The Addiction Inoculation summary

As a parent, it can be comforting to imagine that substance abuse is something that only affects other people's children. Ours are too trustworthy, too well-informed, and too sensible to act so irresponsibly. Right?

Wrong. The fact of the matter is that nobody’s kids are immune. Don't believe it? Consider these statistics: teenagers are the demographic most likely to abuse stimulants, anti-anxiety drugs, and prescription pain medication – and in any given month, almost one-fifth have engaged in binge drinking.

Jessica Lahey, the author and a recovered alcoholic herself, spends each Sunday night at a twelve-step meeting in the basement of a church in Vermont. What fascinates her most at these gatherings are the other participants’ stories – especially the recovering addicts’ accounts of their very first experiences with drugs or alcohol. 

What led up to that first drink or puff? And what could have averted it? As a mother who wants to protect her own kids, these are the questions that resonate for Lahey as she listens.

Do you remember what it felt like to master a new skill as a kid – the thrill of riding a bike for the first time, or reading without anyone else’s help? 

Well, that unmistakable sense of elation, satisfaction, and competence is at the heart of what psychologists call self-efficacy – the belief that one has the ability to succeed in life, by adapting to new circumstances and overcoming obstacles.

Family dinners aren’t always a walk in the park. There are schedules to juggle, timers to set, phones to answer, and homework to be done: it’s no wonder that the urge to eat in front of the TV can sometimes prove irresistible.

But you should resist anyway. Fostering trust through communication with your kids is vital in helping them steer clear of substance abuse – and the dinner table is the ideal place for these discussions.

Peer pressure is the nemesis of parents the world over, and the complaint is always the same: if only kids listened to you instead of their friends, if only they cared less about being cool and fitting in – then you could rest easy. But instead, you’re afraid.

You’re afraid that every ounce of wisdom you impart is being undermined by some bad influence during lunch break. Afraid that if your son is offered a bottle of beer, he’ll be too timid to refuse it. Afraid that your daughter might smoke weed again if that troublesome friend of hers insists.