Start by listening and then find teachable moments. Through communication and information, underage drinking can be prevented.
These were two of the key points shared on Monday, March 18, when the Clackamas County Health, Housing and Human Services Department hosted the webinar, “Prevent Underage Drinking. Talk. They Hear You.”
The department invited three guests to speak during the webinar and answer questions afterward: Dr. Marvin Seppala, former chief medical officer of Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, Joe Buck, mayor of Lake Oswego, and Dr. Moxie Loeffler, Oregon medical director for community medical services.
“I feel like the odd duck out in this conversation, but it’s an honor to be able to speak before you,” Buck said. “I come with lots of lived experiences as the mayor of Lake Oswego, but more importantly, here tonight, as someone who’s living in recovery, long term recovery, from alcoholism. It wasn’t until somewhat recently that I started speaking publicly about living in recovery and what that has meant to me.”
Buck said he was “extremely fortunate” to have support from his family and added that he was glad to see a cultural shift away from the centering and prevalence of alcohol socially.
The medical professionals agreed that there had been a shift, but they also described the multitude of genetic and social conditions that can contribute to an increased risk of addiction.
Substance use starts early — and so should prevention
Seppala shared that the average age for the beginning of alcohol and cannabis use is younger than most expect — around 12 or 13 years old.
“So we have to be attentive to this actually from a very young age to be sure that our kids are prepared for that, because their friends are going to ask them about it and they’re going to be faced with all kinds of issues that they need to have answer for and skills to address,” said Seppala.
Sepalla described the different risk factors of underage drinking, such as increased likelihood of dangerous behavior and negative impacts on brain development. He also shared ways to start the conversation about drugs and alcohol with your children.
“Starting early is just essential. No one told me about this as I grew up; I had no clue and didn’t understand anything about alcoholism or drug addiction, didn’t know I was at risk,” said Seppala. “It’s important to start early enough that you precede the possibility that they’re going to be getting into issues with their friends. Set them up to make positive choices and to really empower them.”
The importance of communication
Parents can open a comfortable discourse to answer questions by listening and finding teachable moments.
“You also need to know the facts, because they need accurate information and they can get all kinds of information themselves — wht’s good and bad off the internet. So you need to have the real facts and provide that to your kids,” said Seppala.
Sepalla recommended the following resources for learning information and developing skills to talk about substance use: the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Substance Abuse and the Mental Health Services Administration.
How substance abuse relates to mental health
Loeffler, the Oregon medical director for community medical services, focused her discussion on the connections between mental health and substance use.
“Alcohol has a negative impact on mental health in a lot of different ways, including anxiety and depression, social isolation, stress response and poor sleep,” said Loeffler. “Less sleep can actually increase alcohol intake, possibly it may be a causal relationship. So it may protect someone just getting more sleep compared to less sleep. Getting less than six hours a night is associated with all kinds of increases in risky behavior.”
Often, according to Loeffler, teens and young adults use substances as a coping mechanism instead of more beneficial strategies. She said it’s also important to be aware of the warning signs that your child might be using some form of drugs or alcohol and that if you’re concerned about risky behavior, seek out more information on treatment.
‘Respect for the story’
Teens and young adults are inundated with information online. Staying informed about the facts of substance can prompt children to make safer choices, understand risky behaviors or delay the use of substances until further into adulthood.
“It’s important to show respect for the story. Because for one person, that story is true, right?” said Loeffler. “If your child comes to you with a story, ‘So and so said you can smoke cannabis every day and you’ll be just fine in school and I’m not worried about it.’ You could say, ‘Gosh, that’s curious. That’s not what I’ve heard before. What have you heard?’ You can use it as a chance to engage them and go and look for quality information together.” The webinar concluded with a short discussion of a common question: Does setting the expectation of no drinking just encourage kids to be sneakier with use?
“If they’re going to pursue use (of substances), they’re usually going to be sneaky, independent of what you do or what you say. So, it’s better to have had the conversation and really establish goals for your family,” said Seppala.
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