Teenage Drug Abuse
When a parent finds out that their teen is been abusing drugs, it is often one of the worst feelings a parent will ever have. Many parents often blame themselves for their teenager’s drug problem and wonder what they could have done differently to prevent this from ever happening. But many parents need to understand that teenage drug abuse is a growing problem in the United States and can be caused from a variety of different factors. Only by understanding what motivates teens to use drugs, can parents catch the early warning signs of drug abuse and help their child seek the treatment they need, before it is too late.
Watch for These Warning Signs
New Group of Friends – Has your teenager suddenly stopped hanging out with their old group of friends and now has an entirely new social circle that they spend all their time with? Are they out all hours of the night with their new group of friends or does it seem like they’re always hanging out in strange places like the garage, behind the shed, or in the attic? Is your teenager reluctant to introduce you to this new group of friends that they’ve been spending all their time with? While abruptly hanging out with a new social circle doesn’t always mean your teen is abusing drugs, it is a common sign that your teen may be experimenting with drugs or alcohol.
Drastic Behavioral Changes – Drastic behavioral changes can be major signs of teenage drug abuse. These signs may include a drop in attendance or performance at school, frequently getting into trouble, engaging in secretive or suspicious behavior, or the unexplained need for money. If you see these suspicious behavioral changes in your teenager, you may want to dig a little deeper to find out what the root cause of these changes are.
Sudden Psychological Changes – Another important warning sign that your teen may be using drugs are sudden psychological changes. These can include an unexplained change in attitude or personality, depression, isolation, sudden mood swings, angry outbursts, and appears fearful, anxious or paranoid for no good reason. You may also want to look for a lack of motivation within your child, appearing lethargic or spaced out, as well as having extended periods of hyperactivity, giddiness or agitation.
Physical Signs – Because there are so many physical signs of drug abuse, if a parent knows what to look for, they should have no problem spotting these signs a mile away. These can include glassy, red eyes, inappropriate laughter or sleepiness, sudden weight loss or weight gain, contracted pupils, drunk-like state, slurred speech, hyperactivity, euphoria, excessive talking, long periods without eating and sleeping, marks or bruises on the arm, eyes rolling into the back of their head. While different drugs will have different warning signs, any of these should be red flags to a concerned parent.
Missing Items or Money in the Household – Another common sign of teenage drug abuse is missing items or money in the household. This can especially include missing pills in the medicine cabinet as the vast majority of teens who abuse prescription pills get the drugs from their parent’s medicine cabinet. But this can also include large sums of money being stolen or valuable items that may have suddenly disappeared and are being sold off for money to buy drugs.
