What are the Signs of Teenage Drug Abuse?

Most teenagers experience a change in behavior patterns as they go through adolescence.  Mild symptoms of withdrawal from family activities, expressing the need for privacy and wanting to spend all their time with friends is normal teenage conduct.  The key for parents and family members is to continue communication yet respect the teenager’s individuality and privacy.

Very often if a teenager begins using drugs, they will show an immediate change in their attitude, ability to concentrate and level of energy.  Severe mood swings, irritability and particularly uncontrolled anger may be the first warning signs.  If they stop attending school, their grades drop or they join a new group of friends who never visit the house, drugs may be involved.

The physical signs of teenage drug abuse include red or swollen eyes, excessive fatigue, depression or uncontrolled jittering and hyperactivity.  Other evidence may be rolling papers, plastic baggies or prescription drug containers that do not belong to them.  Cigarette smoking and alcohol use may accompany a teenager who is starting to abuse drugs.

How to Help with Teenage Drug Abuse

The best way to help a teenager with potential drug abuse is to correct the problem as soon as possible.  It is not always easy to approach a teenage family member if they seem distant or belligerent but ignoring the problem is the worst solution.  Finding someone outside of the immediate family to use as a buffer may be helpful.  If the teenager feels comfortable talking with an older cousin, a favorite aunt or uncle or a special teacher it may serve as a mediator.  Threats and angry words or actions seldom solve the problem.  If the teenager is willing to recognize the consequences of their behavior, they may be open to counseling or a drug help program.

According to facts gathered by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), almost 25% of fifteen to twenty year old drivers who were killed in a car accident in 2006 had a blood alcohol level of 0.8 or even higher. In fact, this blood alcohol level makes teens drinking and driving eleven times more likely to die. It seems that teens drinking and driving often forget or ignore the most basic of safety rules and exhibit behaviors that are riskier than normal. Consequently, of drivers ages fifteen to twenty who were killed in a car accident in 2006, 77% of them did not have their seat belts fastened.

Sleep deprivation and speed also played a role in the fatality of teens drinking and driving. Seventy-five percent of those killed in a vehicle accident involving alcohol were driving in the early hours of the morning, between 12:00 AM and 3:00 AM, and most were going at speeds significantly higher than those posted. Law enforcement officers find that alcohol impairs the judgment of these inexperienced drivers, causing poor decisions and risk-taking behaviors.

Parents are often surprised to find that beer, rather than hard liquor, is the number one substance consumed by teens drinking and driving. They are not surprised; however, that alcohol related deaths are several times more likely to occur at night and on weekends when teenage social activities are at their height rather than during a normal weekday. This is the reason many cities have enacted curfews during these times, hoping the increased adult supervision during peak drunk driving hours will save lives.

Because teens are just learning the skill of decision making, adults must step in to rehabilitate those teens drinking and driving. This can be done through education, community programs, and laws enacted for protection. Though costly, if these efforts save the life of one teenager, they will have been worth the price.

As with other aspects of their lives, teens can be adept at hiding their use of or relationships with drugs, and often it is the outwardly well-behaved teens whose struggles with illegal, recreational drugs go unnoticed.

In recent years, more emphasis has begun to be placed on the use of pharmaceuticals by teens who obtains medications meant for relatives or even other teens, and use these drugs for recreational purposes. Valium and adderoll are two medications which offer teens recreational enjoyment.

Although there is a perception among adults that many teens view drugs and the drug subculture as “cool,” more and more young adults are becoming aware if the risks drugs pose to their health and their plans for their futures. It is not until later on, most likely during college, that most teens finally have the desire and opportunity to really investigate what have most likely been latent interests up to this point.

Parents can play a role on their children’s attitudes towards teens and drug use. By enabling their kids to feel comfortable discussing their experiences and encounters with drug subcultures, parents make it more likely that their teen will open up to them about their desires to explore drug culture. This then gives parents the opportunity to counter their teen’s perceptions and create an open, nonjudgmental atmosphere – an excellent way to be sure they stay in the loop as regards their children and their children’s issues with alcohol and drugs in teens.

Because teens do not have the same life experience as older individuals, they can make harmful choices when they decide to involve themselves in the use of drugs. While they may not realize the harm that can come from experimenting with drugs, they often need someone to reach out to them and explain, in an understanding and non-judgmental way, why using drugs irresponsibly can have an impact on the life they want to lead as they grow up and grow older.

Getting your teen into teenage drug rehab is the most important step you can take to help your addicted teen. You may believe that you can simply remove the drugs to help your child, but an addiction to drugs can cause your teen to continue to seek out the drug even after they have been caught. By getting your teen into rehab, you take the option of continuing to do drugs out of their hands. Your teen is too young and inexperienced to realize the consequences of their actions, so it is up to you to make sure they stay safe and off drugs. Rehab can help your teen accomplish this while treating their addiction.

