According to American Addiction Centres, 1 in 13 teens has a substance use disorder.
As a parent of a teen, statistics like these should concern you. When your child gets a bit older and becomes more independent, it’s natural that they explore boundaries. For some teens, however, things can spiral out of control with substance abuse, so you must recognize when this is happening.
Today, we’ll tell you some of the telltale signs of teenage substance abuse. Alcohol and drug abuse is a fixable problem, but you have to act fast. Keep reading and you’ll be able to get your child into a rehab center before it’s too late.
You Find Drugs
Finding drugs or drug paraphernalia in your child’s room or their clothes doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re addicted, but all addictions start somewhere. If you find them and you’re also noticing some of the other signs that we discuss next, it’s a pretty clear indication that they’ve got a problem.
Another thing to pay attention to is whether they’re on drugs or alcohol while around you. Pay attention to what you see, smell, and hear if you suspect your child is an addict.
You can often smell alcohol or drugs on people’s clothing or breath. If you suspect that they’re high or drunk, look them in the eyes – heavy eyelids, flushed skin, and dilated pupils are all strong indicators.
Behavioral Changes
Drug addicts and alcoholics often exhibit clear behavioral changes. You know your teen better than anyone, so you should be able to tell if they’re more irritable or withdrawn than usual.
There’s often an inclination to hide an addiction from friends and family members. Your child may become more secretive and family relationships may start to change.
If they start to disappear for long periods or skip classes at school, you can be sure that something’s causing it. They may start making excuses for their behavior as they’re spiraling out of control with substances.
Physical Changes
Sometimes it’s hard to believe that your child is an addict even when it’s staring you in the face. If your child is exhibiting behavioral changes, you may want to chalk it up to the difficulties of being a teenager. But if they’re exhibiting physical changes as well, you can’t explain it away.
Your teen may show signs of illness more frequently or they could gradually become more and more lethargic when they’re using. They may start to lose control of their hygiene or develop sores and abrasions.
Physical signs like these indicate that the addiction has gotten serious. This is when you should start thinking about taking them to a teens drug addiction treatment center in Georgia.
Deal with Teenage Substance Abuse Quickly
These are a few of the clearest signs that your kid is dealing with teenage substance abuse. Recognizing the signs is crucial if you’re going to get them into a rehab center and fix this problem before it worsens. Stay vigilant and help your child out of this mess.
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