Is My Teenager is Using Drugs?
Sometimes it is difficult to face the reality of your teen possibly using drugs. No parent wants to believe the harsh truth that their teenager may be using. One of the hardest things in identifying your teen’s addiction may be your reluctance to accept the problem yourself. It can be hard to face that your son or daughter has an addiction, largely out of fear for what it could mean for your child.
The first step, according to interventionservices.com, is to identify the problem itself. However, when teens, or anyone, are abusing drugs, they will do everything they can to hide or conceal the evidence so they won’t get into “trouble” and so they can keep using.
But, according to the Mayo Clinic, there are some telltale signs of teenage drug use that may be fairly recognizable. For instance, your child may become more withdrawn from your family than usual and/or they may become increasingly defensive about their personal space and evasive when asked about their plans. It’s one thing for a teenager to want privacy, but you should be concerned when they won’t tell you where they are going go or they won’t allow family members into their space or rooms. Also, their academic performance will often decline, and these teens are often skipping classes or losing interest in extracurricular activities they once enjoyed. Sometimes their personal hygiene is affected as well. That is to say, most teenagers are generally concerned with how they look. Teens that are addicted to drugs can show a general lack of interest in clothing, grooming, or looks. Some or any of these symptoms may indicate that something is amiss with your teen.
The Mayo Clinic further suggests that teens who request money without explaining what they need the money for may show signs of drug use. Sometimes parents may find that they are missing money – that their teenage may be stealing from them. Or, items from your home may go missing as your teen sells them to pay for drugs. For more specific signs for individual drugs – if you think you may know which drug is specifically being used – refer to the Mayo Clinic’s website. They have many different specific symptoms listed for commonly abused drugs.
If you are reading this article and doing the research to find answers concerning teen drug abuse, you are taking a huge step in the right direction. The most important thing a parent can do is reach out to their child and be honest about their concerns. If you do suspect a problem, it would be wise to counsel with professionals and seek professional help for your teen.