (curfews, avoiding driving while intoxicated, upholding responsibilities at home, and so on according to your own values), parents can help their children to make responsible decisions and, eventually, to mature into adulthood.