Astrid Milde-Busch, Ph.D. and colleagues at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich, Germany, were the first to examine modifiable risk factors for different types of headaches among adolescents. Their study appears online in Headache, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell.

While modifiable risk factors such as alcohol consumption, coffee drinking, and cigarette smoking, have been associated with headaches in adults, they haven’t been thoroughly examined among youths. Previous studies have found that adolescents frequently complain of headaches: 5 to 15 percent of adolescents suffer from migraines, and 15 to 25 percent experience tension headaches.

The researchers surveyed 1,260 students from ages 14-20, asking them questions about headaches and lifestyle. If they said they had headaches during the last seven days, three months, or six months, they were classified as headache sufferers. They differentiated between migraine and tension headaches through reported symptoms, and they also asked about diet and lifestyle, including questions about coffee, cigarettes, and alcohol.

The results found that 83.1% had headaches at least during the last six months, with 10.2% suffering from migraine, 48.7% suffering tension headaches, and 19.8% with both migraine and tension headaches. As for diet, 28.4% of students never ate breakfast, 16.5% didn’t eat a daily snack, and only 24.0% had lunch daily. It was found that 22.3% drank less than 1 liter of non-alcoholic beverages per day. However, alcohol consumption was prevalent: 38.5%, 18.6%, and 25.3% drank beer, wine, and cocktails at least once per week (respectively). Of the students, 73.3% said they didn’t smoke and 43.4% students said they didn’t drink coffee.

The authors found a strong association between drinking alcohol and coffee, smoking, and lack of physical activity and migraines plus tension headaches. Those who drank caffeine and had little physical activity were far more likely to experience migraines.

The study suggests that adolescents who suffer from headaches could benefit from regular exercise and abstaining from alcohol. Teens who experience migraines should keep coffee drinking to a minimum.

Source: Science Daily, Alcohol Use and Smoking Are Associated with Headaches in High Schoolers, June 9, 2010. 

Drinking and Smoking Linked to Migraines in High-School Students is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

"First of all, the adolescent brain is still undergoing several maturational processes that render it more vulnerable to some of the effects of substances," Tapert says. In other words, key areas of the brain are still being developed during the adolescent years, and are more sensitive to the toxic effects of drugs and alcohol.

For the study, published last month in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, Tapert looked at 12- to 14-year-olds before they used any alcohol or drugs. Over time, some of the kids started to drink, some rather heavily (consuming four or five drinks per occasion, two or three times a month).

Comparing the young people who drank heavily with those who abstained from drinking, Tapert’s team found that the binge drinkers did worse on thinking and memory tests. There was also a distinct gender difference.

"For girls who had been engaging in heavy drinking during adolescence, it looks like they’re performing more poorly on tests of spatial functioning, which links to mathematics, engineering kinds of functions," Tapert says.

"For boys who engaged in binge drinking during adolescence, we see poor performance on tests of attention — so being able to focus on something that might be somewhat boring, for a sustained period of time," she adds. "The magnitude of the difference is 10 percent. I like to think of it as the difference between an A and a B."

Pediatrician and brain researcher Ron Dahl from the University of Pittsburgh notes that adolescents seem to have a higher tolerance for the negative immediate effects of binge drinking, such as feeling ill and nauseated.

"Which makes it easier to consume higher amounts and enjoy some of the positive aspects," Dahl says. "But, of course, that also creates a liability for the spiral of addiction and binge use of these substances."

He adds that there is a unique feature of the teenage brain that drives much behavior during adolescence: The teen brain is primed and ready for intense, all-consuming learning.

"Becoming passionate about a particular activity, a particular sport, passionate about literature or changing the world or a particular religion" is a normal, predictable part of being a teenager, he says.

"But those same tendencies to explore and try new things and try on new identities may also increase the likelihood of starting on negative pathways," he adds.

Tapert wanted to find out in what way binge drinking affects a teen’s developing brain. So using brain imaging, she focused on the white matter, or nerve tissue, of the brain.

"White matter is very important for the relay of information between brain cells; and we know that it is continuing to develop during adolescence," Tapert says.

She imaged the brains of two groups of high school students: binge drinkers and a matched group of teens with no history of binge drinking. She reports in her recent study a marked difference in the white matter of the binge drinkers.

"They appeared to have a number of little dings throughout their brains’ white matter, indicating poor quality," Tapert says.

And poor quality of the brain’s white matter indicates poor, inefficient communication between brain cells.

"These results were actually surprising to me because the binge drinking kids hadn’t, in fact, engaged in a great deal of binge drinking. They were drinking on average once or twice a month, but when they did drink, it was to a relatively high quantity of at least four or five drinks an occasion," she says.

In another study, Tapert reported abnormal functioning in the hippocampus—a key area for memory formation — in teen binge drinkers. Reflecting their abnormal brain scans, the teen drinkers did more poorly on learning verbal material than their non-drinking counterparts.

