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SFUSD Alcohol Awareness

SFUSD Alcohol Awareness. December 9, 2009 Ralph Cantor. What’s the big deal about kids drinking anyways???. Demeaning behaviors Sexual behaviors Risk taking behaviors Accidents Learned behavior for partying and stress Damage to the developing brain- pre 18.

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SFUSD Alcohol Awareness

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  1. SFUSD Alcohol Awareness December 9, 2009 Ralph Cantor

  2. What’s the big deal about kids drinking anyways??? • Demeaning behaviors • Sexual behaviors • Risk taking behaviors • Accidents • Learned behavior for partying and stress • Damage to the developing brain- pre 18

  3. Recent AMA Report on Brain Damage Risks Under 18 “The brain goes through dynamic changes during adolescence, and alcohol can seriously damage long and short term growth processes…Short-term or moderate drinking impairs learning and memory far more in youth than adults.”

  4. Alcohol and Teenagers: • Date Rape – one to two-thirds of teen sexual assaults involve alcohol • 18% of Females/ 39% Males say it is acceptable for a boy to force sex if the girl is stoned or drunk • 40% of children who start drinking before age 15 will become alcoholics • In television 9 out of 10 drinkers are portrayed as having no effects or only positive outcomes from their alcohol consumption

  5. Are adolescents more susceptible to alcohol than adults? Most certainly YES • Reduced sensitivity to intoxication • Increased sensitivity to social disinhibitions • Greater adverse effects to cognitive functioning

  6. Teenage developmental tasks • Boredom/ Developing Interests • Good times • Stress • Social Skills • Academic Skills • Self Identity

  7. Reasons for delaying message • Safety • Development of the prefrontal cortex • Pruning and myelination • Neuroadaptivity: dull pleasure center • Short circuiting developmental tasks • Greater need for dopamine • Pharmacological solutions resulting in pharmacological insults • The research

  8. Percentage of U.S. Adults Aged 18 and Older Dependent on Alcohol, By Age of Drinking Onset

  9. Prevention Factors • Supportive family (tuned in, time together, supervision, fair rules/boundaries) • Interests and exercise • Youth are connected (school, activities) • Social Skills • Resiliency (coping with stress, celebration) • A clear message – NOT NOW

  10. Our Own Self Assessment • Andrew Weil – Unhealthy relationship • Ignorance that the substance is a drug and what it does to the body • Loss of desired effect w/increasing frequency • Difficulty separating from the drug • Impairment of health or social function

  11. OPEN DISCUSSION

  12. Contact Information Ralph Cantor (510) 653-9410 rjcantor@aol.com

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