Cough Syrup and Soda
Huffing
You might remember the dangerous practice of “huffing” emerge years ago? “We’re starting to see it trend again, putting cleaning fluids on a rag and breathing it in,” says Stratyner, who explains how the chemicals mess with areas of the brain used for vital functions like decision-making. “It is unbelievably toxic.” Health consequences like liver damage, kidney damage and sudden death, among many others, are all possible with huffing.
Alcohol Enemas
It might be hard to believe, but alcohol enemas are an alarming new trend among teens and college kids. While it’s not common, it’s also not unheard of. “It’s shocking, but kids are doing it and it’s unbelievably deadly,” says Dr. Harris Stratyner, vice president of New York Clinical Regional Services at Caron Treatment Centers. He explains that pouring alcohol into the colon through a tube inserted in the rectum delivers alcohol directly into the bloodstream for a faster buzz. However, since the colon lacks the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase to break down ethanol so it isn’t as toxic, the body may be irreparably poisoned before the substance can make it to the liver to be processed.
Credit Card Theft
Ever wonder where those crazy charges come from on your credit card bill? Weichman says that a good portion of the time, it’s a teenage son or daughter. “Kids will take a cell phone picture of the credit card,” he explains. “It literally takes three seconds. They can create a new bank account; they can charge things.”
Drunkorexia
Proof that a calorie from one source is not the equivalent of a calorie from another—imagine getting nearly all your energy and nutrition from alcohol. Some college kids are. “This is big among college girls right now,” says Dr. Stratyner. “They won’t eat all day so they can consume large amounts of alcohol at night and not gain weight.” Stratyner says drinking on an empty stomach can throw off blood sugar levels and cause a dangerously strong state of intoxication, as well as a more powerful hangover. In addition, alcohol combined with malnutrition may further inhibit the body’s ability to get the necessary nutrients it needs to function.
Snapchat
High school and college kids are enamored of Snapchat, an app allowing them to send random photos to friends for one second or up to several seconds before the shot is lost forever—except it’s not really lost. “They’re sending anything and everything, even naked photos,” Weichman says. “And now kids are getting wiser, taking pictures with another camera or grabbing a screenshot of the photo.” If they’re not careful, a photo could end up in the hands of someone they may not want to have it.
e-cigarettes
High school students have come up with a crafty way to smoke unnoticed—while in the classroom. California-based licensed psychologist and adolescent specialist Dr. Jerry Weichman says this is a common new trend. “They can smoke hash oil in these electronic cigarettes, and it just looks like a pen,” he says. “There isn’t a strong smell, and kids can quickly take it out of their backpacks while the teachers aren’t looking.”
