In this episode, TedX speaker and Executive Director of the nonprofit 22 Forever, Dr. Kristen Gilliand, PhD meets with Bryce Hamilton, LSCSW, to talk about what leads youth to use drugs, how to prevent it, and understanding how the adolescent brain works.

Dr. Giliand talks about why programs like DARE often don’t work, and what she’s doing differently to help reduce the rate at which youth are using drugs.

Kristen shares her story of losing her own child to a drug overdose, and all the research and advocacy work she has discovered since his passing. 

Together, she and Bryce discuss how children are primed for addiction early on,the role mental health plays, and what we as parents can do to counteract those messages and social conditioning.

This advice is simple and easy to implement as a parent and you can start today. A great episode with digestible, easy to take home information for you and your child.

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Kristen earned her Ph.D. at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She later served as an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo where she taught Organic Chemistry, Neurochemistry, and the Chemistry of Drugs and Poisons. After Kristen’s 17-year-old son, Anders, developed schizophrenia – which was most likely associated with high-potency cannabis use in his early teens – Kristen joined the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery at Vanderbilt University (2018). At Vanderbilt, she researched new antipsychotic treatments for schizophrenia. During that same year, Kristen delivered a TEDx presentation titled Rewiring Revolution: Neuroplasticity’s Impact on Wellbeing.Tragically, Kristen lost her son to an accidental overdose in 2019 when his mental health severely declined, and he became addicted to opioids and stimulants. 

Two years after her devastating loss, Kristen changed the trajectory of her life to utilize her scientific teaching, presentation, and research skills to educate adolescent-aged children and their parents on mental health challenges and how it can lead to substance use and self-harm. As the Director of Outreach and Advocacy Programs and Assistant Professor of Research at the Warren Center, Kristen delivered presentations nationwide to youth, parents, law enforcement, legislators, prevention coalitions, and recovery programs. In addition, she developed a multi award-winning educational documentary aimed at youth titled “Speaking Through Me” that was released August 2023. Kristen has appeared on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt and NewsNation: Elizabeth Vargas Reports regarding increased psychosis risk with high-potency cannabis use during adolescence. The overwhelming desire to reach more youth called Kristen to launch the non-profit “22 Forever” in memory of her son, Anders. As the President and Executive Director of 22 Forever, Kristen delivers adolescent brain health presentations both nationally and internationally. 22 Forever’s focus also includes the development of a middle school brain health curriculum as a means of adolescent mental health and substance use disorder prevention.

Learn more about Kristen and her work here:
https://www.speakingthroughme.com/home
https://22forever.org

News Articles:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/mom-says-son-had-cannabis-001011935.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/stronger-marijuana-linked-to-more-psychosis-in-teens-208356421680

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