Cannabis/weed/marijuana – it’s everywhere. It is legal for adult use with no restrictions in 11 states, for “medicinal” (sic) use in 34 states. And it affects brain development in teens and even into 20s because the brain doesn’t become fully mature until age 25 – and later for an ADHD-affected brain. Regular use as an adolescent has permanent negative effects which result in altered brain capabilities…FOR LIFE. That will become increasingly evident as the current teen users get into their 20s and 30s, but it has been shown even now. How many teens really use that much, enough to cause life-altering problems? As of 2017 DAILY users – 1.3 % of 8th , 4.8% of 10th, and 6.4% of High School seniors !! 36% of HS seniors had used weed at all in the previous year. And those numbers are increasing every year. The number of users vaping (smoking a refined concentrated liquid form of cannabis) DOUBLED from 2017 to 2018. My guest this week is an expert in this subject, Roberto Olivardia, a psychologist in the Boston area with a private practice who also holds a part-time teaching position at Harvard Medical School. We discuss the scope of use of cannabis, how it affects brain development and why using it is attractive to teens, especially anyone with anxiety, ADHD, depression, poor school grades etc. Roberto also outlines what parents can do to help their children learn how to deal with all the influences encouraging cannabis use which they will encounter as they enter and go through teen-age years. Listen and Learn!

“Yup, I failed again, messed it up”. “I’ve disappointed Mom again, she probably wishes I wasn’t her kid.” “I’ll be up until 2am getting this report done, why didn’t I get started earlier instead of watching Netflix again? I’m stupid, that’s why”. Ever heard yourself saying that? Ever heard your child say that? Ouch! It hurts! My guest today is Brendan Mahan, Executive Function coach/consultant, speaker and educator (former 6th grade teacher). And parent. And person with ADHD. He came up with the concept of the Wall of Awful as the representation of the negative emotions and self-talk that accumulate faster and grow higher for those of us with ADHD than for neurotypicals. Kids, parents, adults with ADHD are very good at adding those emotional “bricks” to the Wall of Awful. Join Brendan and I as we discuss how the Wall gets built and the 5 ways of dealing with it, 2 of which work well and get us to the other side of the Wall of Awful. Listen and learn! Brendan’s podcast is ADHD Essentials, his website www.adhdessentials.com

Someone who spends hours on Internet, social media, YouTube, or playing video games to the exclusion of interactions with family and friends, isolating and at times violently opposing any request to stop – even for dinner! These are signs of a possible addiction to the electronic world. It affects teens and young adults most commonly, with very serious impact upon their lives and brain development. Like all addictions, it requires an intensive multi-faceted treatment approach.

My guest Hilarie Cash PhD has developed 2 unique residential programs to help those with this affliction. She is a psychotherapist who has specialized in this field since 1999 and in 2009 co-founded ReStartLife, a company providing residential treatment for adults and teens (separate facilities) from all over the US, based in the Seattle area. Her website is http://www.Netaddictionrecovery.com

Those with ADHD especially prone to this condition; listen and learn about the condition and what can be done to help those affected by it.