This post was written by Tamara E. Citrowske.

Hello everyone, my name is Tamara E. Citrowske. I am here to share my personal story of a family member who suffered from alcohol and substance abuse, and ultimately got the help she was looking for to live a sober life. This person who suffered from alcoholism and drugs is my cousin who is now 24 years old, living a happier and healthier lifestyle. 

This post was written by a CSUCI Service-learning student. 

Hello Everyone! I am writing this blog to give people some healthy alternatives to dealing with life that do not involve drugs or alcohol. Growing up in a drug-addicted family where most of my relatives did drugs was very stressful because I got to see the negative effects and tolls that drug and alcohol consumption have on the addict an...

By Stephanie Escobedo Tirado, local CSUCI student.

It’s easy to say, “You’re young; live a little!” Or, “That stuff only happens in the movies.” What are the effects of these words on young people? 

Here’s the impact that many don’t want to admit: it’s hurting teenagers. 

Now, I don’t mean all teenagers have that one person in their life that encourages them to live a little by taking a “sip” o...

Written by David Zecua, a CSU Channel Islands Service Learning student.

Can you remember the last time you were working on an assignment or a task at the last minute before it needed to be completed? Can you recall the stress that was going through your body as you were trying to complete the task in time? Procrastination is very much a malicious trap. It's a habit that people realize is horrible...

Written by Jazmin Lopez, a Ventura County high school student.

Violetta didn't like pretty people, especially pretty women who looked so effortlessly perfect and like their lives were filled with adventures and friends who actually liked them. Violetta detested pretty women who adorned their skin with the most expensive makeup, but somehow she couldn't stop watching these women through the screen...

In an average year, 30 million Americans drive drunk, and 10 million Americans drive impaired by illicit drugs. A 2010 survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) revealed that 13.2 percent of all people aged 16 or older drove under the influence of alcohol and 4.3 percent drove under the influence of illicit drugs during the past year. Furthermore, rates of im...

Self-Harm

People often keep their habit a secret, but the urge to self-harm isn’t uncommon, especially in adolescents and young adults. Many overcome it with treatment.

Whether a person has recently started hurting his or herself or has been doing it for a while, there is an opportunity to improve health and reduce behaviors. Talking to a doctor or a trusted friend or family member is the first ...

Trigger Warning: this post contains descriptions of self-harm and sexual assault.

This series was submitted by a local high school student.

Based On A True Story

Brooke had just broken up with her first boyfriend. She was 16 and he was 18. Her boyfriend, Cole, had been struggling with drugs for years. He had lied to her about his sobriety throughout their relationship. Cole had been suicidal in...

A Letter to Parents

Although NIDA’s annual Monitoring the Future survey shows that daily marijuana use in teens is mostly steady, the survey also shows that as cigarette smoking rates drop, daily marijuana smoking has become generally more common than daily cigarette smoking among teens. By the time they graduate high school, about 45 percent of teens have tried marijuana at least once in their l...

1 in 5 Ventura County teens have abused prescription drugs. 

Over 50% get them from friends and family. 

9% of 9th graders and 14% of 11th graders in Ventura County say they’ve used prescription medications to get high.

The countywide report of the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) indicates a hopeful decline in lifetime misuse of prescription drugs. However, prevention of Rx drug and heroi...

Here at BRITE, we include a focus on mental health and wellness as a component of our drug and alcohol abuse prevention programs. When you take care of yourself and feel grounded, you are more likely to see things clearly and make better decisions. We found this article’s tips helpful, especially during the darkest season of the year when we tend to hibernate and our thoughts can become dark and c...