TODD’S STORY

Editor’s note: This is the final installment of a three-part series on underage drinking in the Mat-Su Valley.

MAT-SU — Todd Antonovich was 15 when he took his first drink of alcohol.

At the time, drinking didn’t seem like a big deal — it was a way to catch a buzz while hanging out with friends. But as time passed, alcohol and drugs became a driving force in his life.

“It was what it was, but all it did for me was lead to more drinking,” Antonovich said of his experience as an underage drinker.

Less than a year after taking his first drink, Antonovich said he found himself lying in an intensive care unit with brain damage. Only 16 years old, he had been driving drunk, got in an accident and was unconscious for 45 minutes. A legal technicality protected him from receiving a driving under the influence citation, but he still faces a life full of challenges.

“My parents pretty much said, ‘You’re going to rehab or get out of the house,’” he said.

Seeking help for his drinking and drug use wasn’t his choice, but Antonovich said he entered a program and stayed sober for one year. The sober life didn’t last long, however, as he fell back into his old ways. His typical day would be waking up at about 10 a.m., smoking some marijuana, then heading to the liquor store with enough change to buy some beer.

When he was 20, Antonovich landed in jail for trespassing. He served his time and while in jail realized something needed to change.

“I was in jail long enough to see a clear picture of my life,” he said. “I was the guy that nobody wanted to be around.”

After being released from jail, Antonovich entered an inpatient treatment program, this time on his own accord. He sobered up and now, at age 22, he’s been sober for two years. Since he sobered up and entered a 12-step program, Antonovich said the biggest change he has made is the people with whom he surrounds himself. While some of his peers were around when he was drinking, a few have also chosen to remain sober.

“When you really sober up and look back, it’s not tough to figure out who your friends are,” he said.

Antonovich’s story is not unique and one local substance abuse counselors say they’ve heard before. Paul Pike is a counselor with the Turnaround Youth Program — a program offered by Alaska Family Services that helps local youth deal with impacts of alcohol and substance abuse.

“Our program is designed to help youth at risk,” Pike said. “We’re not just teaching education, we’re helping kids identify the high-risk behavior that they’ve been doing so they can make better decisions.”

Pike said the program usually deals with teenagers ranging from ages 13 to 18. Some teens enter the program because it’s court-ordered, others at their parents’ urging. Depending on the day, about 15 to 25 local teenagers are enrolled.

When it comes to identifying the signs of teen alcohol use, Pike said there are numerous changes and behaviors parents or guardians should look for.

“There are a lot of different things, but some are more obvious than others,” he said. “It could be little things, like using excess breath mints or a loss of interest.”

Some of the other signs include:

• a new group of older friends,

• poor performance in school,

• skipping classes,

• changes in physical appearance,

• unusual sleeping patterns,

• and a negative attitude.

Pike said one of the first things parents can do to help prevent or address underage drinking is talk with their kids. “I think communication is important to be able to establish a relationship with their child,”

Some parents may think they have good relationships with their kids, but Pike said many of the teenagers in his local recovery program think differently. In fact, most of the teens he deals with say their parents haven’t taken time to establish strong parent-child relationships or talk about the dangers of drug and alcohol use.

Although Pike believes parent involvement is an important part of prevention, Antonovich said that’s not always the answer. His parents were there to try and prevent him from drinking, but at the time, he didn’t want to listen.

“My parents did everything they could, but they couldn’t stop me,” he said. “If I could say anything to parents it would be that there’s nothing you can do until [your kids] are willing to accept help.”

In addition to opening the lines of communication, Pike said parents should set good examples and be role models for their children. Lecturing teens on the dangers of underage drinking isn’t effective if parents aren’t responsible drinkers themselves.

“Do as I say and not as I do never works very well,” he said.

Contact Chris Gillow at chris.gillow@frontiersman.com or 352-2284.