In rehab, your teenager will get the help they need to stay drug alcohol free. Your teen will get counseling that can help them make better decisions in the future while they are in rehab, as well as treatment for their addiction. The rehab counselors will help your teen understand the importance of making good decisions now so they can be productive members of society when they become adults. A teenage drug rehab program will concentrate on helping your teen make decisions that will get them on the path toward college and a good career. By meeting other teenagers struggling to put drug problems behind them, your teen will receive the social encouragement they need to stay drug free and on the right track.

By getting teenage drug rehab for your addicted teen, you take an important step toward getting their life on the right track. Drug addiction is a frightening and recurring problem, so helping them deal with it early through rehab is a good choice for keeping addiction issues from creeping up on them later in life. Rehab can help your teen put drugs firmly in the past.

The connection between drugs and teenager’s is no longer the sleazy character standing on the corner offering to get them high or show them a good time anymore. It is the medicine cabinet of their own homes. Consider how many old partially used prescriptions you still have in your home. Many of these drugs have a street value of twenty dollars and more per tablet.

It is not just the prescription pain pills either, though those do command the highest prices. Prescription birth control pills are also very popular. The connection between this drug and teenagers is rather obvious on the surface but often teens take them for possible side effects benefits. Many birth control pills are said to aid in the battle against acne. Whether this is true is irrelevant to a desperate teen.

While cocaine and marijuana are the most common topic in any “Drug abuse and Teenagers” discussion they are not the most popular drug and alcohol with teens. Adderall and Ritalin are favored for getting through testing periods at school. Then drugs like Xanax and Klonopin are purchased to ‘come down’ from the high of the amphetamines.

Schools are hard pressed to keep track of which students should be taking these drugs and which students should not. It is possible that even if a teacher knows your teenager is in possession of one of these controlled substances they will assume the child has a prescription for it. Therefore it falls to you, the parent, to be aware of what your child is taking.

These drugs may have a short term benefit that can convince a teenager they are harmless. In fact, they are not. One of the most common side effects of drugs like Xanax and Klonopin is suicidal ideation. While drugs like Adderall and Ritalin can cause dangerous changes in heart rhythms.

Drug use and teenagers are a combination that should always be closely monitored. The teenage body is in a constant state of flux so even minor dosage changes in prescribed medications can have surprising results. Combine these dosage changes with consumption of an unknown drug and your teenager may need emergency medical attention.

The best defense you have against your teen using illicit drugs is honest communication. Drugs and teenagers needs to be a discussion in every home. If you need more information on how to handle this topic you can find many books about teenagers and drugs.

Is my teen at risk?

In short, yes. Every single teen is at risk of teenage drug and alcohol abuse. Drugs are more than just marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy: Your prescription medicine, cough syrup and aerosols can all be abused and cause significant damage to your teen. Some teens are at a heightened level of risk for developing drug and alcohol dependency. For instance, teens who are generally more removed and depressed those with a genetic predisposition to addiction, those who do not fit in and those who have fallen in with a bad crowd are all more likely to develop unhealthy relationships with alcohol and drugs.

What should I do?

You cannot watch over your teen 24 hours a day so you do need to check in on them daily. It might be difficult but unless you talk to your teenage son or daughter you cannot start an open discourse with them about their life. Do not wait for them to come to you because they probably will not.

One important thing parents can do is to become familiar with the types and methods of drug taking that is popular among teens. Also, make sure you are aware of the signs of drug taking (mood swings, heightened secrecy and unexplained money spending, for instance).

If you suspect your child is taking drugs or abusing alcohol, you must talk to your teenager. By avoiding the issue, you are only going to make their problems worse. When you talk to them, you must not let their anger, excuses or avoidance control the conversation. Be calm, be in control and be loving. Do not be accusatory or lose your temper. Tell your teenager that more than anything else, they need to know that you love them but you will not tolerate drug use and alcohol abuse. Take control of the situation and get your teen on the path to recovery finding local, professional help.

Some countries do not have a drinking age.  Although the U.S. and Canada have considered this idea, it has been shot down.  Teens in these countries are just unable to control their consumption.  Other countries, such as Italy and France, have no such laws about teen drinking.  As a result, teens grow up around alcohol, so there is no fascination with it.  Tell any teen that they can’t have something, and they are likely to want it even more.  The same holds true for drinking alcohol.  When given the chance, adolescents take advantage of alcohol, to their own detriment.

