Teen Drug Addiction Help

Mind Over Matter is a program started by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health. Mind Over Matter is a series of informational articles, blogs and online web tools designed to teach students from age 11 to 14 about drug abuse.

Mind Over Matter is designed to appeal to students mostly in grades fifth through ninth. With a focus on drugs and substance abuse, Mind Over Matter gives teens a look at the realities behind drug addiction and drug abuse. The idea behind the Mind Over Matter campaign is to help spread drug abuse awareness to a younger age group since countless studies and research has shown kids being introduced to drugs on the street at increasingly younger ages. 

Students and Mind Over Matter:

• The Mind Over Matter website provides a list of information about drugs like cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants, marijuana, prescription drugs as well as tobacco addiction. 
• Each subject of information provides students with a complete over view of each drug, how likely it is to become addicted as well as the effects those drugs can have on a person's brain and overall mental and physical health.
• Students can engage in discussions of these topics with the use of the Mind Over Matter publication in class at school or at home with their siblings and parents. 

Parents/teacher and Mind Over Matter:

• There is a teacher's guide available with Mind Over matter to be used in combination with the magazine articles in the series to help teachers inform their students about the reality of drug use as well as the information behind neuroscience and the role it plays in matters of drug addiction. 
• Parents can also benefit from the teacher's guide and Mind Over Matter website as a way to further their child's education about drug abuse and drug addiction. 
• A physical copy of the Mind Over Matter publication can be ordered from the National Institute on Drug Abuse website. Teachers can order enough copies for each student to review in class as a way to stimulate class discussion and information spreading about drug abuse and the effects of drug addiction.

According to research and teen drug statistics, many teens first start out trying drugs out of curiosity. Programs like Mind Over Matter work to help give a complete and realistic look at drugs, drug use and abuse.  Having a good understanding of what drugs are and the risks associated with drug addiction as well as the effects of drug abuse are one of the best ways to help youth stay away from drugs.

source: http://teens.drugabuse.gov/mom/