Is My Teen Drinking?
She came home a late a few times and seemed to be “acting funny.” He often feels sick in the morning but feels better by late afternoon. She seems really secretive about what she carries in her bag. He becomes irate when questioned about what he did while he was out with his friends. You suspect that your teen is drinking, but you don’t know and you don’t know how to find out with invading your child’s privacy or breaking their trust if they haven’t been drinking.
Remember: though your child may be irritated -even angry -about your investigation into his or her behavior, if they aren’t drinking, then they have nothing to worry about. Chalk it up to one more way that you are showing them that you care about what happens to them. If they are drinking, they’re going to have put those hurt feelings to the side because the next order of business is determining the level of their drinking and whether or not they need teen alcohol rehab to get back on track.
Here are a few things to look at as you begin your discovery into your teen’s drinking habits.
Does Your Teen Smell Like Alcohol?
The excuse that “Jenny spilled a drink on me,” or “I just took a sip of Jamal’s drink” will only fly once. If you are repeatedly smelling alcohol on your teen’s breath, in their car or on their skin, then this is a sign that your teen is not only drinking but drinking often.
In the same way, if your teen seems preoccupied with breath mints or breath sprays and always seems to smell minty fresh even when coming home from school, after practice or after hanging out with friends, this can mean that they are attempting to cover up the smell. Giving them a hug when they come home is an unobtrusive way to get a good sniff without being confrontational or offending them.
Does Your Teen Throw Up a Lot?
Obviously, if your teen has a chronic illness or a gastrointestinal disorder, then regular vomiting will be a part of the picture long before he or she becomes a teenager. If that’s not the case, however, and your teen comes home from school repeatedly and gets sick or throws up the mornings after spending the night or hanging out at a friend’s house, then it’s a sign that alcohol bingeing is an issue for your child.
Is Your Teen Violent or Act Compulsively When Angry?
Most teens have hormonal issues, mood swings and a layer of bitterness that cakes their every comment and glance, but if your teen is physically violent when angry or acts compulsively when upset, then it might be due to drinking. Alcohol is frequently linked to violent behavior, fights and outbursts and teens who indulge are just as susceptible.
Find Teen Alcohol Rehab
A teen alcohol rehab can provide your child with the help that he or she needs to not only stop drinking but learn how to stay alcohol-free for the long-term. Call us today to learn more about our programs and how we can help your teen over the age of 18.