Sadly, each year, about 5,000 teens die from underage drinking.  1,900 of these deaths are vehicle related, proving how the impaired judgment that teens experience under the influence, really affects those around them too.  What are some ways that parents can help their teens to avoid alcohol? Some parents, unfortunately, don’t take enough interest in the welfare of their teens.  They leave hard liquor, beer and wine out where it is available to their kids.  This can be easily avoided by installing a liquor cabinet with a good lock system.  This is just one way that parents can do help to keep their teenage prescription drug abuse and drinking alcohol.  There is only one case where teen drinking is actually legal, under parental supervision.  This is often a wise idea, much like the way Italy and France (just examples) have a light view of alcohol, parents can convey this attitude as well.  Make your teens see that alcohol is just another beverage, something to be consumed in moderation.  Hopefully they will learn not to overindulge when consuming alcohol as adults.

The first way to defeat drug use is through education or drug rehab for teenagers.  While traditional programs like DARE and in classroom training have been attempted with limited success solicited from teenagers, it appears more direct education, such as a “Scarred Straight” format often work better.  In situations where teenagers are taught from the perspective of experience or direct example, instead of hypothetical or “what if” education, the gain more benefit and are more likely to stay away from drugs.

Another way to help fight teenager drug abuse is through example and conversation.  If your teenager sees you casually smoking pot, or making references that say, “It’s just weed, it’s no big deal,” they are likely to find other drugs “no big deal”.  Talking to teenagers and setting specific boundaries helps define how their outlook will play a part when they are confronted with the option to use drugs.

At times, a teenager might already be involved with drugs and the goal may be to keep them away from making it worse for themselves or helping them find the road back clean living.  In mild cases, professional counseling can help.  For the more extreme cases, a teenage rehabilitation or teen boot camp might be necessary to help them get their lives back in order and back on track.  Often these boot camps can help a teen get clean and sober as well as back into school and family life.

With the use of drugs by teenagers increases year after year, it is important to have the right tools in your arsenal to ensure your teenagers stay on the clean path.

However, it is important to understand exactly how strong the pull of drug addiction can be for you teenage child, especially if you have never really had to struggle with addiction during the course of your own life. A true addiction is not the same as simply developing an unhealthy habit or a psychological crutch. When an individual is truly addicted to a physical psychoactive substance, their entire metabolism changes so that they simply do not feel normal or healthy without the use of their drug of choice. If you are not familiar with withdrawal symptoms, remembering a nasty alcohol induced hangover is the best way to put yourself in addict’s shoes. What a hangover really are mostly withdrawal symptoms from a hard night of over indulging in alcohol as your body adapts to not having a constant intake of that addictive substance. When a drug addict tries to kick teenagers drug abuse, they go through a similar period of withdrawal symptoms, but withdrawal from certain drugs can be much more taxing on an addict’s mental state. To use another legal analogy, think of how confused and irritable any smoker that you have known became when he or she tried to quit smoking.

Because kicking teenage drug and alcohol abuse can be so taxing and because it young people are so much easier to treat then older addicts, it is often necessary to send your child off for rehabilitation at a special treatment facility to be sure that they are able to move on with their lives drug free. While it feels much more natural to keep you loved one home in your own care and try to treat them on your own, you simply are not equipped to treat a recovering drug addict if you are not a recovered addict with many years of sobriety under your built yourself. It can be scary to leave you fragile teen in another’s care when they are so fragile, but rest assured that a trained teenage prescription drug abuse treatment facility is the best option to get your kid back on track before he or she makes any mistakes that will last the rest of his or her life.

If your teen is having troubles please get help as soon as you can. The teenage drug abuse statistics are already higher than they have ever been. Don’t wait just get help now.

The problem today is that drugs are more available and more culturally acceptable than ever before.  Heroin used to be a dirty drug you had to shoot up.  Nowadays, for example, drug dealers have innovated and discovered ways to make it a drug you snort or smoke—young people are more likely to get involved.  And while marijuana isn’t nearly as dangerous as these other drugs, it is now acceptable to use and can lead into other criminal activities.  No matter how nice and smart and clean your kid is, the teenage drug addiction statistics can take them.  They will someday be offered illegal drugs, if they haven’t already.  The wrong decision can lead to heartbreak for everybody.

The solution is honesty and frankness.  It is easy to fall into the “not my kid” trap.  Denial is not just a river in Egypt, and parents let their kids continue on the downward spiral of a teenage drug addict every day because they refuse to believe that their child is in trouble.  Whether you are rich, Christian, in a “functional” family and smart or poor, heathen, a broken home and uneducated your child can fall into the trap of addiction.  As a result, it isn’t a judgment on your parenting skills if teenage drug addiction visits your family.  Don’t let bruised pride get in the way of getting your child the help he or she needs.

Wherever you live—a posh suburb or a rough inner city or out in the country—drugs can find your child.  If you are facing a teenage drug addiction problem in your family there are resources available to you.  Talk to your minister, to a school counselor or visit your local AA meeting and help can be on the way today.