202. The Addiction Inoculation with Jess Lahey

by Jill StoddardJune 16, 2021

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Humans have always struggled with addictive substances. However, as evidenced by the opioid overdose epidemic and due in part to harmful policies like those from The War on Drugs that disproportionately affect individuals from minority communities, problems of addiction have worsened in recent years. Jessica Lahey, author of The Addiction Inoculation and The Gift of Failure, is an expert in education and has spent five years teaching in a drug and alcohol rehab for adolescents. In this episode of Psychologists Off the Clock, Jessica and Jill discuss risks and protective factors for addiction. Here (and in her book!) Jessica breaks down the most recent research on addiction in digestible, accessible ways. Join us to learn how you can reduce risk, increase protective factors, and better support your child in their experiences with drugs and alcohol today!

Listen and Learn:

Jill and Yael’s thoughts on (and personal experiences with) the interplay between stress, growth, and parenting
The touching, personal story that influenced Jess’ desire to write her newest book
How Jess’ writing experience has impacted Jill and helped her develop as a writer
An accessible explanation of the research on kids and addiction
Jess and Jill’s personal encounters with addiction risk factors
How to pragmatically reframe risk and why it’s important to do so
Risk factors that point to potential addiction and how to identify and deal with them
Protective factors against potential addiction
Practical advice for reducing risk and increasing protective factors for your kids
How trauma can impact addiction and practical advice for fostering post-traumatic growth
If certain populations of kids are more at risk because of their parents’ careers
The importance of having a dependable network of support and having conversations about addiction early and often
Jess’ expert examples of how to talk about addiction with kids of different ages
Jess’ research-backed thoughts on parents allowing their teenagers to drink
The significant impacts of privilege on addiction
Important data you can refer to when making your own parenting decisions about alcohol
How to respond when your kids start asking about your experiences with drugs and alcohol

Resources:

Buy Jessica’s books, The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence and The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed
Listen to Jessica’s #AmWriting podcast
CDC resources and information on drug and alcohol dependence and adverse childhood experiences (ACE)
Take the ACE quiz
Read Jessica’s article in the New York Times on self-efficacy and addiction
Attend Diana’s Compassion and ACT workshops on Acceptance, Allowing, and Making Space on June 27th and Values-Rich Living on August 29th
Check out Julie Lythcott-Haims’ books, How to Raise an Adult & Your Turn
Check out Nadine Burke Harris’ book, The Deepest Well
Check out Judith Grisel’s book, Never Enough
Grab your copy of all our favorite books at bookshop.org/shop/offtheclockpsych
Check out Debbie, Diana, Yael, and Jill’s websites to access their offerings, sign up for their newsletters, buy their books, and more!

About Jess Lahey:

Jessica Lahey is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed and The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence. Over twenty years, Jess has taught every grade from sixth to twelfth in both public and private schools, and spent five years teaching in a drug and alcohol rehab for adolescents in Vermont. She writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Washington Post, New York Times, and The Atlantic, is a book critic for Air Mail, and wrote the educational curriculum for Amazon Kids’ award-winning The Stinky and Dirty Show. She co-hosts the #AmWriting podcast with bestselling authors K.J. Dell’Antonia and Sarina Bowen from her house in Vermont, where she lives with her husband, two sons and a lot of dogs.

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