(Courtesy Netflix)
For the first 13 days in August (with a full round-up on August 14), I’ll be highlighting the 13 ways I, as an NYC therapist who works with teens, think the Netflix drama series 13 Reasons Why expands the conversation on teens and mental health:
7. Drinking And Drugs
Almost every episode features alcohol or drugs, which is trying to push how much of this really happens. Some of it parents know about and some of it they don’t. Alcohol and drugs in the show are used both as a way to party and to shut things out. With Jessica, she hides bottles of liquor under her bed to cope with her rape, but it is also what that put her at risk. Simply, the show depicts that no one at this age knows how to use alcohol or drugs with moderation. This is a common story. Even if something major doesn’t happen, most people have had that moment in high school where they didn’t know their limit.
