Y.A. Fiction Novel Helps Readers Understand Root Causes of Teenage Substance Abuse

Posted byAuthor Stacy A. PadulaPosted inUncategorizedTags:, , , , ,
Gianna Arcabascio is a senior at Archbishop Williams High school. She plays lacrosse and is team manger for the football and boys hockey. In school, she’s apart of student council, admissions ambassadors, and is involved in a lot of leadership opportunities. She looks to pursue a future career as an Athletic Trainer.

Written by Gianna Arcabascio of Archbishop Williams High School and Pembroke, Massachusetts

As a senior in high school, I believe it is very important for teens to be aware of the consequences of using drugs and alcohol. There are too many teens that use drugs and alcohol to “fit in” without realizing what truly can happen to them. Gripped 3: The Fallout by Stacy A. Padula has many events that help portray the importance of making the right decisions.

In addition to teenagers, adults could benefit from reading Gripped 3 to help them understand their child’s perspective. Sometimes I think parents forget that kids’ minds think differently and aren’t mature enough yet to know how to make the right decisions all the time. It will also bring awareness to parents on signs of drug use to look out for as their teenagers enter high school. 

As drug use abounds in the series, some characters are trying their best to sober up, while others are getting deeper and deeper into substance abuse. From the very beginning, Chris Dunkin made many immature choices. Throughout the series, he has made multiple mistakes that negatively affected himself and others, but what I did not realize till Gripped 3 is that Chris is actually learning from his blunders. Following Chris’s journey could help inspire kids to believe that things can get better if you do what’s best for you—even if that means breaking ties with friends who are bad influences. 

Gripped 3 shows that anyone can get addicted to drugs, even if they begin taking them for legitimate medical reasons. Taylor Dunkin is a good example because he did not try painkillers for fun; he was prescribed them to help him endure a season-ending knee injury. Gripped 3 also shows through Cathy Kagelli, Chris Dunkin, and Jason Davids’ stories that some people use drugs to deal with mental heath issues, like anxiety and depression. I feel most kids think, drug use is just fun and games, but sometimes there is a deeper meaning behind why teens begin using substances. There is a root cause, and that is what Gripped 3: The Fallout by Stacy Padula will help you understand. 

Read More Articles by Gigi Arcabascio

Published by Author Stacy A. Padula

Stacy Padula has spent the last 14 years working daily with teenagers as a college counselor, mentor, and life coach. She was named "Top Inspirational Author of the Year" for 2022 by the International Association of Top Professionals (New York, NY). In 2021, she was broadcast on the famous Reuters Building in Times Square as "Empowered Woman of the Year." Her Gripped book series is currently being adapted for TV by Emmy-winning producer Mark Blutman. She is the founder and CEO of Briley & Baxter Publications: a publishing company that donates a portion of its proceeds to animal rescues each month. She has edited and published a variety of titles, including Boston Bruins Anthem Singer Todd Angilly and Rachel Goguen's The Adventures of Owen & the Anthem Singer, LaTonya Pinkard of Netflix's Last Chance U's Nate & His Magic Lion, and former NHL player Norm Beaudin's memoir The Original: Living Life Through Hockey. Stacy resides in Plymouth, Massachusetts with her husband Tim and two miniature dachshunds, Briley and Baxter.