Addiction treatment for kids and teenagers lags far behind demand; kids aren’t getting the treatment they need

Teen overdose deaths have doubled in three years. Blame fentanyl. | The HillAn alarming rise in overdose deaths among children and teenagers is colliding with an inadequate pediatric mental health system — including a lack of addiction treatment. Limited treatment options and coverage gaps mean that many kids aren’t getting needed care that could help prevent them from developing a deeper and

Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

Parents of teens more concerned about internet addiction than drug use, study finds: ‘Problematic patterns’

Worried mother - teenMore parents are concerned about internet addiction by their adolescent children than substance addiction, according to the results of a survey published in JAMA Network Open on Oct. 26.  Parents of children aged 9 to 15 years see internet use as a double-edged sword. While it fosters a sense of

Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

‘Jake didn’t want to die’: Mom of Texas football player Jake Ehlinger, who overdosed in 2021, warns about risks of fentanyl

Posted in News | Leave a comment

Another Hays CISD student dies from suspected fentanyl poisoning; “killing us at a rapid rate”

Report Highlights Fentanyl's Deadly Role In The Overdose Crisis : Shots - Health News : NPRThe Hays County Sheriff’s Office said a 15-year-old died from a suspected fentanyl poisoning Monday.  In May, Hays CISD said in an email to parents that six students have died due to suspected fentanyl overdoses since summer 2022.  “It’s touching every portion of Hays County. It doesn’t matter where you’re

Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

Drug treatment centers are closing across state; Phoenix House’s teen center in Austin among those closing

After decades of treating low-income Texans fighting substance addiction, Phoenix House Texas is closing down all six of its outpatient clinics and its last residential treatment center for teens this week because they can no longer count on the state to help fund them, the nonprofit group’s director said Tuesday.

Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

Should Texans be concerned about health risks of Delta-8 products? UT Health San Antonio professor comments.

Delta-8 is easily accessible, but it’s never been evaluated for safe use by the FDA.  As other states have moved toward legalizing recreational marijuana, Texas remains a holdout. But is the Lone Star State as careful as it ought to be when it comes to other cannabis products?  Take delta-8, … Continue to full story .......

Posted in News | Leave a comment

Raising Awareness About Suicidality, Self-Harm in Adolescents

With some of the most effective antidepressants containing a black box warning, safe and effective treatment for young adults is hard to come by.   We should be counseling adolescents who are starting a new antidepressant on the risks associated with suicidal ideation and self-harm.  Know the warning signs and communicate … Continue to full story .......

Posted in News | Leave a comment

Fatal Overdoses Involving Fentanyl Plus Coke, Meth Rose 50-Fold Over a Decade

Fatal ODs Involving Fentanyl Plus Coke Meth Rose 50Fold Over a Decade |  Community Healthcare SystemThis is akin to playing Russian roulette.  The “fourth wave” of the U.S. overdose crisis involves the use of illicit fentanyl mixed with stimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine, and it’s killing people in droves. The proportion of U.S. overdose deaths involving both fentanyl and stimulants jumped by more than

Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment

Will Texas’ new fentanyl awareness curriculum for public schools succeed where other anti-drug messaging failed?

Fentanyl Response - Elysian Fields Independent School DistrictHistorically, anti-drug messaging in schools has failed to acknowledge the mental health reasons that youth self-medicate. Without that key lesson, advocates worry House Bill 3908 will be another D.A.R.E. campaign. More than 40 years after former First Lady Nancy Reagan launched her famous “Just Say No” advertising campaign, Texas and … Continue to full story .......

Posted in News | Leave a comment

Texans in Congress now leading bipartisan efforts to allow fentanyl test strips

Posted in News | Leave a comment

Fentanyl: Accelerant of the Adolescent Opioid Crisis

Drug Overdose Symptoms - The Ranch PA %Deaths from unintentional opioid overdose have risen at an unprecedented rate over the past decade, with extraordinarily broad geographic and sociodemographic reach. Although there has been a significant focus on the opioid epidemic among adults, adolescents and young adults have experienced a greater increase in overdose mortality than the general … Continue to full story .......

Posted in News | Leave a comment

Adolescent Substance Use: Reasons for Optimism and Concern

Although adolescent substance use is a topic that can be challenging for families and clinicians alike, data demonstrate that interventions during this time are effective for preventing, identifying, and reducing risky use.”  There are reasons to be optimistic about adolescent substance use given an overall consistent decline in use

Continue to full story .......
Posted in News | Leave a comment