Teenage is a difficult period, not only for teens but for the parents as well. This is the time when kids are most vulnerable and excited about everything that comes across them. Among these things, the most common one is substance abuse. Parents usually don’t think about this as they don’t expect their kids to be involved in any such thing.
With parental control apps being used everywhere, it is difficult to accept that your kids can do something like that. But, indeed, it is happening at a much higher rate now and kids are enjoying it at a dangerous level. If you don’t do anything about it, you might end up being regretting everything that is happening. Substance abuse further leads to many other issues that become hard to deal with once it becomes an addiction.
The more you know about these things, the better you can deal with it. Teens are too much secretive so it is up to you to see how much you get yourself informed about what is going on with them and how you can handle things with your kids. Let’s get to the things that you need to know about when it comes to substance abuse in teens.
Causes of Substance Abuse in Teens
According to the latest research, half of the new drug users are under 18. It is observed that experimentation has played a big role in inducing this habit in teens. A bunch of teens trying to do something different unique often end up trying any drug and getting addicted to it. Since the teenage is the period of experimentation, they are vulnerable to this as well. Here some of the other reasons of teens being involved in substance abuse:
- Curiosity often leads them to try one of the drugs and then it becomes a habit. Either they see other people trying this or even social media is enough to induce such things in teens. So, many teens just try out drugs for the sake of curiosity.
- Peer pressure is another factor that plays a strong role in this. Often peers force each other to try out things. Moreover, many shy and less confident teens tend to adopt such habits to fit in the group they like very much. They do everything they can to look cool and relate themselves to such groups.
- When kids are stressed out due to any issue, they tend to choose the path that leads to calmness and relaxation. It can be due to the fights they see at home, bullying they face at school, difficulty in studies, pressure from parents, and many other things that lead to stress and anxiety. The more stressed out they are, the more they lean towards awkward and inappropriate things.
- Teens with emotional struggles also face substance abuse issues. It can be because they have failed relationships with their parents as well as partners, they have suffered through some trauma, or anything that might have imbalanced their emotional stability.
- A desire to escape and get out of the mental space they are living in. Often, they get too tired of the robotic life they live that they do drugs to feel alive and fresh.
These are a few of the most common reasons that lead to substance abuse in teens and things can go worst if you don’t know how to detect the changes in teens due to drug addiction.
Signs of Substance Abuse in Teens
You are a parent; you must notice the minor things happening with your kid. This includes the minor changes they are going through. Here are some of the most common signs to look for if you are unsure if your kid is abusing drugs or not:
- Their grades have fallen all of a sudden and there is no improvement in their studies.
- You are noticing bloodshot eyes every morning or at night.
- If they are out most of the time without informing you.
- They are binge eating and hungry most of the time.
- Their hygiene is getting poor day by day for no apparent reason.
- They are avoiding eye contact with you.
- Activities that they used to enjoy bear no meaning to them now.
- Either they are going out with their friends too much or they are avoiding social contact as much as they can.
- You don’t see them talking or sharing their ideas too much. They just don’t care what is happening around them.
- They have become too secretive. They don’t allow you to go to their room anytime you want.
- You have observed smoking smells in their breath or clothes.
- They usually laugh for no reason at all.
- They are usually tired for no apparent reason.
These are some of the signs to look for if you are not sure if your kids are doing drugs or not. If you find most of the signs to be true, it is time to search more and find out what they are up to.
Dealing with Substance Abuse in Teens
It is shocking and disappointing to know that your kid is doing drugs. It might seem unacceptable at the moment but the sooner you accept it, the better it is for your kid and yourself too. You can deal with these things in a better way if you are calm and relaxed yourself. No need to be panicked and no need to lash out on them at once. You need to deal with these things in the most calming way possible.
You must continue with pursuing the best parental control techniques and further on, you must do take them to an addiction therapist if you think the situation has gone worse. If it is just a start, talk to them, do a little research about how to talk to your teen about substance abuse. Discuss everything with, share your experiences, and show them how dangerous it is for them.
If you will panic in front of them or show anger, it will all go invain. Just relax and show them that you are open to anything they want to discuss and they will be always welcome to share things with you. Good bonding with your kid is a key to a successful upbringing.
