Your teenager is failing school because he is drinking and doing drugs. Actually, he may be abusing drugs and drinking because he is failing school. The reason he is failing in school is because he has learning disabilities that no one recognizes.  In order for his addiction treatment to be successful, it must address both his substance abuse and learning disabilities.Some promising studies indicate that teenagers with undiagnosed learning disabilities drink or abuse drugs because they are depressed, lonely, and suffer from low self-esteem.  Low self-esteem is often a result of being unable to make friends and academic failure: problems that result from undiagnosed learning disabilities. Learning disabilities are neurological disorders that often run in families. According to the National Institute of Health, about one in five people has at least one learning disability that may make it difficult to learn to read or do mathematics. Attention Deficit-Disorder, autism, mental retardation, and conduct disorders are not learning disabilities.Often people with learning disabilities take in and process information differently than those without such disabilities. It can be hard for them to understand language easily or to organize their thoughts or their work. They may have trouble reading social cues and making friends.Teenagers who understand that they have a learning disability and who are able to succeed in certain areas are less likely to become alcoholics or drug abusers.  The teens at risk are the ones who do not understand how their learning disabilities are affecting their lives. Dr. Merith Cosden believes that drugs and alcohol can become a way for those with learning disabilities to self-medicate for depression and loneliness. Join me and my guest speaker Judy Matejczyk, former Special Ed. Teacher and Life Coach as we tackle this vital topic at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges in my archived shows