Warning Signs: For Parents
If you’ve wondered if your child has a substance-related problem, but you’ve felt too overwhelmed or frightened to face the situation, you are not alone. Denial is a common and understandable response to teen substance use, as no parent wants to think his or her child may be at risk for addiction. And young people often experience such intense emotional responses to their everyday life that it can be easy to fail to notice, or choose to ignore, signs of substance use.
ARMS strives to be an ally for the parents of children with substance-related problems, as we recognize that family involvement is crucial for successful recovery. We can offer you information, advice and an outlet where you can address your own feelings and get any counseling or treatment you may need.
ARMS strives to be an ally for the parents of children with substance-related problems, as we recognize that family involvement is crucial for successful recovery.
If you have questions about your child’s alcohol or drug use but do not wish to enroll in ARMS, we can provide you with a one-time consultation. We also offer evidence-based coaching to parents and family members whose loved ones are not yet willing to seek an assessment or treatment themselves. This approach has been shown to significantly increase the likelihood that your son or daughter will enter treatment.
Warning Signs
Before you can decide if your child is in need of treatment, you must identify if there is a problem or not. While some warning signs of teen substance use or addiction are similar to those behaviors exhibited by healthy teens undergoing typical adolescent growing pains, such behaviors can also indicate the likelihood of a substance-related problem. Typical warning signs include:
- Moodiness, irritability, anger, aggressive behavior
- Depression
- Incoherence, forgetfulness, slurred speech
- Clumsiness, poor balance, lack of coordination
- Rapid speech, uncharacteristic talkativeness, restlessness
- Irresponsibility, recklessness, bad judgment
- Secrecy
- Thefts or sudden requests for money
- Decreased motivation
- Lack of interest in former activities, such as school clubs and sports
- New friends replace old friends
- Problems at school, such as discipline issues, poor grades and unexplained absences
Engaged Parents Are Informed Parents
In addition to watching out for general indicators that your teen may be using alcohol or drugs, you should take advantage of opportunities to check in with your child and make note of anything unusual about his/her appearance or behavior. For example, when your child returns home from a night out with friends, start a conversation in order to see if your child smells like pot, cigarette smoke or alcohol. And make a point of knowing what’s going on in your child’s academic and social life, so any sudden changes will be noticeable.
