FESAT Workshop 3: Young People, Parents, Cannabis and Helplines

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FESAT Workshop 3Young People, Parents,
Cannabis and Helplines

• Counselling, Brief intervention
• Chris Murphy (Ireland)

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A help-call arrives
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A help-call via

• SMS
• Phone
• Internet

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A help-call from

• .

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Types of enquiry

• Request for information
• 2. Wants to talk / Seeking guidance
• 3. Wants to meet a counsellor ( referral)

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1. Request for Information

• SMS (txt) Automated response
• Phone personal, brief response
• 3. Web Live Person brief reply
  

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SMS replies 2006
Other
Cannabis
Hash
Coke
LSD
Acid
Magic mushr
Cocaine
Ecstasy
Speed
Heroin
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2. Person wants to talk

• By Text, Phone or over the Internet
• Wants to talk about a problem
• Perhaps in a crisis
• Asking what am I to do?

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If caller is a Parent

• .

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Online Contacts and Chats

• TOTALS 2006     TOTAL HITS
  66,918 Service Users
• Information Requests Online 2197   
• Parent looking for Information 938 
   Brief responses 
• Out of Hours 496     
• Live Help Chats 289   
• General 118   
• Cannabis 57   
• Heroin 11    Personal responses
• Ecstasy 0    (more lengthy)
• Cocaine 41   
• Amphetamines24   
• Other Drugs 38   

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Why focus on Parents?

• They often make the help call
• Family Systems If the parent changes,
  others will also change
• They see their son or daughter daily I
  can only offer one hour a week to
  meet their son or daughter

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Parent Issues

• Reaching out, asking for help
• Power and responsibility
• Self-care
• Harm reduction and total abstinence
• Relationships
• Intervention

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a) The parent asks for help (at last!)

• Person to Person
• Create a Relationship with the caller
• Share simple information my name, callers
  name, age of person they are worried about,
  confidentiality
• Be Reassuring We will try to help

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b) Power and responsibility

• Powerlessness (a word from AA)

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b) Power and responsibility

• Powerlessness (a word from AA)
• Is it like this????

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b) Power and responsibility

• Or this?

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b) Power and responsibility
Powerlessness The other person is
responsible for his or her own decisions
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Power and responsibility (3)

• A parent ( a good parent) cannot control the
  behaviour of another person even if that person
  is your son or daughter

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Parent Responsibility Age

• Parent of young child has weightier
  responsibility
• Parent
  Child

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Parent Responsibility
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Power and Responsibility

• The Crisis Time to tighten the reins?

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Power and Responsibility

• Or a time of growth for parents and young person?
  
• Remind the young person that parents cannot take
  on their (y.ps) responsibility

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c) Self-care

• Put on your own oxygen mask first
• Get your own feet on solid ground
• Parents decide what is right for you
• Two parents rarely agree thats normal
• What is the desired outcome a young adult who
  is good at self-care?

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Self-care

• Parent is wise to seek help or guidance
• Its good to break the silence
• What help and support is available?
• Do they want referral to a resource near them?
• Do they just want to talk on the phone or
  internet?

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d) Harm reduction and total abstinence

• What is the desired outcome?
• Zero tolerance is not the only option
• Harm-avoidance is a good start
• What about (as an outcome)
• a young adult who takes good care of himself or
  herself?

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e) Relationships

• Have you and your son or daughter had good times
  in the past?
• A sound foundation does not disappear overnight
• Keep the lines of communication open
• Who does he/she listen to
• Do you ever have good conversations?

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f) Intervention

• If there is already serious harm arising (chaotic
  use, violence, stealing, possible addiction)
  intervention is worth considering
• There are guidelines, but it is difficult to
  outline this over the phone
• Better to make contact with an agency or
  counsellor

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Intervention (2)

• GUIDELINES
• Have a meeting, more than one person include
  someone whom the user respects
• Express your care, love, concern
• Stick to facts
• Outline the choices for the future
• Be clear what YOU will do if things dont change.