Hugs, Not Drugs

I read a very sad article yesterday about the rise in the number of teen deaths related to prescription drug abuse. It angers me to the core when I hear or read such stories as those needless deaths are 100% preventable. I know your immediate thought is "How are they preventable?", but give a moment and I'll lay it out for you.

First, let me tell you about my incredibly smart and energetic young English Setter named Zeke. Zeke is one of the most intelligent and trainable dogs I've ever been around. He has been amazing since the day I brought him home. For instance, when I first let him out for some exercise, we make our way to the tall grass surrounding the pond behind our home. It is here where he takes care of his business, if you know what I mean! And 4-5 times a day I would let him out to run, take him to the tall grass and let him get after it. Now, after a few short months, I can be exercising him, walking with him or just letting him roam and when he feels the need to do his stuff, he finds the tall grass. Deep inside that canine brain is neurologic pathway that connects his need to relieve himself and tall grass. How did that connection get made? Training. Over and over the tall grass was connected to the need for relief. From the consistent training we now have a new behavior. So, okay, enough about Zeke, back to these poor kids.

I wonder how many of the kids that use drugs illegally were given meds as young children? I would be willing to bet my right arm that every single one of them has or had at one point been given a medication to make them "feel better." We have created a culture where there is a pill for every ill. A culture that promotes taking medication for everything from a sore neck to a limp...well, you know where I was going.

So lets talk about little Sally. Sally was brought into the world by 2 loving parents that wanted to do everything they could to give her a great life. As an infant, though, Sally had lots of problems with ear infections and was always taking some kind of medicine to help ease those "painful ear aches." As she grew into toddlerhood, frequent colds and tummy aches along with the "usual" fevers and growing pains afforded Mommy the opportunity to push more medication into Sally to help her continue to "feel good." As Sally moves into those wonderful grade school years, she continues to have "the usual" childhood issues with hayfever, colds, runny noses and the like, all of which a loving Mommy doles out the meds. For the first 12 years of Sally's precious life, her loving Mommy has been training her to "go to the tall grass to relieve herself." No, wait. I mean... er? Mommy, who loves her little girl so much, has been training her daughter to believe that pills and drugs will make her feel better. And she has done such a good job at it that a new behavior has developed. "Mommy, my head hurts. May I please have some Tylenol?" Inside Sally's cute little brain, new neurologic connections have been created that link the idea of "feeling good" to "taking a drug". Just like Zeke learned to use the tall grass to make himself feel better, Sally has learned that drugs will "make her feel all better."

Now, fast forward to Sally at age 16. 16 years of training her brain that drugs make me feel better. Mommy and Daddy decide they don't love each other and get a divorce. Sally's best friend has to move away because her parents get divorced. Sally's new boyfriend decides he likes Amy more and dumps her, and, oh by the way, tells everyone in school that Sally is _____(you fill in the blank). Sally doesn't feel to good right now. Training and instinct kick in and Sally turns to what she has been taught and seeks out something to make her feel better. It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong, legal or illegal because her brain has been hardwired to know that "drugs make me feel all better."

This type of training of young minds happends around the US everyday and it's time to stop! Rather than doling out Tylenol likes it's M&M's, how about a hug? It's amazing what a little down time and hug can do to help a child feel better. Rather than giving medicines, give a little time, love and tenderness. Most childhood illnesses and problems are self-healing within hours, if not days. So the next time your son or daughter doesn't feel good, give her a hug.

Hugs, not drugs people. That's how we heal the world.

Please be sure to check back regularly for more insights. In the meantime, why don't you stop by my website at www.lifequestchiro.com and explore! Be Well!