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AND YOUR BODY

REAL NEWSHEADS UPHEADS UPABOUT DRUGS

FROM SCHOLASTIC AND THE SCIENTISTS OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Follow these tips to get the most from your doctor visit.

DoctorTalking

With Your

You might not realize it, but questions andissues you face as a teen are more related to yourhealth than you might think. How do you sort itout? One of the best ways is to talk to yourdoctor. Here’s a checklist to get the conversationstarted:

WRITE IT DOWN Keep a list of your questionsand concerns, and bring them to yourappointment. Consider keeping a health journalto record your daily moods and feelings. Themore information you provide to your doctor, the better he or she will be able to help you. And remember, when it comes to your health,there are no dumb questions. None.

If there’s one word that best sums up the teenyears, it’s “change.” Your body grows morebetween ages 13 and 19 than at any otherpoint in life besides infancy. Think about it.

While change can be exciting, it also brings arange of questions. You may be confused about ortroubled by acne, weight issues, or body changes.You may experience mood swings that can makeyou feel stressed, depressed, or like you’re ridingan emotional roller coaster. And you might facedecisions that involve the use of substances such asalcohol, tobacco, and other drugs or activities suchas sex, all of which can have serious consequences.

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Listening to Teens: A Doctor’s Viewpoint

When a teen patient goes for a physicalwith Dr. Norman Wetterau, a family physicianand expert on substance abuse in upstate NewYork, Dr. Wetterau asks him or her to fill out aconfidential questionnaire. He uses this to getinsight into issues teensmay want to talk about.

“Teenagers are sort of forgotten,” says Dr. Wetterau. “Somedoctors feel like theyhave difficulty relating toteens. ‘What are we goingto say to them?’ somedoctors think. And I keepsaying, why don’t youlearn from them? Whydon’t you listen to them?”

Dr. Wetterau finds that many teens who useand abuse drugs are emotionally hurting.“They’re depressed, suicidal, maybe theirparents have alcohol and drug problems.Sometimes when I listen to their stories, I wantto weep. They should know that if they’regetting upset they can see the doctor—beforethey get sick, before something worse happens.”

Teen patients in Dr. Wetterau’s office cantalk to other health-care professionals besidesthe doctor if they’d like to. “I have a femalephysician’s assistant some of my femalepatients talk to about their sexual concerns.There are nurse practitioners, too,” says thedoctor. “But, the most important thing for teenpatients, I think, is to show them that you care.”

FROM SCHOLASTIC AND THE SCIENTISTS OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

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When it comes to your health, talking to yourdoctor is a great way of getting theinformation you need to make smart choicesregarding drug abuse and other importanthealth issues. The more you know about yourbody, the more you can be in control of yourhealth—and your life.

GET THE FACTS Use your appointment as anopportunity to debunk myths and rumors aboutdrugs, alcohol, and health in general. Ask howsubstance abuse might affect your body. Let yourdoctor know if drug addiction or alcoholism runsin your family. Ask how drugs and alcohol canaffect medications prescribed for you or increaseyour chances of contracting certain diseases.Find out your personal risks. Want moreinformation on a health topic? Ask your doctorfor brochures, CDs, and other material that youcan take with you.

GET IT OUT Let’s face it. Talking about thingslike pimples, sexual development, or drug abuseisn’t exactly fun. It’s normal to be uncomfortable,but don’t let embarrassment keep you fromspeaking up. Your doctor can’t help you withoutknowing everything that’s going on, includingyour feelings. Teens might not realize thatnegative feelings, including depression, oftenoccur at the same time as alcohol and drug use.

Tip: A form from the American Medical Association can help teens compile personal facts about their health. To download this form, visit www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/1980.html. It’s a great idea to fill out thequestionnaire and bring it to your doctor visit.Most doctors give confidential time to teens andyou can share it at this time with your doctor.

FOLLOW UP If your doctor has prescribedmedications, be sure to ask questions about howto take your medicine properly. Make sure toschedule a follow-up appointment if necessary.

EMPOWER YOURSELF As a patient, you have aright to be an advocate for your health. Thisincludes finding the right doctor. If you don’tfeel comfortable talking with your doctor, askyour parents about finding another health-careprofessional to speak with. Remember that it’sOK to ask questions and expect answers, and it’salways OK to get a second opinion.

NIDA6_INS3_Stu Mag 12/4/07 12:42 PM Page 3

FROM SCHOLASTIC AND THE SCIENTISTS OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

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Getting Facts

Talking with your doctor is an important way to get information about drug abuse and health issues. A recent online event, Drug Facts Chat Day, sponsored by the

National Institute on Drug Abuse, provided teensacross the country with a chance to pose questions to the nation’s top scientific experts about drugs.

“Does drinking at ayoung age make you more likely to become an alcoholic?”

“Can smoking casuallystill have bad effects on your body?”

“If you do drugs everyday, when would youdie?”

These are only a few of the more than 36,000questions teens put to a team of NIDA experts onOctober 12, 2007. To read a transcript of questionsand answers from this event, visit:

www.drugabuse.gov/chat/2007

Test YourselfAfter reading the article “TalkingWith Your Doctor,” take thisquiz. Check True or False foreach statement. Answers are inthe teacher’s supplement.

1 Negative feelings, includingdepression, often occur atthe same time as alcohol anddrug use.

True False

2 When you talk to a doctor,it’s best not to ask too manyquestions, especially if theymay sound dumb.

True False

3 A doctor is the only personyou can talk to about yourhealth when you go for amedical appointment.

True False

4 By sharing information withyour doctor about drugs,alcohol, and health ingeneral, you may be able tofind out your personal risks.

True False

5 Your body grows morebetween the ages of 13 and19 than at any other pointbesides infancy.

True False

Getting Help for a Drug ProblemThe best way for someone to stop using drugs is to get treatment from a doctor or a therapist. Thesooner a person gets treatment, the better are hisor her chances for recovery.

If you are in crisis and need to speak with someone immediately, please call the NationalSuicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK—they don’t just talk about suicide, they cover a lot of issues and will help put you in touch withsomeone in your area.

For more help, or to locate treatment centers, go to www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov, or call the national hotline at 1-800-662-HELP.

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