Conversation Starters

Teen substance misuse and abuse is unfortunately nothing new. But that doesn’t mean we can only approach the issue with the same old strategies. Although previous messaging campaigns, such as the ‘Just Say No’ campaign, weren’t as effective as we all hoped, they provided insight into what worked and what didn’t. A recent American Psychological […]

Chimpanzees are humans’ closest relatives in the animal kingdom. We share many of the same qualities – agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness. However, a study conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA) discovered two traits shared by humans and chimps, particularly teenage humans and chimps: impulsivity and risk-taking. APA researchers conducted a study similar to the famous […]

Summer provides teens with a much-needed break from scholastic responsibilities and offers extra daylight for them to participate in their favorite extracurricular activities and socialize with each other. Unfortunately, some teens also use this time to experiment with and misuse substances. June and July are the two months that see the most first-time substance use […]

If you’re one of the 89% of parents1 who are likely to discuss OTC misuse with their teen(s) in the future, you’ve come to the right place. Starting a discussion with your teen about substance use isn’t always easy, but it comes with rewards — teens of parents who talk to them about the danger […]

Having honest conversations with teens about things like drugs and alcohol can be difficult but, talking about these topics has been proven to help destigmatize and prevent abuse. How, as a parent, can you foster these conversations at home without making it awkward, ineffective, or unintentionally encouraging the same things you want to prevent for […]

Every month, we keep you informed on the latest studies and research in our “Not My Teen” blog series. Today, we’re looking at a recent study, which challenges previous notions on the reasoning behind teens’ risky behavior. Studies have long pointed to brain development as the driving factor behind teens making risky decisions, but a […]