Advice to a Middle School Student
How to Talk with Your Adolescent About Drugs and Alcohol
Middle school can be your child's introduction to drugs and alcohol. Learn how to help your child avoid using drugs or alcohol with these simple strategies. Start now.
A recent interview with one middle schooler yielded valuable information for kids and parents alike.
The topic: The Dreaded Ds (Drinking and Drugs)
"I can make you one promise about middle school – there will be tons of new things to try, like new friendships, classes, and teachers. But some of those things, including drinking and drugs, are new experiences you’ll want to avoid, since they can have extremely serious consequences for both your body and your relationships with your school, family, and friends." - Jack Smith, 7th grader
How do alcohol and drugs affect your body?
Immediately after alcohol or drugs enter your body, they move quickly through your bloodstream and end up in your brain. Your brain then starts to move more slowly, which means it sends signals to the rest of your body more slowly, too. That’s why people who are drunk or on drugs don’t move around as fast or even see, talk, and concentrate as well. The four side effects below are common results of alcohol and drugs on the body:
Four serious side effects of drinking and drugs
- Slurred speech. A brain affected by alcohol or drugs has difficulty sending signals to the mouth about the right muscles to use for talking.
- Becoming tired. Alcohol and drugs sap the body’s energy, making you feel really tired.
- Emotional changes. The parts of the brain that control emotion are affected as well, making you feel anger, sadness, and depression.
- Life-threatening side effects. Vomiting, difficulty breathing, and death can result from consuming high amounts of alcohol or drugs in a short amount of time.
Even though you know that drinking and drugs are bad for your body, it still might be hard not to try them when it seems like everyone around you is. But, the kids who seem to be enjoying a drink or a drug are probably thinking the same thing you are: I don’t want to try this, but if I don’t, I’ll look stupid.
Staying away from drinking and drugs is easier when you form a pre-plan about how you’ll react if they’re offered to you. Knowing what you’ll do in advance will help you do it more confidently when the time comes. And doing something with confidence not only gives other kids a good impression of you, but it may also help them avoid drinking and drugs, too.
The following two tips will help you figure out how to react when faced with alcohol and drugs:
Two tips for avoiding alcohol and drugs
1. Pick a new activity for the night. If your friends are planning to go to a place where you think they’ll have drugs and alcohol, call up some different friends and invite them over for a movie. You can then explain to the first group of friends that you’re in the mood for a more mellow night watching movies – and (provided it’s OK with your parents) they’re welcome to join you if they like.
2. Practice makes permanent. Think in advance about the words you’ll use when someone offers you drugs or alcohol – and be sure to practice saying those words to yourself, since knowing what to say is often easier than saying it out loud.
Some good responses include:
- I’m good, thanks.
- I don’t need any, thanks…I’m already having a really good time.
- No thanks – I’m not into that.
Even after all the practice in the world, you still might find yourself too intimidated to use your prepared excuse in the actual moment. Don’t worry – you can still get out of a sticky situation by using this three-step excuse:
Three-step excuse for passing up drugs and drinking:
- Leave the group to use the restroom.
- Make a call to your parents or another adult who can come to get you.
- Tell your friends you just got sick and need to go home.
Note that this excuse may get you out of a tough spot once or twice, but don’t count on using it every time. Continue practicing your words and actions so you feel more confident about using them the next time.