What remains unknown, says Tapert, is if the cognitive downward slide in teenage binge drinkers is reversible.

Study Shows that Teen Drinking May Cause Permanent Damage is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

What Is Wilderness Experiential Therapy

In a sense, wilderness experiential therapy is a combination of the best camp experience with inpatient traditional addiction treatment. The goal is to introduce young adults and older teens to a drug- and alcohol-free way of living. Wilderness treatment centers (WTCs) have activities that increase clients’ self-confidence and feeling of empowerment. They’re no cakewalk, however. The activities are both rugged and challenging and may include rappelling, ranch work, wilderness expeditions, backpacking, cross country skiing and others.

Length of Stay

Depending on the wilderness experiential therapy program, the length of stay is the traditional 30-day inpatient chemical dependency addiction treatment program that has the added benefits of wilderness adventure expeditions that range from 16 to 40 days in duration. If the young person is addicted to drugs or alcohol he or she may need to go through medically monitored detox first, and some attend a 30-day traditional alcohol or drug rehab first to stabilize them and ensure they are healthy for the experience.

Staffing

Look for licensed addiction counselors that are with the clients the entire length of their stay. This isn’t a case of sending young adults off on some bonding trip where they do survival training. Experienced counselors trained in all the activities are with clients at all times.

Unconventional Settings for Treatment

Like the name implies, wilderness experiential therapy takes place in settings that offer incredible beauty and majesty of nature – and are nothing like the sterile or hospital-like environment of some traditional treatment facilities. Rocky Mountain and Blue Ridge Mountain locations, ranches or settings in Montana, Arizona, Utah, North Carolina, Oregon, or other breathtaking sites just add to the overall excitement of being away from it all. Many times the opportunity to be several states or hundreds of miles from home, and faced with taking a sense of personal responsibility and accountability with the assistance of licensed addiction treatment counselors is enough to make a dramatic change in the client.

Treatment Philosophy

Type of treatment used is generally multi-disciplinary, depending on the facility. Some are male only or female only WTCs. Since chemically-dependent or polysubstance-addicted individuals often have behavioral and emotional issues and psychological problems such as ADD, ADHD, oppositional-defiant, depressed, conduct-disordered or bi-polar, treatment counselors use appropriate methods designed for maximum impact. The 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous programs are utilized.

Daily Schedules

Daily life at the WTCs begins early – usually about 7:00 a.m. – and it’s lights out by 10:30 p.m. In between, there are lectures, chores, individual counseling, group therapy, step group and peer evaluation, free time, AA or NA meetings, individual counseling assignments, recreation therapy, and work therapy. Again, the schedules vary depending on WTC.

Cost of Programs

These vary depending on location, type of treatment offered, length of stay and other factors. Costs per day are from $375 and includes room, board and all therapy, plus a clothing allowance of $500 (for wilderness expedition equipment, sleeping bags, etc.). Insurance may help cover a portion of the costs, and some WTCs have loans available to cover the stay.

How to Find Wilderness Experiential Therapy Centers

Referrals come from both inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment centers, probation officers, individual counselors, even family members.

Licensing and Accreditations

Make sure the WTC you’re considering has all the right licenses and accreditations. Look for licensing by the state’s Department of Health and Human Services, accreditation from organizations such as the Association for Experiential Education, The Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC), National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) and others.

Tips for Finding A Wilderness Experiential Therapy Program

It takes a lot of research, but the rewards will be well worth it. Here are some tips to help make your search more productive.

• Research Type of Treatment Option – Find the one that’s right for your loved one.

• Visit Websites – From the handful of potential programs you’ve identified, visit each WTC’s website. Thoroughly read through their treatment programs and philosophies to ensure it’s what you’re looking for.

• Make Contact – You’ll undoubtedly have more questions, so now’s the time to make a phone call to talk with their admissions counselor to get the answers.

• Check References – It’s important to check the reputation of the WTC from previous clients. These may be in the form of testimonials, articles in the media, or even talking to the parents of former clients.

• Get The Family Involved – The addiction of your loved one affects the entire family, so make this a family decision. There are also some WTCs that have a family component, so investigate that as well.

• Take a Tour – If possible, tour the facility before you enroll your loved one. If this is not possible due to distance or time constraints, see if the facility has virtual tours on its website or a DVD they can send.

• Know All The Costs – Don’t be blindsided by costs you hadn’t anticipated. Ask for a complete and itemized estimate of what’s involved for the treatment program. Financial aid, loans or scholarships may be available, and insurance may cover a small portion of the program.

• Stay Informed – Once you’ve selected the wilderness experiential therapy program for your loved one, stay informed through the WTC’s licensed professionals on progress and any information critical to aftercare.
 

Wilderness Experiential Therapy for Young Adults is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment