“A Child’s First Eight Years Critical for Substance Abuse Prevention”

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This week, the National Institute of Health (NIH) released a summary of new research on the effects of early childhood on substance abuse and unhealthy behaviors. “Thanks to more than three decades of research into what makes a young child able to cope with life’s inevitable stresses, we now have unique opportunities to intervene very early in life to prevent substance use disorders,” said NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D. “We now know that early intervention can set the stage for more positive self-regulation as children prepare for their school years.”

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7 COMMENTS

  1. I haven’t read the entire booklet, but didn’t see mentioned anything about the reality that starting children on stimulants at a young age tends to result in future use of illicit stimulants. And I will say the chapter on risks looks like a lot of assumptions, which may often be true, but are not always true, thus will likely lead to a bunch of unnecessary stigmatization of the wrong children. For example, “second hand smoke” is now proof of “family conflict and poor parenting, which could increase risk for child abuse and neglect.” I think trying to stigmatize children, because a parent smokes, is taking the psychiatric police state a bit far. Especially given the reality that, “children are less likely to smoke, drink alcohol, or use other drugs when parents are clear that they do not want their children to do so, even if they use substances themselves.”

    And “Lack of school readiness skills” can result from child abuse, outside the home, as it did in my family’s case. My concerns of such were ignored, and I was drugged to cover up the child abuse. And it wasn’t until my child had healed, and surprised his school counsellor in eighth grade by getting 100% on his state standardized tests, that the social worker wanted to get her hands on my child. Not certain why the school social workers want to tranquilize the best and brightest children, or how doing such would benefit our society.

    It strikes me this booklet is filled with a lot of assumptions, that will likely lead to a lot more unwarranted psychiatric attacks on children. I will mention I also see nothing about the importance of actually properly addressing the societal problem of child abuse and adverse childhood experiences. Drugs don’t help with these issues, they harm. And, in my family’s case, the child molesters who were NOT arrested, and were able to raise their children, did end up with two of their three children arrested for substance abuse related crimes prior to the age of 21. So I’m quite certain we should start arresting the child molesters in this country again, rather than defaming and drugging the concerned mothers, who have medical evidence of child abuse. Although, I do see how doing such would not be profitable for the mental health industry.

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    • Chapter 2 implies the absolute worst form of child abuse occurring in this country today is parental second hand smoke. While completely denying the existence of the problems of the sexual or emotional abuse of children. This is so absurd it boggles my mind. And, second hand smoke can result in asthma, which is not a “mental illness.” How second hand smoke results in “mental illnesses” is not made clear in this booklet.

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        • Absolutely agree, forcing children to take stimulants, is worse than second hand smoke. Forcing children onto any of the psych meds is child abuse. Raping children is worse than second hand smoke. Emotionally abusing children is worse than second hand smoke. It’s amazing to me that the NIH denies all the most evil forms of child abuse, while advocating torturing children with the psych drugs.

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  2. I taught my son as a child that alcohol was a drug not an “Adult Beverage”,that cigarettes contain a dangerous drug. Now at almost 30 years old he doesn’t use either.He was also taught that that problematic use of the drug alcohol and nicotine has been a family issue that there are many who can’t drink safely . Knowing many heroin users from the past most did not segway from marijuana but from the drug alcohol.Here on Long Island the majority of the heroin addicts come from the conservative working class families.This group are not the “Hippie Liberal” Woodstock generation and if someone becomes an addict tend to blame poor parenting except when it hits close to home then they blame the Liberals.I witnessed on more than one occasion a tipsy adult lecture a teen on the wrongs of cannabis use .Young people know when information is inaccurate or false .I’m going on 70 years and recently watch old movies from the 30 and 40’s . Drinking and smoking to excess was extremely fashionable and intoxication ….Well ……COOL.

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    • “Long island” Where property tax is more than the mortgage. LOL.

      The smartest thing any young person, or any person can do is leave that place and NEVER EVER return.

      Long Island, LOL # 2 , you have the conservative police state, liberal nanny state and the dirtiest politicians on both sides in the entire USA.

      Hi we are on young couple living on Long Island, we both have full time jobs and can barely afford our illegal basement apartment…

      Run Run Run ! From that cesspool. You can have a better life almost anyplace else !

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  3. Maybe the National Institute of Health should worry about diseases and not peoples behaviors.

    The Top 10 Deadliest Diseases http://www.healthline.com/health/top-10-deadliest-diseases#1

    Anyway according to the article family interventions may be delivered in the home, but that is not universally the case; some may be delivered in social service, community health, or educational settings.

    “Family interventions” Maybe the government should just stay out of the business of raising families. The TV is so full of political stuff this year and socialism just makes me want to puke and the DARE program is the biggest joke, all that money and effort and it leads to more kids messing with drugs.

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