Organic Cigarettes

A teen was asked if she did any recreational substances. She had presented for anorexia and because there are several medical problems that can look like anorexia clinicians consider all the options. One of them is substance use. A crystal methamphetamine binge can look a lot like anorexia. These teens are both going to be thin and seem out of it. One from malnutrition and the other from being high or craving another hit. “No.” She said she did not do any drugs but she did smoke cigarettes. This made sense after all cigarettes were sold to women initially as an appetite suppressant. Any clinician who knows their patient smokes is going to try and get them to stop. So the patient was reminded of the many health problems associated with cigarette smoking and encouraged to stop while she was still so young. Her reply, “But I smoke the Native American ones, they’re organic!”

Weight Gain

A teen was asked a series of questions about her health. She needed a physical form completed for her swim season that had already been underway. She politely answered several questions and then there was the obligatory question about sexual health. How far have you gone with a boyfriend? Hand holding? Kissing? Sexually active? She said she was sexually active and so was asked whether she was on any form of birth control. What a great opportunity since most teens are pregnant before they take or have the time to get to the clinic for birth control. The teen did not see it that way she was very concerned about something else and let the examiner know, “No. I’m not interested in birth control. I don’t want to gain weight.” The examiner let her know that she would probably hate the weight gain associated with pregnancy.

Chemicals in my body

A teen is being asked about her history of drug use. She volunteered that she had a history of cocaine use and her preferred method of taking it was through insufflation, snorting. She was embarrassed because this habit had caused her to have a hole between her nose openings. She went on to explain that she has since gone to rehabilitation and been clean for several months. She wanted to get her life on track. She had also revealed that she was sexually active and not on birth control. When the examiner offered some great long term methods for contraception the teen replied, “No thank you. Oh, I hate to put chemicals in my body.”

Not Sexually Active

A teen was questioned about her sleep patterns. She was coming in to ask about her fatigue, which had been getting worse over the past several months. She was unable to sleep at night and this had resulted in her having to get home schooled. She was asked several medical questions. “No,” she did not have any hair falling out. “No,” she did not have a cough. This went on through questions about depression, drug use and any history of sexual, physical or verbal abuse and finally sexual activity. “No,” she was not sexually active. A month later the teen returns and she has improved only slightly in her symptoms. A pregnancy test was performed to screen for anything unusual. She was pregnant! Okay, back in the room with the teen the examiner asks, “You were asked if you were sexually active and you said, ‘No.’” With a face of nothing, but shock she looks the examiner in the eyes and says, “I’m not. He does all the activity. I just lie there. “

Teens due to their still developing brain and therefore perspective on things can have an interesting way of interpreting the data the world gives them.  It is so important to remember that in your daily interactions with them. It is the crux of the misunderstandings that adults have with them. As you can see some of these misunderstandings can lead to some fairly significant life changes. So take a minute to explain an extra time or better let them tell you what they heard. Double checking important issues like their health doesn’t hurt anyone.

Related posts:

1. Teens, Texting and Driving
2. Reforming Healthcare For Teens
3. Judging Teens doesn’t Work