Drug Abuse Symptoms - What To Look For In Your Teen
Drug and alcohol abuse treatment specialists agree that there is a constellation of related or co-appearing behaviors in teenagers that should raise concerns for informed and observant parents. The appearance of a substantial number of the items in this constellation or "cluster" strongly suggest that the youngster has joined the increasing number of peers experimenting with, abusing, or who have become addicted to drugs or alcohol. Parents need to honestly confront this painful and frightening possibility by looking at their child and determining if the following listing is descriptive of his or her behavior.
To avoid coming to grips with the issue is to set the stage for almost certain eventual deterioration in the teen's academic, social, personal and physical viability. As with all serious illnesses, early and powerful intervention may prevent an otherwise avoidable tragedy.
We have listed the most frequently observed behaviors parents describe to professional drug and alcohol treatment professionals and propose that the endorsement of a sizeable number of these constitutes the basis for immediate professional help.The following is a list of frequently encountered observations from worried parents who suspect thir teenagers may be involved with with drugs and alcohol. It is comprehensive but not exhaustive.
My teenager is:
- Not sleeping properly
- Very moody
- Uninterested in school and grades have deteriorated
- Spending time with questionable friends
- Increasingly isolated from the family
- Staying in his/her room for hours listening to music
- Unable to get along on his/her allowance and frequently asking for more money
- Very secretive about his/her social life
- Prone to become resentful in response to inquiries about behavior
- Spending large amounts of time instant messaging instead of school assignments
- Sometimes "binge eating" and sometimes not eating at all
- Ignoring our curfews and insisting on staying out very late on school nights
- Sleeping until very late in the day on weekends
- Often unable to get up on time for school
- Has become disrespectful towards us, teachers, and neighbors
- Has become unable to manage time properly
- Tends to leave windows open even during cold weather
- Often has an odor of burned rope or leaves on clothing
Parents agreeing with a just few of the above observations (with the exception of the last one) are probably witnessing typical adolescent behavior. However, if a third of these apply, it is likely that their teen is abusing drugs or alcohol. It is therefore essential that parents directly intervene in the life of the child and take ACTIVE steps to establish the dimensions of the problem and institute the appropriate corrective measures.
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