Real Talk

Real Talk is an interactive tool to help parents and caregivers prepare for meaningful, real-life conversations with their teens.

Here’s how to play:

Pick a topic. This starts the conversation.
Select one of three possible teen reactions to your question.
Choose your response and receive guidance on how to handle this reaction in real life.

Are you ready to get started? Click the link below to start practicing.

More conversation resources

It’s important to understand how teens can be affected by substance use and mental health challenges—and how these two topics may be connected.

Use these resources to learn about the current drug landscape, the health effects of drugs, and mental health challenges before your conversation:

Substance Use:
Learn more about the drug landscape and the health effects.

Mental Health:
Get more information on mental health and how to find support.

Addressing Concerns About Drug Use:
Get facts and support for a conversation about the dangers of drug use.

Conversation Resources:
Find more tools to start an open and honest conversation.

¹Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Talk. They Hear You. Parent Resources. Retrieved January 22, 2026. https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use/prevention/talk-they-hear-you/parent-resources/small-conversations

²Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Facts About Substances. Accessed February 25, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/free-mind/about-substances/

³Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2023, April 4). Mental health and substance use disorders. Retrieved January 22, 2026, from https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/what-is-mental-health/conditions/co-occurring-disorders

⁴ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov. Retrieved January 22, 2026, from https://findtreatment.gov/

⁵ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Free Mind Formula. Accessed February 25, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/free-mind/tips-for-youth-formula.html