Ain’t It Shocking What… Drugs Can Do

100+ people die every day from drug overdoses who aren’t Whitney Houston. Yes, I am saddened by the loss of such a beautiful and talented woman. Yes, I was moved to tears by the comments and tribute to her at the Grammy’s this evening. And yes, her voice and songs inspired me and were such an integral part of the music of my generation. But no, I am not surprised at all and I can’t help but feel like here we go again. Another public, over-the-top spectacle over one person who lost their life due to addiction, when so many ordinary nobody’s lose their battle with drugs and alcohol every single day. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, in 2007, nearly 100 persons per day died of drug overdoses in the United States. In 2008, drug overdoses in the United States caused 36,450 deaths. What’s even more shocking is that overdose deaths involving opioid pain relievers (OPR), have increased and now exceed deaths involving heroin and cocaine combined. The epidemic of prescription drug overdoses in the United States has worsened over the last decade and according to the US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, by 2010, enough OPR were sold to medicate every American adult with a typical dose of 5 mg of hydrocodone every 4 hours for 1 month! So what does Whitney Houston’s death and all these staggering statistics have to do with teen girls and self-esteem? In regards to the specific needs of adolescent girls, the use and abuse rates for adolescent girls are continuing to rise, while the rates for boys have witnessed a recent decline. Adolescent girls have higher rates of binge drinking, are introduced to substance use at an earlier age, and are physically and developmentally affected more by substance use and abuse than boys. In addition, there are a number of other major risk factors that predispose girls to substance use and abuse when compared to boys. These include: –> Rates of co-occurring disorders such as depression, anxiety and panic attacks are higher in girls, and there is a clear correlation between depression and the development of substance use and abuse. –> Trauma, abuse, and sexual related issues are primary factors leading to substance abuse in girls. –> Girls tend to use drugs and alcohol to initiate and maintain intimate relationships and alcohol is often a gateway in dating and acceptance. –> Self-consciousness and validation are prominent with girls and body image issues and eating disorders develop aggressively in adolescence. Adolescent girls tend to initially use alcohol, tobacco, and drugs to suppress appetite and manage their weight. As a coach and on a more personal level, I see more and more girls suffering from acute anxiety ranging from hair pulling and self-harm to eating disorders and full blown panic attacks. There is so much pressure on girls today to be “all that” and once girls are at the college level, there’s an assumption that they should have it all together and figured out by then, which only prompts more self-medication to try and fit in. With more and more doctors writing prescriptions, “now the burden of dangerous drugs is being created more by a few irresponsible doctors than by drug pushers on street corners” said CDC chief Thomas Frieden. According to a prominent Boston physician in the recovery field and whom shall remain anonymous as he is also a member of a 12 step recovery program, said that once these kids are hooked on illegal prescription drugs, it is one of the hardest addictions to break. Just last year, a 25 year old girl named Meghan, who had gone to high school with my son and who i tried to help get clean and sober, hung herself from a tree in her mother’s backyard. She just could not get off the drugs. Perhaps instead of spending the next few days giving all our attention to the shows, tweets, facebook comments, memorials and tributes to a fallen star, we might shift our focus and see this as a giant wake up call. Maybe all those larger-than-life personalities like Whitney, Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger were all chosen by God to get our attention. Because somehow we’re not paying enough attention to those like Meghan. The other day Elle Febbo, author and creator of the Make it Matter program said to me, “Kathleen, your work matters. You’re not just changing lives… you’re saving lives.” I am humbled by this comment and I pray that God continues to use me to help more girls to build their self-esteem and find their light, truth and power within. If Whitney Houston’s death is our wake-up call, I’m wide awake and ready to serve. Rest in peace, Whitney & Meghan