Teens Under the Influence: The Truth About Kids, Alcohol, and Other Drugs- How to Recognize the Problem and What to Do About It [Paperback]

Katherine Ketcham (Author), Nicholas A. Pace (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 26, 2003

Across the United States, in small towns and major cities, in suburbs and slums, in public and private schools, thousands of kids are experimenting with drugs. Many of them will become addicts; some will die. The first and only book to focus entirely on adolescent alcohol and other drug use, Teens Under the Influence addresses the immediate dangers that threaten these kids—exploring the short- and long-term effects of their addiction and giving parents solid, sensitive, practical advice to combat this growing epidemic.

Knowledge is the key to defeating drug addictions, and that is what this comprehensive, timely new book provides. Full of candid true stories from adolescent drug users, with facts based on the most recent scientific research, Teens Under the Influence tells you exactly what you need to know to deal with your child’s problem, covering such important topics as

• The common myths and misconceptions about drug addiction
• The crucial differences between adult and adolescent dependency
• The reasons kids get hooked
• The stages of adolescent addiction
• The different kinds of drugs kids use and combine
• Various treatment options and how to choose the best treatment for your child
• Strategies for handling relapses

Teens Under the Influence offers practical help that may save your child’s life. It may save the life of a friend. And it may save your own.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ketcham (Under the Influence) and Pace, founding director of the American Council on Drug Education, present an honest and factual look at the problem of teenage substance abuse in this valuable parenting resource. Their compassionate approach should be highly valuable both to parents of children who are already abusing drugs and alcohol, and to those who want to prevent their kids from ever using. The book is painstaking and thorough, with a detailed chapter on each drug and how it works. The authors even explain what each drug's high is like (e.g., "cocaine increases brain levels of the feel-good chemical dopamine" and usually makes a user hyperactive, impulsive and talkative). The book's final section gives detailed instructions on how parents can intervene and walk their children through the rehabilitation process, including relapses.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Parents will find this hard to read, especially if they have a teen who is already abusing drugs. Ketcham, who worked on Under the Influence , about alcoholism in adults (2002), teams with Pace, a drug-education advocate, to tell it like it is. Combining scientific findings (some as recent as 2002), statements from professional counselors and researchers, and remarks from teens as young as 12, the text presents a stark picture of kids in trouble, addressing three questions parents frequently ask: Why has my teen turned to drugs? What are the most common substances he or she may be using? How do they affect still-growing bodies and brains? Fortunately, the authors don't just leave it at that; without false encouragement, they also examine what parents need to do to help their kids. This isn't a casual read; the clinical style is a little off-putting. But it is an honest, informative evaluation of a serious problem; despite the depressing facts, the authors still hold out hope for family and personal recovery--over time. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 414 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (August 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 034545734X
• ISBN-13: 978-0345457349
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,586 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've been writing non-fiction books for 30 years. My first book, Under the Influence (co-authored by James Milam, Ph.D.) was published in 1981 and my latest book, "Miss O'Dell" (written with Chris O'Dell) was published in September 2009. My books have been published in sixteen foreign languages and have sold over 1.5 million copies.

In 2000 I began volunteering at the Juvenile Justice Center in Walla Walla, leading educational groups and working individually with adolescents in trouble with alcohol and other drugs. I've worked there ever since, as both a paid employee and volunteer,meeting with young people in detention and on probation.

From October 2001 to October 2003, I wrote a bi-monthly newspaper column for the Walla Walla Union Bulletin titled "Straight Talk About Drugs." I am currently working on a newspaper column about kids, drugs, and parents and hope to start publishing it in the summer of 2010.

In 2003, working with a group of committed parents, I started a parent support group at the Juvenile Justice Center in Walla Walla, which continues to this day. I am also deeply involved in community efforts to develop and expand community-based recovery support services for youth and families. Our grassroots group Trilogy Recovery Community is part of the national recovery movement spearheaded by Faces and Voices of Recovery in Washington, D.C.

I grew up in New Jersey and graduated from the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York with a degree in psychology in 1971. I have lived and worked in Boston, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, San Francisco, Seattle, and Ohio. In 1984, I moved to Walla Walla, Washington with my husband, Patrick Spencer, a professor of geology at Whitman College. We have three children -- Robyn, 28, a graduate of Willamette University and Boston University's Speech/Language Pathology master's program; Alison, 26, a graduate of the University of Montana who lives in Denver and works for a real estate development firm; and Benjamin, 24, who will graduate from Whitman College in May 2010 and move to Nashville to work as a Teach for America Corps member. My extended family -- brothers, sisters, cousins, second cousins, and on it goes -- is a great source of joy. I love roses and having my hands in the dirt; golf (I get worse every year, a lesson in humility for sure); walks; yoga; and photography. Someday I hope to devote more time to taking portraits of children and families.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a must for anyone working with teens, September 25, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Teens Under the Influence: The Truth About Kids, Alcohol, and Other Drugs- How to Recognize the Problem and What to Do About It (Paperback)

I work with teens with drug/alcohol problems and this book is an absolute must. It is an excellent book in that it dispels the myths about teen addiction that are very prevalent in our society. These myths prevent us from dealing with our children, students, and patients in the most effective way. In addition to factual and up-to-date information about addiction's causes and treatment, it includes information from the teens themselves that is not ony profound but touching. While the book is full of essential research, it is also a book I could not put down. The authors artfully provide information in a way that keeps you wanting to turn each page. I know that as a result of this book, I will never again see addiction in quite the same way. This book has many practical applications as well as providing a paradigm shift in my thinking. This is a book not only for professionals, but for parents dealing with these issues. I consider it a "must have" book in working with kids.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Honest and thorough, February 16, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Teens Under the Influence: The Truth About Kids, Alcohol, and Other Drugs- How to Recognize the Problem and What to Do About It (Paperback)

This book is a must read for any parent who has concerns about their child taking drugs. It is incredibly thorough in terms of covering all types of drugs, what to look for in your child's behavior/physical appearance, sharing various kids and parents stories, drug abuse from both the kids and parents perspectives, what to do and how to deal with the abuse, and most importantly, knowing that you aren't alone. A beautifully and honestly written book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Teens: Under the Influence, October 23, 2006

By 

Warren P. Nichols (Edmond, Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Teens Under the Influence: The Truth About Kids, Alcohol, and Other Drugs- How to Recognize the Problem and What to Do About It (Paperback)

This book is "the" book for any parent wanting an understanding of the process of destruction alcohol does to their child.

As the founder of a non profit organization dedicated to providing education, support and resources to parents (parentshelpingparents.info) who have just learned that they have a child abusing alcohol and/or other drugs. I found that this book did the best job in providing parents with the all the information they need and preparing them for creating a new direction for their child. For this reason, Our board of directors selected this book to provide to families.

Never give up, always have a plan.
Pat Nichols, Chair
Parents Helping Parents, Inc.