Just because we don't want to face it doesnt make it disappear

I'd be willing to help. That's why I stuck around OH for 10+ years. That's why all the vets stick around. We want to help others. I've been waiting for Ava to tell us how she wants us to begin to change the drug/food addiction problem with our kids for 24 hours.

Crickets.....

So true. Most of us, OP excluded, stick around to try to help.

After trying to decipher her post, I believe the purpose is to accuse us here of being addicts and therefore bad parents because we are raising overweight/drug addicted kids.

I am still waiting for her to use this emoji more .

Lucky you, science has already looked into this, and the answer is: 8% of obese persons use illegal substances.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3849872/

The conclusion: "Overall, findings do not clearly support the contention that obese individuals are at a higher risk for substance misuse."

I?d say it?s quite a lot more. Any doc will tell you that almost every patient lies about alcohol overeating and or legal or illegal drug use. It might be because they feel they need these pressure relief valves to want to continue living.

unlike most of you ... im not stoopid or naive enuf to be judgmental. I knew way too many great ?sober? people in twelve step groups who committed suicide because they were so flipping miserable. They should have kept using and drinking OBVIOUSLY. Instead they were pressured into withdrawal misery and daily suffering by idiotic judgmental know - nothing people like you.

The reality of our kids today is NONE of them are sober or honest due to the huge hypocrisy of our society .

You're welcome to disagree with these conclusions. But researchers are fully aware of the issues of respondent untruthfulness and account for it appropriately in their methodology. I trust their observations far more than I trust yours.

If saying "people shouldn't do drugs because they are bad for you" makes me an "idiotic judgmental know-nothing," then I will happily wear that badge.

(And weren't you just going off about how awful bullying is, now you're turning around and insulting me? Lovely!)

You're also likely dealing with some cognitive bias here. Just because you're in an environment where you see something frequently, that doesn't mean it is ACTUALLY common outside of your situation. When you see a few people commit suicide, it does not indicate an actual trend.

Example: when a woman gets pregnant, she suddenly sees pregnant women everywhere. Actually, there are no more pregnant women in the world then there were previously, but she just pays more attention and notices it more.

You REALLY think I'm an idiot don't you ... or at least far less " smart" than you are .... seriously Julie ?!

Nope! You asked a good question, and I wanted to provide a well-researched answer. You sound genuinely concerned, and I wanted to show you that there are others who are concerned enough to get a scientifically-valid answer.

Observer bias is a recognized psychological thing. I wanted to help you understand why your personal observations might not reflect the trends seen in research. :)

Ava, docs are there to help us. Maybe you are lying to your doctors, I don't. There is no point to do that.

I sometimes chose to drink, and I know that some medication can't be used if a person wants to have a social drink once in a while. My docs make sure I can take my meds and be able to have a drink or 2 once in a while. Plus - if I need meds (i.e antibiotics) that can't mixed with alcohol - they tell me that and advise me to abstain.

I don't use any illigal drugs, number one - it is illegal, and 2 - I have no desire and not a clue where would I even look for that. In the social circle I am in - nobody uses that stuff. And yes - I am sure.

Don't throw statements like that generalizing "everyone" in it.

You personal experience is perhaps unique. Just because you chose drink and use drugs it doesn't not mean majority of us or people in general do.

You view is distorted. Please get help.

Huh? This is a silly and untruthful response. I should ask for moderation ... but I'm not a snitch