Talking to Your Teen about Drugs
Drug abuse and addiction is spreading among the teenage population like fire and as a parent or guardian of a teen you must have sleeplessness nights about your teen getting involved in the dark threatening web of drug addiction as well as abuse. This is why you really need to give some sound piece of advice to your teen so that you can assure that he keeps away from this dangerous habit. So what exactly you need to say and what they need to hear from you?
Remember that yelling at them will never get you anywhere and there are better ways to talk to them. The below given pointers can help you say exactly what you want to say and more importantly what to say to them as well.
What to Tell Your Teen
- Stop and think before acting – Teenagers are impulsive by nature as well as risk takers and both these things combined together can prove to be dangerous, that is why ask your teen to stop and think before doing something like posting a picture on a social media network, urge them to ask “Why do I want to do this? What risks may be involved? Is it worth it?”
- Listen to your gut – Now you may find this advice a bit puzzling and think that trusting the gut of your teen maybe wrong. But the gut always remembers your true self and it always remember the cautions and warnings of parents, teachers, coaches and youth leaders which means it can help you in a tricky situation.
- Before trying out what “everyone is doing it” check the facts – Your teen might want to indulge in what he thinks everybody else his age is doing like sex but in the real world only half of the high school students are indulging in sex. So tell him to check his facts before jumping into something risky.
- Do not ever take any medication or drug for fun – Most of the time teens think that taking prescription drugs like Adderall is fun –tell them the bare bone truth about these medications and how their addiction can destroy their lives.
- Everyone mess up but it is Ok if you learn from your mistakes- Your teen needs to be reassured that everyone can make mistakes and they can use them as learning opportunities.
