Recent Posts in Drug and Alcohol Addiction What Every Parent Needs to Know Posted on Feb 27, 2018 1) Why is it important to detect early warning signs of substance abuse in teenagers? Substance use and abuse during adolescence can have permanent consequences. The adolescent brain is still ... Read More A Story of Recovery From Opioid Abuse Posted on Feb 27, 2018 A Mother’s Story of her Son’s Recovery Ten years ago, a friend of my son came to me and told me that my son had a problem with drugs. I was shocked. He was 21 years old, working on his ... Read More Medication Assisted Treatment Posted on Feb 27, 2018 Medication assisted treatment (MAT) for substance use disorders at the Thelma Mcmillen Center for Alcohol and Drug Treatment. Written by Dr. Donnie Watson What is Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) ... Read More How Alcohol Affects Your Body Posted on Dec 15, 2017 How Alcohol Affects Your Body Understanding the subtle immediate and long-term effects alcohol has on the body is essential to maintaining a healthy, well-balanced life. Obviously, the severity of ... Read More The Thelma McMillen Teen Outpatient Program Posted on Oct 13, 2017 KARL MCMILLEN: DEDICATED TO FIGHTING TEEN ADDICTION Fourteen years ago Karl McMillen donated $5.3 million, allowing Torrance Memorial to create the Thelma McMillen Center for Alcohol and Drug ... Read More How to Talk to Your Kids About Drugs Posted on Oct 13, 2017 Talking with teens is tricky business—but experts say it’s critical to have open and frank discussions about alcohol and drugs. “Kids say to me all the time that ‘everybody ... Read More Drugs & Teens Posted on Oct 13, 2017 If you are a parent of a teen, perhaps you can relate to some of these comments: “Not my kid.” “He’s an athlete, so he doesn’t do drugs.” “Oh, she knows ... Read More Chris's Story of Recovery Posted on Feb 27, 2017 Until May 23, 2013, Chris' erratic and self-destructive behavior was easily attributable to common teen angst. At least, that's what his mother, Nancy, told herself as red flag after red flag ... Read More Understand How Your Journey Begins Posted on Feb 27, 2017 By Dr. Moe Gelbert, PhD; Executive Director, Thelma McMillen Center The decision to seek assistance for a drug or alcohol problem is a courageous choice, but often accompanied by great fear, anxiety, ... Read More Spotlight on Drugs: Spice Posted on Feb 27, 2017 Spotlight on Drugs: Spice By Cailyn Mclintire, Freelance Writer In the realm of preventing and treating teenage drug use, knowledge of what kids are using is an essential tool for both parents and ... Read More Tis the Season for Ups and Downs - tips for making the downs more manageable Posted on Dec 6, 2016 Tis the Season for Ups and Downs – tips for making the downs more manageable We all know the holidays are stressful. Whether you love them or dread them, each of us will find ourselves in at ... Read More For Teens: What You Should Know During Prom and Grad Season Posted on Apr 28, 2016 For some people, the biggest prom worry is asking and being asked. It's natural to stress out about gathering the courage to invite that special someone — and to worry you might be turned ... Read More For Parents: How to Help Keep Youth Safe During the Prom and Grad Season Posted on Apr 28, 2016 Your teen may view prom night as one of the most important nights of his or her life. So, it only makes sense that the idea of prom night or grad night may make you, as a parent, feel a little ... Read More WET vs. DRY CAMPUS: One College Student's Perspective Posted on Mar 13, 2016 It’s that time of year when college-bound high school seniors learn which universities accepted them, and ultimately, which university or college THEY will choose. When thinking about the best ... Read More The Changing Face and Strength of Marijuana Posted on Mar 8, 2016 If your teen has ever claimed, “mom/dad, it’s just weed,” you understand how frustrating it can be to convince teens that marijuana is still a harmful and addictive drug for the ... Read More Marijuana and the Teen Brain Posted on Sep 30, 2015 In the past decade, a great deal of scientific data has been published about the relationship of the teen brain to drug use. A recent Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and ... Read More Opiate and Heroin Addiction on the Rise Posted on Sep 30, 2015 Los Angeles resident, Ryan, age 23, started smoking marijuana at age 12. By the time he was a teenager, he had discovered his grandmother’s OxyContin. Once OxyContin became too expensive for his ... Read More Resilience – A New Path Posted on Jun 19, 2015 With alcohol and substance abuse estimated to affect more than 10% of the population in the South Bay, it is wonderful to have our very own Thelma McMillen outpatient treatment center right here in ... Read More Encourage Teens to Live Drug-Free Posted on Oct 15, 2014 Every October during Red Ribbon Week – just in time for homecoming and the holidays – schools and communities across the country encourage young people to live a drug-free life. This year ... Read More Understand How Your Journey Begins Posted on Sep 1, 2014 The decision to seek assistance for a drug or alcohol problem is a courageous choice, but often accompanied by great fear, anxiety, and concern for the unknown. Although help is desired, a person or a ... Read More A South Bay Teen’s Story of Addiction and Recovery Posted on Aug 15, 2014 Until May 23, 2013, Chris' erratic and self-destructive behavior was easily attributable to common teen angst. At least, that's what his mother, Nancy, told herself as red flag after red flag ... Read More Synthetic Cannabis, “Spice” Posted on Aug 1, 2014 In the realm of preventing and treating teenage drug use, knowledge of what kids are using is an essential tool for both parents and treatment centers. While most of us are familiar with, and can ... Read More Advantages of Outpatient Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment Posted on Jul 1, 2014 When considering getting help for alcohol or substance abuse or dependency problems, many people are under the misconception that inpatient care, where one goes away to get help, is better than ... Read More Dual Diagnosis and Co-Occurring Disorders Posted on May 1, 2014 Through scientific research, we have made many great advances in understanding the nature of alcohol and drug addiction, which has led to greatly improved treatment for these problems. For many years, ... Read More Street Drugs Posted on Apr 1, 2014 The proliferation of different "street drugs" continues to complicate education, prevention and treatment efforts. In this regard, one of the most effective parenting strategies to prevent ... Read More