What to do when your teen is using drugs Archives | Page 3 of 4 | Parenting Today's Teens | Radio Show & Podcast

Intervention and Recovery

recovery Susanna came from a great home, with conservative Christian parents. She grew up attending church with her family, playing sports in a private school and participating in her church youth group. But by the time she was 17, she had become a cynical, street-savvy teenager. Experimenting with drugs and alcohol had spiraled into a dangerous lifestyle that included selling illicit drugs and abusing alcohol.

A photo of Susanna before coming to Heartlight reveals her sitting among stacks of cash from selling drugs, and holding an automatic weapon. Amazingly, she led this secret life while living at home and under the care of two concerned but unknowing parents. Continue reading “Intervention and Recovery”

Teen Recovery from Substance Abuse

More than 80% of youth who have completed a chemical dependency treatment program are unable to maintain sobriety after returning to their home, school, and old peer group. (Source: SAMSHA)

Drug zone There’s nothing more gut-wrenching for a parent than to deal with their teenager’s drug addiction. It’s like a slow death, not just for the teen, but for the the entire family. And it won’t get better without treatment and ongoing support, sometimes spanning the addict’s entire life. That’s why it’s far better for parents to test for and catch substance abuse early, before it gets a foothold.

Sadly, more than a million teenagers are admitted every year to drug or alcohol abuse treatment programs. These adolescents come through a 30-, 60-, or 90-day treatment program, only to find it impossible to maintain their sobriety, because their peers and influences back home haven’t changed. Without ongoing help, they return to drinking or drugs most of the time. Continue reading “Teen Recovery from Substance Abuse”

Deceptions of Teen Drug Use

When it comes to drug or alcohol use, we parents want to give our kids the benefit of the doubt. But for some kids, there are signs that something is different, and that’s when we should be on our toes. The phrase benefit of the doubt is defined as, “a favorable opinion adopted despite uncertainty.” Do you experience uncertainty? Do you wonder if your child has been using drugs or alcohol? Does he or she act, speak, reason or look differently?

Statistics show that 1 in 4 high school seniors use an illicit drug once a month; 1 in 5 use weekly; 1 in 10 use daily. Drug use is no respecter of religious versus non-religious, public versus private school kids. And because today’s drugs, especially pot, are far more potent than in the 70’s, teenagers become addicted more quickly and overdose more easily. But the fastest growing “drugs” of choice today are common household items like aerosols, glues, prescription drugs, pain killers, cold medications, and prescription medications used to treat anxiety or Attention Deficit Disorders. Continue reading “Deceptions of Teen Drug Use”