ECHO Featured in Girls' Life Magazine

ECHO Malibu is currently featured in the October/November edition of Girls' Life Magazine. The title of the article is All That Glitters and focuses on Cocaine use among adolescent girls. In the article Dr. Jeffrey Nalin, Co-Founder of ECHO Malibu discusses some of the consequences of drug use among adolescent girls. “We always welcome opportunities to reach out directly to youth. Obviously Girls Life provides us with the ability to do just that. One of our goals is to speak to teens about the very real consequences of addiction and in terms that matter to them. That is why we chose in part to address how drug use impacts the emotional growth and maturity of adolescents. In the article Dr. Nalin states “What we see in treatment is that during the years a teen uses, years when they are supposed to learn about their identity and interests, they miss all of that because they haven’t genuinely been connected to their emotions. Some use at 14, and by 17 they still act like they are 14. They are developmentally immature.” Commenting further on the article Dr. Nalin states “It has been my experience that no teen likes to be considered immature and if the correlation between drug use and maturing is made clear, it frequently helps adolescents make better decisions.” The October/November edition of Girls Life is currently available at newsstands everywhere.

ECHO Youth Participate in
SURF CLEAN/LIVE CLEAN Event

Echo Malibu again served as a sponsor of the annual Surf Clean/Live Clean benefit to support the on going work of S.U.R.F., Surfers United Recovery Foundation. The event was held at the end of September in Venice Beach.

Regarding the event, Dr. Jeffrey Nalin, co-founder of ECHO MALIBU stated "For a long time we have seen youth come to us who have had their first introduction to drugs as part of their participation in the surfing culture. We believe that by supporting S.U.R.F. we are both helping those surfers who have developed chemical dependency issues and creating future, sober role models for youth who are interested in surfing and surf culture."

The event included a surf photo exhibit featuring photos taken by renowned professional photographers as well as the youth of ECHO MALIBU. The evening also featured musical performances by Universal Recording artists Astra Heights and Peter Di Stefano. Also, surfer/director Shayne McIntyre showcased his FUEL TV film series “Surfari” on an outdoor screen. Prizes were given away including surfboards, Arbor Skateboards and surf gear.

All proceeds from the event went to support the on going work of S.U.R.F., Surfers United Recovery Foundation. The foundation's purpose is to develop resources and assist surfers and surf industry employees living with chemical dependency issues, attain and sustain recovery.

ECHO Offers Support Resources for Pending Holidays

Both anecdotal evidence and numerous studies support the idea that the holidays represent a time in which American’s experience a rise in depression, anxiety and substance abuse. The data that supports such a belief is almost exclusively aimed at adults, without consideration to adolescents. According to Cole Rucker, co-founder of ECHO MALIBU, such an oversight can be dangerous. “We see the holidays as potentially a very difficult time for adolescents. Many are on winter break with little supervision. They may be alone with difficult thoughts or feelings that they were to busy to experience during their last semester of school.”

Dr. Jeffrey Nalin, Executive Director of ECHO MALIBU adds, “As with adults, adolescents may experience great disappointment during the holidays if they’re expecting a holiday that is a direct reflection of what the media has told them is ideal. Most families fall short.” He goes on to state, “Teens may also pick up on the anxiety of adults, experience direct or indirect tensions around dealing with difficult visiting relatives, or simply be impacted by the collective stress the holidays can bring.’

Rucker adds, “The bottom line is that if you are talking about at-risk youth, any added stressor can serve as a trigger for substance abuse or other problem behaviors. Parents should watch for signs that indicate that their child might be in trouble.” According to Dr. Nalin, “Some of the signs parents should look for include: changes in sleeping habits or appetite, social isolation or retreat, changes in dress or appearance, a change in friends, or loss of interest in pursuits that have been of importance. It isn’t always easy for parents to determine the nature or severity of an emerging problem.”

In an effort to assist parents, ECHO MALIBU will have extra counselors on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide assistance to families who may be in crisis. Parents or youth may call 800 780 ECHO to speak with a counselor free of charge.

ECHO MALIBU Alumni Association and Parent's Council Publish Third Annual Calendar

Photo by Alumni, Jake C., as featured in 2008 Youth Art Calender

The ECHO MALIBU Alumni Association working in conjunction with the ECHO MALIBU Parent’s council will be publishing the third annual ECHO MALIBU Youth Art Calendar in November of 2007. The calendar features the art work and writing of youth who received treatment at ECHO.

The calendar includes a letter from Brian Johnson, Chair of ECHO’s Parent’s Council provides the following letter:

On behalf of the ECHO MALIBU Parent’s Council we would like to wish you an inspiring and trans-formative New Year. The Parent’s Council is a group of concerned parents of ECHO MALIBU clients and alumni. We are committed to being active agents in our children’s recovery and healing. On that note, we are proud to share the 2008 Youth Art Calendar. We are doubly proud of every artist and writer who participated in this years project. We hope that you are as moved by their work as we continue to be.

The calendar is available free of charge to all friends of ECHO. If you would like a calendar, please drop us a note to request a complimentary copy.

ECHO featured in Gaming Magazine

ECHO Malibu was recently featured in on line magazine, GAME ALMIGHTY in an article titled High Score. The article featured on both the theory of gaming addiction and possible correlations between gaming and drug use.

Dr. Steve Sager, Medical Director of ECHO MALIBU is careful to point out what the article makes clear “the American Medical Association (AMA) has declared that game addiction is not a legitimate mental disorder.” He goes on to state that “there is however, growing evidence that excessive gaming can cause difficulties for young people and their families.”

According to Cole Rucker, Co-Founder of ECHO MALIBU gaming like many things can serve as a trigger for relapse. “Young people are at risk if after successfully completing treatment they isolate in any way and that includes isolating with a game. There is also the added risk that an adolescent may never have played a specific game sober and want to recapture the feeling of total escapism- by playing high.”

Rucker goes on to state, “video games are like anything else, they have to be looked at on a case by case basis for the true function that that serve. Are the used in moderation as a source of entertainment or are they used excessively at the expense of relationships, responsibilities or to avoid feelings? If it is the former, there is no problem. If it is any of the latter it must be looked at along with all other areas as youth work to build healthy lives.”