Melissa Gilbert Says Its Time to Get Help.
Television legend Melissa Gilbert (Laura on Little House on the Prairie and star of 45 television mini-series) recently became the national spokesperson for The Partnership at Drugfree.org. She joins at a time when 9 million teens and young adults need treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, 2 million are between the ages of 12 and 17 and 90 percent of those are not getting the help they need.
The Partnership has just launched an online community for families of teens and young adults in crisis called Time To Get Help. A first-of-its-kind resource, it offers comprehensive insight into adolescent alcohol and drug abuse, dependence and addiction, support from top experts and other parents who have been there, and treatment options for those who need help.
Here is what Melissa Gilbert had to say in a recent conversation about drug and alcohol issues of concern to families.
JK: You have raised four boys, with one still at home (age 15). When did you start talking to them about the dangers and consequences of drug and alcohol use?
MG: We have had conversations about the dangers of drugs and alcohol for a long time. It was my youngest, Michael, who said to me at the age of 9 when I was refilling my glass of white wine Mama, youre not gonna drink more wine tonight. He was very sensitive and aware of what was going on with me. I stopped drinking and got into recovery.
JK: Did you use the Internet as a resource to deal with drug and alcohol problems?
MG: No. Back then there was so much information circulating among people, some valid and some not. We talked to friends and people we thought knew about these things. So many parents dont have anywhere to turn. The Partnerships Time To Get Help site has boiled everything down to what is most pertinent and relevant and most important. Everything is in one place.JK: What would you like people to know about addiction?MG: The public perception is that it is not a disease but a test of will power. There is no will involved at all. I once watched a girlfriend order my favorite drink and then not drink it. Its hard for me to believe that someone could not finish a drink and not want more. Im not like that. To take one drink is to awaken the sleeping beast. JK: What do you think about young celebrities in Hollywood who are getting caught doing drugs?MG: The thing to bear in mind is that if you break down the statistics, were only talking about a small percentage of actors given the general statistics on use by young people. My hope is that these young men and women can be held up as cautionary tales of what can happen. No ones life is perfect and they shouldnt be held to different standards. JK: So these are teachable moments for talking to kids about what can happen.
MG: Several years ago my 3 older sons started talking to my youngest son about their experiences. One of my sons was arrested for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute only 2 weeks after he started using at about age 19 or 20. Even though there were 4 concerned parents raising him, none of us knew he had started using cocaine. He had gotten a check for $800 for Christmas, come home from a family vacation in Hawaii and spent it all on coke. The judge gave us a tremendous gift. He took away my sons 4th Amendment right so that he had no right to privacy and could be searched at any time by the police. He had to prove himself and has not touched cocaine since. We were lucky.JK: You have to talk to kids about drugs and alcohol. And parents sometimes need help to know how to talk about it.MG: The information at drugfree.org is the gold standard because it is so beautifully and perfectly laid out informative without being overmedicalized and the information is easy to find.Judy Kirkwood is a Parent Ambassador for The Partnership at Drugfree.org
