Knowing that your teen son is using drugs or alcohol can be disheartening. Substance abuse is becoming increasingly common among teenagers, and often, the consequences are life-threatening. As a parent, you have to be aware of teen alcoholism and must help your child as needed. Keep in mind that your role is the most important one, at least initially. In this post, we are discussing some of the critical aspects that parents need to know.
Why is my son drawn to drugs?
That’s often a common question that parents have in mind, and sometimes, it is hard to understand if you have failed in certain things. However, cases of teenage drug abuse and alcoholism is often related to peer pressure at school. Teens who have faced emotional, mental, and sexual abuse during childhood may restore to such substance as they grow, just to forget a few memories. Sometimes, it is just about stress. A number of cases related to teen drug abuse is now known to be related to prescription drugs that were prescribed for a specific condition.
What are the signs?
The signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol abuse in teens can vary, depending on what they are using. However, most teens have a tendency to withdraw from social life, may spend more time alone, and might be caught stealing money. Watch out if your child is getting into trouble at school or if he is feeling unwell more frequently. He might be stealing money to buy drugs, so keep a check on finances too. Unexplained behavioral issues, anger, and temper are also symptoms of substance abuse. Besides marijuana and alcohol, drug abuse can be related to chemicals or drugs that are found for sale in stores for medical needs. As hardcore street drugs become more accessible, parents need to be more concerned as how their teen sons are spending money.
Seeking help
Typically, programs meant for teens struggling with drug abuse lasts for about 6 months to a year, and it depends on the case and facts related to it. The rehabilitation center may use counseling, chemical dependency treatment and other therapies to help the child. If you have found that your teen son is dealing with any form of addiction, don’t delay the situation and seek help as early as you can. A good boarding school, especially faith-based centers, can fix most of the problems, often sooner than expected.
Renaissance Recovery noted that Encouraging patients to reach their goals with rehabilitation interventions, like exercise training and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a tough task.
Local group homes for teens near me provide a safe space for teenagers to grow, learn, and receive the care they need during difficult times.