Warning Signs Your Child Is in Trouble with Drugs or Alcohol

Changes in your teen's behavior and appearance can be a normal form of adolescent self-expression. But these changes can also be a sign of a serious problem. How can a concerned parent tell the difference?

Here are a few of the most common warning signs that your teen is using drugs or alcohol:

1. Negative changes in schoolwork, missing school, or declining grades
2. Use of incense, room deodorant, or perfume to hide smoke or chemical odors
3. Changes in friends, or subtle changes in conversations with friends (e.g., more secretive, using "coded" language)
4. Change in clothing choices, new fascination with clothes that highlight drug use
5. Increase in borrowing money
6. Evidence of drug paraphernalia such as pipes, rolling papers, etc.
7. Bottles of eye drops, which may be used to mask bloodshot eyes or dilated pupils
8. New use of mouthwash or breath mints to cover up the smell of alcohol
9. Missing prescription drugs, especially narcotics and mood stabilizers
10. Losing interest in activities the teen once enjoyed
11. Personality changes - a child who was once outgoing is now withdrawn, or someone who is usually relaxed is now fidgety and restless
12. Sudden mood changes - euphoria followed by tenseness or edginess; excessive suspiciousness or paranoia
13. Appearing listless or hung over, increased forgetfulness, and withdrawal from family
14. More combativeness at home, sudden rages or bouts of anger, or increased secretiveness
15. Weight loss, not sleeping well, fatigue, or hyperactivity

If you have noticed any of these signs of substance abuse in your child, trust your instincts. There is no harm in getting a free assessment of your child's situation or seeking advice from a medical professional or substance abuse treatment program that specializes in working with teens. The alternative, taking a "wait and see" approach, puts your child and your family in jeopardy.

 

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