Why Parents Underestimate Teen Drug Use
A recent report on a Canadian website shows that parents often underestimate their teen’s actual drug use. The report found that many parents assume their teens are making the right choices about drugs and alcohol. The reality is that kids today are doing more drug experimentation and illegal drug activity than parents truly suspect. Read on to learn more about how parents may be missing the mark with the problem of teen drug abuse and addiction in their own homes.
Underestimating Peer Influence
Teens want independence and they follow whatever their friends are doing. It’s natural for them to want this, but it doesn’t always end up being a good idea. The friend your son brings home now and then that gets good grades and plays on the basketball team may also like to party on the weekends. If you don’t know this or don’t know the parents very well, you could be counting on that child’s public behavior to carry through in every situation.
If your teen really thinks a lot of this boy, they may go along with some weekend drinking, even if they know you would disapprove. It certainly doesn’t mean that no teen can be trusted. It does mean that parents must assume that their teen’s friends will have a lot of influence, particularly when it comes to the use of drugs and alcohol.
Overestimating Teen’s Self Control and Decision Making
Most parents want to believe their kids will do the right thing. And in many cases, a lot of kids do. But when it comes to drugs and alcohol, you can’t skimp on reinforcing the message of sobriety. Teens may know what they would ideally do. But when they are placed in a tempting situation, it is all up to their judgment and decision making skills.
That’s where the problem comes in. Despite their improved skills and more mature mental abilities, teens aren’t little adults. Their brains are still in the process of developing, especially in the areas of impulse control and judgment. So while parents might believe their kids could make the right decision about drugs and alcohol, it’s less certain when the real moment hits and decisions must be made.
A better strategy is for parents to help their teen stay out of those tempting situations as much as possible. This has a number of long-range benefits – because then, when they become adults, they have a better chance of approaching alcohol and drugs with caution and good judgment.
Warning Signs Of Teens Using Drugs
If your teen was using drugs, would you be able to tell? Read on to learn about warning signs that can tip you off to drug or alcohol use. Some are more obvious than others. Also, consider that the bigger picture is most important. Multiple warning signs are more likely to point toward drug abuse than just one or two.
- Slurred speech
- Staying out too late and running away
- Hostility and violence
- Drop in grades
- Poor hygiene
- Bad self esteem, self image
- Frequent glassy or red eyes
- A chemical smell, especially on breath
- Depression/withdrawal
- Lying, sneaking around
- Loss of interest in usual and healthier activities
- Hanging around with a bad crowd (especially if this is a noticeable change)
- Disregarding rules, authority, consequences
- Stealing objects of value or money
- No goals, motivation
- Drug paraphernalia
- Not looking physically healthy, weight drop
Drug Treatment For Your Teen
Teen drug and alcohol abuse is really a family problem. Even if a family seems normal and functional, something is wrong enough that they chose to use drugs instead of lean on their family relationships. Just getting your teen’s drug use out in the open is an important step.
You may have underestimated your teen’s drug use, but you will have learned a lot by getting them started with recovery. You’ll learn how to make better choices as a family to prevent drug use from ever becoming a problem again.
