Ep 278: The New Faces of Teen Addiction

David Magee, author of Things Have Changed, joins us to explain
today's teen addiction crisis involving social media, potent
synthetic drugs and vulnerable mental health.


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Full Show Notes 



Teen substance use has drastically changed in recent years. With
skyrocketing rates of anxiety, depression and addiction, today’s
parents are facing new and confusing challenges when trying to
help their kids. We used to assume teens mainly struggled with
peer pressure around drinking or smoking cigarettes. Now, teens
face a host of new pressures tied to social media, a lack of
sleep, and easy access to dangerously potent substances.


To help parents understand what’s really happening and how we can
better communicate with struggling teens, we spoke with David
Magee, author of Things Have Changed: What Every Parent and
Educator Should Know About the Student Mental Health and
Substance Misuse Crisis.


After losing his son William to an accidental overdose in
college, David became an advocate for better understanding teen
addiction. He now speaks nationwide to students and parents, and
started the William McGee Institute for Student Well Being at Ole
Miss.


It’s Not The Same Substances


Today’s teens aren’t using their parent’s drugs. While past
generations struggled with alcohol, cigarettes or weaker strains
of marijuana, today’s kids are taking synthetic drugs, often
laced with fentanyl, that are exponentially more potent and
dangerous, David explains.


He describes a current epidemic of fake Adderall pills being sold
to high schoolers and college students. The counterfeit pills are
never actual Adderall, but instead made of unknown substances
designed to be addictive. Almost all contain fentanyl, says
David. Kids think they’re buying a familiar drug, but it’s
actually much more treacherous.


This is just one example of how substances have changed. David
explains today’s marijuana can have THC levels of 70-90%,
compared to just 4-8% in the 1990s. He says schools are shocked
when drug tests come back 6 or 7 times higher than just a few
years ago.


Social Media Enables Secret Addiction


David explains that the majority of illegal transactions happen
over social media apps and payment platforms. Kids are finding
connections on Instagram and Snapchat, then paying through Venmo
or CashApp to stay under the radar.


Seeing multiple Venmo payments in and out of a teen’s account
every day could signal that something is amiss, says David. He
explains that parents needs to understand today’s digital
landscape to spot warning signs. Punishment and phone monitoring
usually backfires, while asking caring questions can help kids
open up.


Focus on Feelings, Not Scare Tactics


Well-meaning authority figures often take a punitive approach,
trying to scare teens away from substances through condemnation.
But David explains this usually has the opposite effect, making
kids feel ashamed in ways that increase their desire to use.


Instead, he suggests leading with empathy, compassion and care.
Getting kids the right kind of therapy or counseling is crucial,
preferably with someone who specializes in teen addiction.
Building teens’ emotional intelligence through ongoing
communication within families is key.


Above all, David focuses on helping teens cultivate sustainable
joy in their lives, not just harping on what they shouldn’t do.
He explains that happy, engaged teens are less likely to
self-medicate through dangerous substance use.


If you found this episode helpful, check out David’s website at
davidmcgee.com for more resources. His book provides practical
guidance for parents and educators struggling with today’s newly
complex issues around teen mental health and addiction. Please
subscribe for more content that can help strengthen family
relationships during the critical teen years.





Sponsored by Equip: Eating disorder treatment
that works—delivered at home. Visit equip.health/talking for more
information, and a free consultation.