Hopestream: Parenting Kids Through Addiction & Mental Health

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
This personal episode is dedicated to all the moms who have put their life, dreams, career, and sanity on hold while they fight for their child's safety and health. For those who are having health issues and have given up on joy because of the stress in their life.

I share the bigger meaning behind what this podcast and The Stream represent both to me and to the world at large and encourage you to think about your dreams and passions that might be lying dormant while your child's situation takes over your entire life. We'll also learn about allostatic load (what the heck!?) and why it's important to know about and control. 

You'll come away with practical ideas and an action plan for ways to keep the pilot light lit on at least one of your dreams. 

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Watch the podcast on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
Unfortunately, the opioid epidemic didn't take a time-out when COVID-19 hit. Kids are still taking pills, shooting up, nodding off, overdosing. For parents of teens and young adults who are addicted to drugs or alcohol this time is unbearably hard.

This episode starts with a quick look at the COVID-19 health impact relative to the opioid epidemic and then provides 5 practical things parents can do immediately if they have a child in addiction during this health pandemic.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Overdose Death Statistics (CDC)
• COVID-19 Death Statistics (CDC)
• NALOXONE (Narcan) Standing Order by State
• How to administer Narcan (AMA video)
• How to recognize an overdose (HarmReduction.org)
• CVS Narcan information
• Narcan Pharmacy Prescription Aid
• Walgreens Narcan Information

To check for community programs that provide naloxone for free, google your County + naloxone. Also, check the websites of your local or State Department of Health (eg: google “CA Dept of Health + naloxone” to find relevant information.

Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose.  Naloxone starts working almost immediately, is not addictive, and has no effect if opioids are not present in a person's system. You don't have to be a doctor or medical provider to give someone naloxone. It can be administered by friends and family members.

• SAMHSA Treatment Finder
• SAMHSA’s National Helpline – 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• Online and phone recovery support options
• Psychology Today treatment finder
• Beyond Addiction book 
• Partnership for Drug Free Kids - FREE Parent Hotline

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Watch the podcast on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
In this solo episode, I share common traits and disorders that I consistently hear about from parents who have kids with substance use disorder. Sometimes after describing my son and some of our challenges a mom or dad will look incredulous and say, "You just described my kid - to a T!"

While I'm not a doctor, psychologist, or therapist I am a seasoned parent who hears a lot of stories and can't ignore the similarities I hear about our kid's personalities and struggles. You'll hear about diagnosable conditions like:

• Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD)
• ADHD / ADD
• Trauma

As well as personality traits including:

• perfectionism
• obsessive behavior
• risk and danger-seeking
• high-sensory / sensory overload

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4403287/
• https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-and-substance-abuse-is-there-a-link#1
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1047279712001706?via%3Dihub
• https://theweek.com/articles/461011/why-are-smart-kids-more-likely-drugs
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/oppositional-defiant-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20375831
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/symptoms-causes/syc-20365112
• https://www.healthline.com/health/sensory-overload#related-conditions
• http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/findings.html
• http://blogs.psychcentral.com/addiction-recovery/2012/03/emotional-trauma-addiction/
• https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/acestudy/index.html
• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
• National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse
• National Institutes of Health

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Watch the podcast on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
In this emotional, eye-opening episode, author Paula Becker shares about the process of writing a memoir and book that is so intensely personal. A House on Stilts is her memoir depicting life with her son Hunter, who battled an addiction to opioids, and who ultimately lost his battle in a tragic, non-drug-related accident. Paula bravely shares:

• the process of writing a book so personal and filled with bad memories and what made her decide to publish it
• how addiction doesn't define a person and didn't define Hunter
• why she's rejected the idea of enabling
• how her other children fared during Hunter's years in addiction
• the importance of compassion for families dealing with substance use disorder and 
• things she might do differently if it was possible to rewind time

If you know a family going through this crisis please take an hour to listen and then read the book which will provide you with shocking insight about what it's like to have your child snatched by drugs or alcohol. A House on Stilts is honestly is the first material I've read that accurately portrays the devastation, fear, and helplessness a parent feels when their child is trapped in addiction. 

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Paula Becker, www.paulabeckernow.org
• A House on Stilts book

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Watch the podcast on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE: 
In this special episode, I talk with my dear college friend Tina Jayes about growing up as the sibling in a house where her brother was addicted to drugs and the dysfunction of that combined with an alcoholic mom and little supervision or money. She shares so much:

• the heartbreak of losing her adored, older brother to an overdose 
• how a lack of resources contributed to keeping him in an unhealthy lifestyle
• what she wishes her mom would have done to help her understand what was going on with her brother
• how her mom and brother's addiction has impacted her life today
• her choices around communicating hard information when raising her own children
• thoughts for parents wondering how to talk to their "other" children

We transition from the sibling conversation to self-care and coping strategies she recommends based on her life experience and over 16 years in the beauty industry. We talk all things from maca powder to boxing, puffy eyes, and cucumber facials. Tina gives us practical but important ways to take care of our bodies and minds when faced with incredible life challenges.

