Health Talk: An advertising supplement to The Morning Journal Submitted by Communities That Care of Lorain County There might come a point when you ask yourself, who am I really? Am I being real? Am I still the kid my parents think I am? And more importantly, who do I want to be?
The truth is, you’re a lot of things to a lot of people – you’re interesting like that. You can create a profile online and still be kind of different in person. You can be someone to look up to and know what it feels like to get rejected. You can be righteous in your decisions and still slip up and make mistakes.
But, with so many versions of yourself, it’s easy to forget the one thing that keeps you real – and it isn’t what everyone thinks – it’s the pure-grade, original first edition of yourself.
The point is, when you reach the moment where you have to ask yourself, who am I really? Press pause. Hit reset. And remember, you’re Above the Influence.
Above the Crowd, Be Your Own Person
During high school, you may hear your friends, parents, or even a coach tell you to ‘just be yourself’ – but what does that really mean? Knowing who you are and what you believe in is important. Recognizing the influences in your life (both good and bad) makes it easier for you to make important choices about who to hang out with and whether or not to try drugs or alcohol.
There is a complicated list of reasons why people try or use drugs. Some people do it to change the way they feel. Sometimes people use drugs to go along with the crowd and cover up their insecurities. Consider this – former users often say that drugs ended up isolating them from friends and family and made them feel even more alone.
Instead of going along with what some people are doing, you could spend more of your energy on you – your style, your viewpoints, and your own way of doing things. You can’t control what another person thinks about you. Isn’t it more worthwhile to work on what you think about yourself, and not try to shape someone else’s impression of you?
Just be yourself and hang with friends who encourage you to be who you are, and not who they want you to be.
And don’t be too hard on yourself – you may be your toughest critic. Hang out with people who support you and be careful of people who are all about negativity.
Drug Facts
With so many voices and opinions out there, it’s important to understand the facts.
Fact is that while you’re a teen (and even into your early 20’s!), you’re still growing and developing, and drug abuse during these years in particular can have a lasting impact. Another fact to consider: the brain is much more vulnerable to addiction as it continues to develop as well. 90% of Americans with a substance abuse problem starting smoking, drinking or using other drugs before age 18.
When it comes to drug use, individual reactions and experiences vary, so it’s important to understand the usual risks and effects, both short- and long-term. Knowledge can be the key to making your own best decisions.
Keep reading to the get the facts on alcohol, one of the most frequently abused substances for people under age 21.
Alcohol is a depressant that affects nearly every part of your body. The damage it does now can impact the rest of your life.
What is it?
Alcohol is a depressant derived from the fermentation of natural sugars in fruits, vegetables and grains. These are brewed and distilled into a wide range of beverages with various alcohol contents.
The Risks
In small doses, some of the short-term effects of alcohol are reduced tension and relaxation, but these are also accompanied by reduced inhibition (your ability to stop yourself from doing something you know you shouldn’t), coordination and reaction time – all of which put you at risk.
When you drink a lot and drink fast (binge drinking), the risks go up even faster. In addition to the serious danger of alcohol poisoning, the depressant effects of alcohol can overwhelm your body’s defenses. Unable to move and think clearly, you can do risky and reckless things that are unsafe, or even lethal.
Each year, approximately 5,000 people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking. This includes about 1,900 deaths from car accidents, 1,600 homicides, 300 suicides, and hundreds of other deaths due to accidents like falls, burns and drownings.2
Long-Term Effects
Alcohol travels through your bloodstream and can damage your brain, stomach, liver, kidneys and muscles. As a teenager, your body is still developing, so damage done to it now can affect the rest of your life. Over time, drinking can wreak havoc with your body and mind.
The Bottom Line
Yes, it’s legal for people 21 and older. One reason is that alcohol can have seriously dangerous, long-term impacts on a body and brain that are still developing. Also, statistics show that more teens are killed by alcohol than by all illegal drugs combined.
Source: Above The Influence
