How Teen Drug Abuse Affects Families
Addiction affects the whole family, and it’s often more difficult when dealing with teen drug abuse. Whether you’re a parent, close relative or family friend, it’s extremely hard to see a child growing up and turning to drugs. Teens who begin to abuse drugs go through a seemingly illogical transformation and become a shadow of the child they once were. This can leave a lot of families in turmoil, unsure of how to deal with the situation. There are a few things you should know when dealing with a teen who is struggling with substance abuse.
Does Your Teen Have a Problem?
Some of the turmoil that happens within a family stems from the argument about whether or not there’s actually a problem. From a young age, kids are taught that drugs are bad, but it’s become somewhat “normal” for teens to experiment with drugs or alcohol. While some adults in the teen’s life may see that there’s an issue, others might think that it’s simply normal teen behavior. Knowing what to look for to determine substance abuse is the first step in identifying a problem. A teen who is abusing substances is going to become more withdrawn from family and sometimes even friends. They’ll like to isolate, and they may also have irrational mood swings. The mood swings can be from coming down from drugs, or it may be a side effect of the drugs, depending on what the teen is using. Teens may also self-medicate to relieve stress. As adults, we often forget how difficult and stressful the teen years can be, even though these stresses are one of the leading causes of drug abuse amongst teenagers.
Teen Drug Abuse Isn’t Your Fault
Many times, adults believe that they’re to blame for teen drug abuse. Addiction is a cunning, baffling and powerful disease that doesn’t discriminate. Just because a teen begins abusing substances doesn’t always mean they’ve had a bad childhood. While that may be a factor for some, it’s not the same for everyone. Some teens are genetically predisposed to addiction, and others become dependent on substances after months of self-medicating. Even with the optimal upbringing, it’s still possible for a teen to develop an addiction.
Getting Help Before It’s Too Late
Addiction is a progressive illness, which means it gets worse over time. The best thing you can do as an adult in the teen’s life is to help them get into treatment as soon as possible, and Stepping Stone Center is here to help. When a teen is able to get the help they need early in their addiction, they have a much better chance of recovering and going on to live the life they deserve to live. Call us today at 866-957-4960 to verify your insurance and find out more about how we can help your teen.