This is a great episode to listen to if you have a child with substance use disorder and there are other kids in the home, and if you're looking for ways to feel better as you endure the pain that's related to your child's addiction. 

EPISODE RESOURCES:
Recommended Instagram Accounts:

• @thelymphaticmessage
• @mirrormedicine
• @iamwellandgood
• @meditation_jess
• Maca root powder 
• Green smoothie ingredients: Spinach, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, Maca powder, almonds, water
• Baking Powder - gentle facial exfoliant (any brand)

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Watch the podcast on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
Carrie Wilkens is co-author of Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change. It's the defacto-book recommended by therapists, treatment centers, and parents around the world when they need help with a loved one with substance use disorder. Carrie is down-to-earth, a straight-shooter, and unbelievably knowledgeable about all-things addiction and how we need to change ourselves in order to help our loved ones change. 

This powerful episode will help you understand:

• enabling versus supporting and what that looks like
• how to let your child suffer the natural consequences of their actions, and when it might be good to step in
• relapse and how it can really be an opportunity to learn versus to look at it as a major setback
• alternatives to 12-step programs if they're not working
• why total abstinence may not be the answer
• how to have realistic expectations of treatment for your child

So for those of you in the thick of it, you will totally relate with and learn SO much from this special and important episode with Carrie Wilkens.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Carrie Wilkens, Ph.D., CMC Foundation for Change
• Beyond Addiction, How Science and Kindness Help People Change
• The 20 Minute Guide, the parent workbook that distills motivational strategies and CRAFT concepts down into a quick and easy workbook format. Access all of the sessions are free or you can purchase the workbook in a variety of formats at this link. 
• The Center for Motivation and Change Newsletter
• Additional CRAFT Resources:
  https://www.smartrecovery.org/family/
  https://www.soberfamilies.com/podcasts

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Watch the podcast on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
Derek Bowles knows a LOT about teens, addiction, substances, and the residential care kids sometimes need when local resources aren't working. Derek founded Crossroads Academy in Ogden, Utah over 13 years ago to serve as a place where adolescent boys who are struggling with substance misuse can get away from their home environment (and all that comes with it) and experience the power of getting high - naturally. 

One of the unique aspects of residential living at Crossroads is the adolescent boys participate in X-Game type sports as a way to connect with themselves, their bodies and their therapy team. Wakeboarding, skiing, mountain biking, rock-climbing and gym sessions are all part of the average day for these guys who are in the process of rebuilding their lives. In this episode you'll hear:⁠

• why sometimes kids need to get out of their life for a while and go to residential treatment (and when they shouldn't)⁠
• how to differentiate typical teen behavior and high-risk behavior like drug use⁠
• the two things that research shows works better than treatment and medication⁠
• why adventure-based treatment specifically is so effective with teens⁠
• what to look for if you're considering out-of-home care⁠
• two things Derek wishes parents would stop doing
• why parents have a hard time figuring out how much risk their child is in⁠

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Crossroads Academy
• Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain
• Enlightenment Now, Stephen Pinker
• https://evoketherapy.com/
• Journey of the Heroic Parent - Dr. Brad Reedy
• Dr. Brad Reedy podcast

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Watch the podcast on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
Behind the closed doors of too many homes are families being upended by a young person's substance use.  It may be your 14-year-old son experimenting with pot for the first time, your 17-year-old daughter drinking till she blacks out or your 23-year-old who's smoking Percocet, Xanax, and fentanyl regularly.

And behind these kids are the parents. Worried, exasperated, devastated, and confused. This is your next-door neighbor, hairstylist, attorney, the PTA president, maybe he or she is you.

This pilot episode tells the story of Hopestream host Brenda Zane's family's agonizing journey through the hell of her teenage son's addiction to prescription drugs and high-risk lifestyle. She shines a light on the dark edges of what a child's addiction can do to the health and wellbeing of parents who would give any and everything to bring their child back from the abyss of substance use disorder.

From wilderness therapy at 16 to multiple fentanyl overdoses, gangs, and criminal activity, Brenda's family endured it all from inside the facade of a perfectly put-together, upper-middle-class suburban home in Seattle, WA.

But the story isn't all bad news and characters - it also includes the often-missed elements of hope, resilience, humor, and faith, all of which became crucial elements to not just surviving the trauma but thriving in the aftermath.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change 
• In The Grip - the story of our son’s second overdose and road to recovery

_______________________________________

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Watch the podcast on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.