Tips on Seeing the Warning Signs That Your Teen is Doing Drugs
If you think your teen may be doing drugs, look for the following
- Radical changes in their behavior including increased lying and stealing.
- Physical changes including inability to sleep or hyperactivity.
- Emotional changes including increased sensitivity or confusion.
Three physical changes that can signal drug use in your teen
- Neglecting their appearance or hygiene.
- Drastic weight gain or loss.
- Smelling smoke or marijuana on their clothes or breath.
Is your teen doing drugs? Look for emotional changes
- Unexplainable mood swings.
- Withdrawal from family and friends.
- Increased irritability or becoming more argumentative.
Is your teen at risk? Be aware of activities associated with drug use.
- Smoking cigarettes.
- Criminal activity.
- Acting without regard to the consequences.
Three reasons your teen may be tempted to take drugs
- Peer pressure.
- Dangerous curiosity - they just want to experiment with new things and don't care about the consequences.
- Stress.
How can I talk to my teen about drug abuse?
- Establish honest and open communication.
- Restrain your emotions and reactions to what they tell you.
- Use stories or other facts to help explain the consequences of drug use.
Don't let a friend's drug habit influence your teen
- Explain your feelings about drug abuse to your teen.
- Reinforce your families no drug policy.
- Offer to find help for their friend, but explain why they can't hang out together until their friend gets clean.
Prevention is the best policy. Monitor your teen's school participation for signs of drug use.
- They could be skipping classes or days of school.
- They may loose interest or sleep during class.
- Their grades will start slipping.
Talk to your teen about the health risks associated with drugs
- Risk of addiction, overdose, or death.
- An increase in the probability of contracting AIDS.
Back to Articles
