Clearing the Haze

Helping Families Face Teen Addiction

By (author) Christian Thurstone, Christine Tatum

Hardback - £37.00

Publication date:

02 July 2015

Length of book:

182 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781442231054

Often it is difficult for parents to recognize when their child is abusing alcohol, using illegal drugs, or in trouble with other substances that are hazardous to their health, safety, and wellbeing. Clearing the Haze is a guide designed to help parents determine whether their child may have a substance problem and, if so, how to begin to address it. The book includes the voices and insight of experts in substance abuse counseling, young people in recovery, and parents who have lived the nightmare of adolescent addiction. The book moves readers through an overview of adolescent brain development, the warning signs of drug use and addiction, treatment options, what families should expect of therapy, the basics of productive communication, and the difficulties of dealing lovingly with addicted teens. The authors encourage families entering the 12th step of “giving back” to consider advocacy for smarter public policies surrounding drug access and addiction treatment. They also provide a list of resources parents may find useful. A necessary resource for every community, this book will help parents, teachers, friends, and others help kids who need help.

The mixed messages parents and kids are getting today about addiction is a serious threat to public health. Clearing the Haze is a book whose time has come. Every parent, youth – and policy maker – should memorize it.