The life-destroying power of addiction doesn’t stop with the individual. Addiction fractures families. If you suspect that your teenager is using substances, this is a family problem. As a result, you need a whole-family solution. Be empowered by the fact that parent engagement, family support, parental disapproval of substance use, parental monitoring, and school connectedness are all preventative factors for substance use.
While substance use is an epidemic that touches nearly all families, some teens are at higher risk for substance use than others. Everything from family dynamics to traumatic events in early childhood can elevate a teen’s likelihood of engaging in high-risk behaviors surrounding substance use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these are the risk factors for substance abuse in teens:
- Family history of substance use.
- Favorable parental attitudes towards the behavior.
- Poor parental monitoring.
- Parental substance use.
- Family rejection of sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Association with delinquent or substance-using peers.
- Lack of school connectedness.
- Low academic achievement.
- Childhood sexual abuse.
- Mental-health issues.
The first step to helping a teen with a suspected substance-abuse problem is confirming substance use. For parents, investigating clues of substance use can feel like crossing a line that violates a teen’s privacy. Parents also struggle with the idea of making teens feel like they aren’t trusted. The last thing any parent wants to do is make unfounded accusations based on behaviors that are actually part of normal teen “growing pains.” Next, take a look at signs of substance abuse in teens.
Signs of Substance Abuse in Teens: These Red Flags Could Mean That Treatment Is the Next Step
Behavioral, physical, and personality changes are common in substance-abusing teens. Some teens may “turn into a new person” overnight after discovering substances. Others may be masterminds at concealing their secrets. Here’s an extensive list of potential clues that your teen is using substances:
- Sudden changes in appetite and eating behaviors. This can look like anything from a voracious appetite to a complete lack of appetite.
- Drastic weight changes.
- Suddenly dropping an old friend group for a new one.
- Complaints from teachers about outbursts in class.
- Failing to show up at school.
- Failing to show up for a job.
- Plummeting grades.
- Bloodshot eyes.
- Unexplained bruises, wounds, scabs, scars, or track marks on the body.
- A sudden preference for wearing long sleeves at all times.
- Cracked, dry lips. Your teen may also compulsively like their lips.
- Chronic nosebleeds.
- Obsessive scab picking.
- A sooty substance on the hands and face.
- Shaking and tremors.
- A sudden lack of care about personal hygiene.
- Odd-smelling breath.
- Rapidly yellowing teeth.
- Stealing.
- A general sense of secrecy that includes avoiding eye contact, locking doors, or becoming angry when someone enters their room.
- Memory issues.
- Personality changes.
- Loss of interest in hobbies and passions.
- Odd wrappers or containers found in the teen’s room, bag, or pockets.
- Syringes, eye drops, lighters, or smoking devices that appear to be drug paraphernalia.
- Missing prescription medications from the family medicine cabinet.
- Drastic changes in sleep habits. This can look like anything from sleeping for days at a time to staying up for days at a time.
- A GPS history with a number of random trips to different addresses. This could indicate that a teen is meeting with dealers.
If substance use is suspected, the situation must be handled gingerly. Angry confrontations are likely to elicit defensive, evasive reactions. For parents, it’s important to approach a teen for a conversation about suspected drug use after a careful plan has been developed for accessing help and resources.
The Next Step to Take If Your Teen Is Abusing
Substances
Your next step can look different based on your teen’s reaction to being asked about drug use. For teens feeling scared and out of control, the question may serve as a welcomed relief that finally allows them to come clean to a loved one. Other teens may be defensive. It may be necessary to bring a teen in for drug testing if you are not able to confirm the types of substances being taken. Having knowledge about the substances being used by your teen can be important for making a safe, medically sound detox plan in coordination with health professionals. The tips below can help parents move through the process of helping their teens without heavy, counterproductive conflicts.
Be Firm on Your Values
“This is a drug-free house.” Parents have every right to be firm in their values when it comes to substances. While you may have told your teen to “make good decisions” when it comes to substance use, this may have left them feeling that they had freedom to choose to use substances in your home. Now is the time to make it clear that substances in a home negatively impact every member of the household.
Be Open to Listening Before Acting
There’s probably a lot you want to say if you’ve just discovered that your teen is abusing substances. You want to tell them about the shocking death rates of drug users, the long-term health consequences, the legal consequences, and the lethal risks for tainted drugs. There’s plenty of time to discuss the scary side of drug use in teens. However, this is a time for listening. Give your teen space to tell you about the pain and fear that have steered them toward seeking an escape through substances. As they reveal what may sound like troubling details of their journey with substances, try to avoid negative and dramatic reactions. Simply listen with a semi-neutral, compassionate tone. Engaging is more effective than lecturing in this stage.
Make a Plan for Intervention, Boundaries, and Healing
It’s natural to feel helpless when discovering that your teen is abusing substances. Parents shouldn’t have to feel like they need to tackle this problem alone. Let the hard conversation you have with your teen about substance abuse become a gateway to seeking professional resources for teenage drug use.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424850/table/ch3.t3/nal resources can save a life.