Mentor, OH April 5, 2017:

Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers is proud to participate this April in Alcohol Awareness Month. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) theme for 2017 is “Connecting the Dots:  Opportunities for Recovery”.

We know that alcohol and drug use by youth is highly dangerous and a direct contributor to traffic fatalities, violence, suicide, overdose, poor academic performance and much more. The NCADD has created a list of physical signs parents can look for that might indicate drug abuse.

• Eyes that are bloodshot or pupils that are smaller or larger than normal.
• Frequent nosebleeds could be related to snorted drugs (meth or cocaine).
• Changes in appetite or sleep patterns.  Sudden weight loss or weight gain.
• Seizures without a history of epilepsy.
• Deterioration in personal grooming or physical appearance.
• Impaired coordination, injuries/accidents/bruises that they won’t or can’t tell you  about- they don’t know how they got hurt.
• Unusual smells on breath, body, or clothing.
• Shakes, tremors, incoherent or slurred speech, impaired or unstable coordination.

Behavioral signs of alcohol or drug abuse include;

• Skipping class, declining grades, getting in trouble at school.
• Drop in attendance and performance at work–loss of interest in extracurricular activities, hobbies, sports or exercise–decreased motivation.
• Complaints from co-workers, supervisors, teachers or classmates.
• Missing money, valuables, prescription or prescription drugs, borrowing and stealing
• Acting isolated, silent, withdrawn, engaging in secretive or suspicious behaviors.
• Clashes with family values and beliefs.
• Preoccupation with alcohol and drug-related lifestyle in music, clothing and posters.
• Demanding more privacy, locking doors and avoiding eye contact.
• Sudden change in relationships, friends, favorite hangouts, and hobbies.
• Frequently getting into trouble (arguments, fights, accidents, illegal activities).
• Using incense, perfume, air freshener to hide smell of smoke or drugs.
• Using eye drops to mask bloodshot eyes and dilated pupils.

It is important for parents to learn all they can about alcohol and drug abuse in teens.  The NCADD website can provide more information at www.ncadd.org.

Adults who may have questions about their own alcohol use can find a questionnaire created by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH) which is designed to help people examine their own alcohol usage. The questionnaire can be found on the Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers’ website or by visiting the NIH website at https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/inscage.htm

For more information about Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers please visit our website at www.lgrc.us or call 440-255-0678.

Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers is a private, nonprofit agency providing continuous service to the community since 1971. Services at Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers are made possible due to the generous support of the Lake County ADAMHS Board, the Geauga Board of MHRS, and United Way of Lake & Geauga Counties.

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