When Substances Abuse Your Teen
Suddenly, your teenager is having trouble in school. Relationships with teachers, friends, siblings--and you--are falling apart. Your child has a new set of friends and no longer seems interested in favorite activities.
A frightening question weighs on your mind: "Is my child experimenting with drugs?"
If the answer is yes, you need to act quickly to help your child. But, first you need to know for sure.
Besides having trouble with school and relationships, teenagers taking drugs may display emotional extremes with irritability; anger and changes in sleep patterns.
"Look for a significant change in behavior. A change in grades, a change in how they dress, or a sudden change in friends--those kinds of changes should raise a red flag," says children's psychiatrist J. Ronald Heller, M.D. "Parents should also listen to teachers and the teenager's friends."
If you're convinced your child has a problem, says Dr. Heller, insist upon a drug screen. A refusal often is an implied admission of drug abuse, he says.
Parents can use several strategies to help their teenagers kick a drug habit or avoid experimenting in the first place:
- "Parents need to confront the situation head on and not make excuses or enable the drug use," says Dr. Heller. "They need to make it very clear that this behavior is not acceptable, and to provide consequences for it."
- Seek professional intervention immediately. This is a health problem, and you can begin family counseling to determine if there are any underlying problems. If you are considering counseling, talk to your doctor.
- If your teenager isn't experimenting with drugs, provide encouragement and positive reinforcement. "Show your kids that you respect their good judgment," says Dr. Heller, "by rewarding them with more privileges and increased responsibilities."
