Signs of Drug Abuse
Adolescence is the stage wherein your teenage son gets to know himself by experimenting with newfound freedoms, developing intimate relationships, understanding his sexuality and changes in his body, and facing the challenges of high school or university. Teenagers are easily frustrated if they are not able to meet the demands so they end up using drugs. Some adolescence use drugs to escape from pressure of life or problems.
Some parents are not aware that their teenager son or daughter are using drugs for several months or even years because parents are often busy with work and other activities. Watch out for some signs of drug abuse for your teenagers.
- Change in mood or attitude. If your son or daughter has reserve attitude and suddenly becomes loud and has excessive talkativeness or extreme hyperactivity.
- Smell of substance in breath and clothes. Notice unusual odor if he is smoking marijuana or cooking shabu.
- Poor physical appearance. Your teenage son has a fashion of other drug abusers and forgets to take a bath or even to comb his hair. Changing his grooming habits.
- Worsen school performance. Getting failing grades. Skip school classes or late for school.
- Wearing of sunglasses. Keep the eyes because the eyes become bloodshot if using drugs like methamphetamine (shabu).
- Peer group drug users. Be sure to know friends and look into the kinds of social gatherings he attends.
- Loss of valuable things at home. School allowance will not be enough to support the habit. Stealing money or items at home.
- Stop communication with family members. He doesn’t consult important decision and become secretive.
- Covers arms and legs if using a needle.
- Difficulty in handling adverse life event. He can’t handle problem like parents separating, losing a girl friend or sexual/physical abuse.
- Too much privacy and unreachable.
If drug usage is confirmed, consult your doctor and seek advice. Your teenager need support groups, psychiatrists, and counselors but of course, he will need your support and help. Never make him feel unwanted or rejected. Develop ties with the rest of the family. Show him that you still love him in spite of what happen.
November 13th, 2008 | Tags: Drug Abuse | Category: Drug Abuse
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