Topic - Teen Sleep Problems and Drug/Alcohol Abuse
Between nineteen ninety four and nineteen ninety six, thousands of teens were asked questions about their sleep habits. Six years later, these same kids still had sleep problems, but also had issues related to binge drinking, driving under the influence of alcohol, risky sexual behavior and illegal drugs. These problems are likely caused by a combination of regulatory disorders like Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and depression. ADHD often shows up first in childhood when babies have colic and sleep disturbances which are regulatory deficits. Kids don’t just “outgrow these issues”. The problems become more evident as the demands of life increase. The greater the struggle, the less sleep they get and the anxiety becomes overwhelming. They use drugs, alcohol and destructive behavior to distract themselves. Take steps to manage these problems early.
