When certain hormonal and developmental changes begin to onset during adolescence, one could feel strange in their body. Not knowing how to address the situation and lacking the appropriate support system could easily lead to poor life decisions.

Teenage years are filled with lots of exciting first times: your first love, the first kiss, and the first heartbreak. Often, this period is marked by various experiments, too. While eagerly waiting for adulthood, teenagers take every opportunity to have a taste of it. Drugs and alcohol are fun, hip, and overall, the party-starters. Rarely do adolescents contemplate both the short and long-term effects of substance abuse. Until it is too late.

Prevention & Education Are Key

Having positive role models impacts your child’s odds of substance exploration. If they follow celebrities who are popularizing legal drugs, your adolescent is more likely to perceive the behavior as normal and fearlessly model it. That is how over 50 % of the American high schoolers are convinced that trying cocaine or crack once or twice is harmless. Approximately 40 % see no harm in giving heroin a shot.

While not every minor develops a drug dependency after a few trials, he is still at risk to pick onto the bad habits in his adulthood. Timely education and open discussions on the matter could reduce the chance of your child experimenting with drugs by more than 50 %. Being gentle yet honest is crucial to your kid’s perception of the issue.

Understanding the Motivators Behind the Behavior

Being brave and wild, often beyond reason, are some stimulators to experimentation. While there is nothing wrong with that under normal circumstances, when drugs enter the equation, everything changes.

If you have been wondering what may be causing your teenager’s hazardous tryouts, here are some common reasons:

• Stress – both adults and adolescents experience it & could reach to drugs to numb it
• Curiosity – the urge to try prohibited substances is strong during this stage of development
• Escapism tendencies – attempting to run away from the problems of “real” life
• Emotional instability – hormonal changes play a substantial role
• Peer pressure – hanging out with a crowd that encourages & embraces the negative behaviors

Signs & Signals of Teen Substance Abuse

Though teenagers often exhibit strange behaviors for no apparent reason, some of those could be associated with drug abuse. It is the parent’s role and responsibility to closely monitor and address those. Identifying the signs & signals of substance abuse will enable your family to seek timely treatment.

What to look out for:

• Eye contact is uncomfortable or absent
• Curfew is not in an adequate order
• Decreased interest in favorite activities/hobbies
• Breath and/or clothes smell like cigarettes or smoke
• Bleary eyes & an empty gaze
• A sudden dip in grades
• Emotional eating or hunger beyond regular dieting
• Uncontrollable and unprovoked laughter
• Keeping secrets and being dishonest
• Reduced hygiene & lack of self-care
• Unwarranted tiredness and overall fatigue

What Can You Do When Your Child is Abusing Substances?

Once you have identified the problem and discussed it with your teen, you need to address it. The most optimal way to approach the situation is by seeking professional help. Depending on the type & severity of the substance dependency, your therapy options will vary.

Word of mouth and doctor referrals are two reliable ways of coping with the issue. Doing your own research, though, matters equally. You can start with a Google search for your local area, e.g. “Drug Rehab in Brentwood, TN”. If you are not convinced about the results, you can expand to a broader search, e.g. “The best rehab in the SE USA”. Do not be shy to contact your top choices and inquire about their programs, amenities, and any other queries coming to your mind.

Treatment Options

Finding drug addiction therapy that matches the patient’s needs, goals and lifestyle is crucial to a successful recovery. The main difference between adult and adolescent treatments is that the first has been adapted to the specific developmental and behavioral characteristics of the age group.

The two major types of teen treatments are:

Outpatient Programs

If your child’s addiction is not too severe, an outpatient program may be appropriate. While not fully hospitalized, he will still have to attend regular appointments and commit to his therapy.

Inpatient Treatment Centers

When substance abuse is at a more advanced phase, the patient may require a medical detox, followed by therapy in a specialized facility. This option is often recommendable for teens with troubled families and unstable environments.