Blog | BriteYouth

THE BRITE BLOG

We share the voices, opinions and stories of many Ventura County youth and young adults here. Not all posts reflect the opinion of BRITE or our sponsors. Managed by Ashley Heatherly.

Impaired Driving: How Cannabis, Alcohol, and Prescription Drugs Can Affect You

A discussion of impaired driving and the effects of cannabis, alcohol, Rx drugs, and the ways they can affect your ability to drive safely.

Ashley H

Apr 27, 20224 min read

An illustration of a diagram of a brain. Different areas highlighted with a description of what they control, including the cerebellum (physical coordination), the amygdala (emotion), and the prefrontal cortex (judgement).

Brain Development, Teen Behavior, and Preventing Drug Use

A discussion the developing teen brain, why teens act the way they do, and the negative effects of drugs and alcohol on the teen brain.

Anonymous

Apr 27, 20224 min read

A child is facing a TV and clearly absorbing whatever he is watching. We only see the back of his head and upper torso and the content on the TV screen is blurred.

Exposure to Excessive Drug Use

A college student discusses the harms of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use shown in TV shows, movies, music videos, etc. on teens and children.

Anonymous

Apr 27, 20222 min read

A pile of square, light brown, wooden Scrabble tiles that spell out the word, "HOPE."

How Life Has Changed My Cousin For The Better

A college student discusses her cousin's struggle with substance abuse disorder, getting sober, and enjoying her life.

Anonymous

Apr 27, 20222 min read

Against a backdrop of rainbow glitter in stripes of red, yellow, green, blue, and purple, white text reads, "I think that being a boy and being fashionable makes me a target for bullying, but people just don't understand that I like to wear all colors of clothes,"

LGBTQIA+ Youth & Bullying

A discussion of bullying and LGBTQIA+ youth, including ways to create a safe environment for them.

Ashley H

Apr 27, 20225 min read

An illustration of people outside doing different stress-relieving activities like meditating, taking a nap, exercising, listening to music, etc.

You Don’t Need Drugs to Deal with Life

A college student discusses healthy ways to deal with stress, anxiety, and depression without turning to drugs and alcohol.

Anonymous

Apr 27, 20223 min read

A white arm is reaching into a medicine cabinet and grabbing an orange bottle of prescription pills.

The Truth About Opioids: Information for Teens

Information for teens about opioids, prescription drug abuse, and local resources for addiction and overdose prevention.

Ashley H

Apr 27, 20225 min read

A young person is sitting in a chair with a glass of brown liquor in one hand and is reaching for a bottle of brown liquor with the other hand. She looks very distressed and intoxicated.

How BRITE Helped Me Cope With My Family’s Addiction

A college student discusses how working with BRITE at our Reality Party for Parents helped her confront and reflect on her family's drug and alcohol abuse.

Anonymous

Apr 27, 20223 min read

A photo of a sheet of white paper with different colors of dry-erase markers. The text reads, "I don't drink because... It can affect your life. I care for my life & others. I don't see any point..."

April is Alcohol Awareness Month

A discussion of Alcohol Awareness Month including advocacy messages from local high students about why they choose not to drink.

Ashley H

Apr 25, 20222 min read

A photograph of a conventionally beautiful young woman wearing heavy makeup, touching her face with her hand, and making a vacuous expression. The left part of the photograph is torn away, revealing a skeleton.

Pale like a Victorian Child

A short story about a young woman who struggles with beauty standards and self-worth.

Jazmin Lopez

Apr 21, 20224 min read

A young man is sitting at a desk with his laptop open, but is sitting with his head in his hand and holding his phone in the other hand. He is clearly procrastinating from doing work.

Procrastination

A college student discusses procrastination and ways to break your habits.

David Zecua

Apr 21, 20222 min read

A close up of a white hand with fingernails painted black is outstretched across a beige floor. There are a lot of colored pills in her hand and spilled across the floor.

The Fight Against Prescription Drug Abuse: Resources in Ventura County

A discussion of opioids and prescription drug abuse in Ventura County including resources available for parents and families.

Ashley H

Apr 1, 20224 min read

A young white person is sitting at a table rolling a cannabis joint. There is shredded cannabis flower on the table and she is putting it into a rolling paper.

Cannabis: Facts Parents Need to Know

A discussion of cannabis including the negative effects on the teen brain, body, and future, with resources and tips for parents to communicate with their kids about cannabis use.

Ashley H

Apr 1, 20226 min read

Two people are sitting at a table. One person has a glass fun of beer and is reaching for their car keys on the able. The other person is grabbing the first person's hand to stop them from grabbing their car keys.

The Dangers of Impaired Driving

A discussion of the dangers of impaired driving and ways to prevent it.

Ashley H

Apr 1, 20225 min read

A gold sheet of paper with an illustration of two hands facing up that are covered in scars around the wrists. The text reads, "I still think you're beautiful! Stay strong."

Self-Harm: Treatment, Coping, and Why People Self-Harm

A discussion of self-harm, why people do it, and available resources for those struggling with their mental health.

Ashley H

Apr 1, 20224 min read

A close-up of three people cheering with shot glasses of alcohol at a bar.

The Facts About Underage Drinking

A discussion of the facts, statistics, and risks of underage drinking.

Ashley H

Apr 1, 20224 min read

A young girl is looking fearfully at the camera. She appears vulnerable. A hand in a black glove is attempting to grab her by the shoulder.

Sincerely, Anonymous.

A high school student tells a short story about her relationships, mental health, and sexual assault.

Anonymous

Apr 1, 20223 min read

An illustration in bright colors of blue, red, and green that says, "You can live your best life without drugs," The word "life" has a yellow sun behind it, and the word "without" is emphasized in red.

Even in Middle School

A college student discusses his experience in middle school of a peer offering him pills, and emphasizes that it's okay to say no to peer pressure to do things that make you uncomfortable.

Anonymous

Apr 1, 20222 min read