Prevention
The first thing that parents can do is set a good example when children are young. If a child is brought up in an environment where alcohol and or drugs are commonplace, they may see nothing wrong with adopting the same lifestyle later on. This also makes talking to them when there is a problem even more difficult, because the parents will have lost their credibility. Do as I say not as I do speeches do not work. Teach them early on that there are better ways to cope with stressful situations, by showing them.
- Do other members of your family have substance abuse problems. .
- Do your social outings and gatherings center around drinking.
- Do you use alcohol or sedatives to wind down at the end of each day. .
- Do you stockpile prescription drugs to have around “just incase”
Teach them early on that there are better ways to cope with stressful situations, by showing them.
Educate Yourself
Familiarizing yourself with the names of street drugs may prove to be your best defense against addiction. You can put forth a much better argument if you know what you are talking about. There is a mind-boggling list of the street names of illegal and prescription drugs.
Know the Signs
Because teenagers can be somewhat secretive, and can suffer bouts of mild depression, determining the difference between these problems and a substance abuse problem can be difficult. However if your child is exhibiting more than a few of the following behaviors, it is possible that there is an abuse problem.
- Sudden weight loss and loss of appetite.
- Getting phone calls at strange hours.
- Becoming secretive about where they are going.
- Unexplained missed days at school.
- Neglecting their appearance and personal hygiene routine.
- Becoming unapproachable or hostile towards family members.
- Loss of interest in things that had been important to them ex. sports, cheerleading.
- Have they suddenly changed their group of friends.
- Do they frequently come home feeling sick.
- Are you missing cash or valuables from your home.
Dealing with the Problem
If you even suspect that there may be a problem, confront the child immediately, and be firm. Tell them what it is that you suspect. Simply telling them that their behavior has changed is not enough. Explain in detail what the changes are and how these changes are effecting others. If the child denies the accusations but continues tho exhibit questionable behavior, some rules have to be put in place, and changes made.
- You must know exactly where they are when they go out, and have confirmation.
- Taking away cell phones at night as a means of stopping suspicious calls. ( callers that are up to no good probably won`t call your home phone late at night)
- Limit their cash supply or cut it off completely.
- Implement a strict curfew and make sure it is enforced.
Seek Professional Help
Being parents and loving our kids is just not enough when dealing with something as potentially dangerous as addiction. If a child was diagnosed with a life threatening disease, we would never as parents assume that we could deal with the problem ourselves, nor should we when addiction is the disease. Seek the help of professionals not only for help for the child, but so you as parents can learn how to deal with the problem most effectively.
Helpful Links
Alcoholics Anonymous
Al-Anon/Alateen
Narcotics Anonymous
