Dealing with Teenage Drug Abuse

It’s not necessary that teenagers take the drug only because of some kind of pressure. Often the reasons are very deep-rooted. It needs complete understanding and absolute support. Substance abuse or drugs have become a common phenomenon of the modern day civilization. Even though this nuisance is extensive, parents often think that their children are safe from these hazards! And when they know that their child is suffering from these nuisances, it’s too late!

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Although substance abuse is only one kind of psychosomatic complaint which can be easily treated, however parents feel paralyzed while facing it. The parents are helpless, not because of their lacking of awareness; but they fear about social shame attached with drug addiction. The parents should attend the emergency in hand rather than worrying about their reputation in society.

It generally happens that trust, faith, and friendliness towards the child help him getting out of his menace and regaining good health within a short period of time. Whatever emotional destruction they could have suffered because of drugs, can be healed to a great extent through positive parenting. So, as parents of a teenager, just forget the whole world and concentrate on your teen. He is your liability and you are not liable to anybody else.

Symptoms and Signs of Drug Addiction and Role of Parents

It’s a very familiar story. A young teenager once was a happy, loveable, and successful student but suddenly has become abrupt, bad-mannered and disobedient. He wears a dress of druggies, sweatshirt cover drawn over the face, and pants falling low. He spends most of the time in the room without communicating with others. He spends more time out from the house to unknown places. Often he feels red-eyed and sleepy while he finally comes home. Any demand for details is replied with aggression. If you search his room, you will get drug-related things and mysterious notes which are disturbing. He doesn’t get any phone calls from his old friends.

All the attempts of talking with him have failed. You have pleaded, cried, begged, threatened, and scolded. You have removed all the things and privileges which are special for him. Perhaps you’ve had hard talks with school or police. Nothing looks to make an impact. You are just watching your teen disappearing in the drug society. The risks are higher. His criminal behaviour might get him to jail as well as he’s injecting drugs into the body which might kill him! It’s quite obvious that you get scared. You should fight to save him.

The initial step to take is taking one step back to evaluate what is happening. Like most of the parents, you are possibly been working with symptoms and not the intense problems You can get much better standing by getting the solution if you get better thought about the real problem. Observe which possibilities are available.

Causes of Drug Addiction and How Teens Involve with Drugs?

• Some teens become drug addicts as they can’t work out any other way of fitting in. The entry requirements for the drug circle are easy. They just purchase and use the drugs. You will easily get a group to enjoy. For the lonely kids or kids who feel they don’t contain what that takes for gaining membership in some other high school group, it is extremely seductive.
• Some teens get it over the heads as well as don’t recognize how to escape. Other teens terrorize them in case they attempt to leave this group. Even some incidents take place where teens are threatened by the group that they will harm their family in case they don’t cooperate. What looks like an increasing criminal activity, it is really an anxious attempt to protect the family!
• Some kids utilize drugs which are self-medicating. There are many kids who have found that they felt better while they had tried Marijuana in the party. They continued its use as they enjoyed the relief. This indicates that they are suffering from severe depression or a higher level of anxiety. If we give them proper medicines, they won’t misuse illegal drugs.
• Some teens have a wrong idea that to become all right, they need to be superior to other people. They realize they won’t be able to compete with “good kids” at school or in the family. They realize that they won’t become successful in the area which counts on the peers. Their self-respect relies on getting some ways of getting “better” than some other people. Therefore they turn into the best by being the most awful. This can be painful however it works.
• Some kids get bored with normal life. So, playing with the criminal activities is exciting for them. The risk and drama of having drugs, using them, hiding them, as well as sell them is own type of excitement.
• Some kids believe that use of drugs is quite normal. They know some adults who reduce their own illegitimate drug usage by telling that it is not worse than alcohol so needs to be legalized anyhow. They watch the TV and notice ads of all types of medicines for all types of illnesses. Are you feeling down then take this drug. If you can’t sleep then take that pill. If you can’t do sex there are drugs for them too. Some movies adore the drug traditions. Some kind of music makes that all sound, really very cool. The parents require modelling of meeting challenges using other methods. We should teach our teens about the excitement and satisfaction which comes from extending ourselves as well as succeeding. Certainly, there is a possibility of real addiction. It’s just not true that teens don’t have a dependence on the Marijuana. Maybe some have. But it’s quite possible that you won’t identify what else the kid is taking.

How Can Parents Help?
In the majority of cases, a bit more parental care and given medication will help children to cope with the drugs addiction. Though, in several cases, parents have to seek specialist medical as well as psychological assistance for helping their children recovering from this bad habit forever. In only rare cases, long-term drugs rehabilitation program and hospitalization are required.

You can take a completely different methodology to successfully deal with the situation like this.

• Give Support: Give support to the child. Giving support should be committed and unconditional for the reason of child’s recovery. Tell him that you are always with him in all situations.
• Ask Questions: Ask him questions and observe how brutal his addiction is. Raise the communication frequency with child and understand the seriousness of his problem by softly making common inquiries regarding the addiction like how it happened, the kind of substances being used, what was the feeling after use, how frequently is the use, etc. All the gathered details from the child can help you understand your child. It will also assist in the treatment.
• Distract Mind: Distract your child’s mind towards creative pursuits. Don’t allow the child to become lazy. Encourage him to do activities and things which he likes to do. In case, the child has recovered and is in good health condition, encourages him to do outdoor activities and play outdoor sports. In addition, outdoor activities like hiking, camping, nature walks, mountain biking, visiting the nature reserves as well as botanical gardens, can help your child in beating depression and offer the much required psychological healing.
• The help of the Expert: Take help of the expert whenever necessary. In case your child’s obsession can be treated by paying some attention, as well as some medical involvement, it’s good enough. Still, if the habits have been for a longer time period, you might need expert medical assistance and counselling. For continuous addiction, your child might need to undergo long-term hospitalization or continuous rehabilitation program.

Being parents, your understanding about the position and complete support for your child can help him a great deal to come out from the drugs problem. Children facing difficulties in their growth take drugs to deal with loneliness and stress in the life. When the problem is identified, parents should talk about this problem, provide inspiration, and divert the attention of children towards creative pursuits. Parents have to take on a sympathetic attitude towards the child while dealing with the problem. Prevent conditions which can force the child to return to the substance abuse.

Conclusion
The teenage drug problem is a very common nuisance of the modern times. To cope with that, the parents’ role is very important. Parents should understand a child’s situation and provide complete support to their child. Your support will help your child immensely from coming out from his drugs problem. Parents should give committed and total support for the child’s recovery. Sometimes, children start taking drugs because they can’t face stress and loneliness in their life. Parents should discuss this problem with the child, give inspiration, and distract him towards some creative hobbies. Parents should take a caring attitude towards their child if they want to cope with this problem. Remember that ‘Prevention is better than Cure”.