If you're worried your child could be heading toward addiction, you may be waiting for a clear warning sign that shows up too late. In this educational episode, drug prevention expert and author Dave Kopeny walks parents through a 5 step protocol for stepping in early, long before rock bottom. This conversation is for parents, grandparents, caregivers, and anyone who loves a teen and wants to protect their mental health before a crisis starts.

Dave has spent more than three decades working with adolescents and families. He has served as a school counselor, juvenile probation officer, gang investigator, and private investigator specializing in drug prevention and intervention. He also grew up in a family affected by addiction and has lost family members to it.

Today's drug environment is not the one most parents grew up with. Dave explains what has changed, the early signs parents most often overlook, and why the old advice to wait for rock bottom can put a child at serious risk. We also look at how substance use, mental health, and family dynamics feed each other, and at the one thing Dave believes most parents underestimate about their own power to change the outcome.

Chapters

• 1:00
• Meet Dave Kopeny
• 5:39 How Teens Get Targeted Today
• 11:53 Subtle Signs Parents Miss
• 13:55 Finding The Real Reason Why
• 19:07 Schools, Therapists, And Support Teams
• 24:31 Room Checks And Drug Tests
• 26:26 Why Rock Bottom Is Risky
• 28:52
• The Tip Of The Spear Plan 35:41
• Sponsor Break Medicinal Herb Tea 37:28
• Kratom Sold Like Candy
• 41:22 Carfentanil Narcan And What’s Next
• 45:10 Free Tools Parents Can Use
• 46:50 Connection As Prevention
• 49:17 Closing And Medical Disclaimer

Your host, Antoinette Berrafato, used nature therapy through archery and kayaking to recover from physical limitations. She found passion, purpose, and people as a recipe for mental health, and she brings that same practical, root cause lens to every conversation on New Normal Big Life.

Resources

https://www.davekopeny.com/ asapcommunity.org

Buy The Tip of The Spear by David Vieth Kopeny

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DISCLAIMER: For informational purposes only, not medical advice. Always consult your own healthcare professional.