An oft repeated quip in the substance abuse treatment and mental health world is that nobody wakes up one day and decides to develop an addiction. The process of developing a drug problem or drug addiction is insidious and can happen over the course of months or years. The user typically keeps their drug use a secret from loved ones as long as they are able to. Parents are often puzzled by the changes they observe in their teenager long before they uncover any hard evidence. When their parents and loved ones finally uncover signs their teenager is doing drugs, they are often left with more questions than answers:
- How long has this been going on?
- How do I know if this is a problem or just a phase?
- Will I need to seek substance abuse treatment?
- What else don’t I know about?
- Can I trust what my child says?
What follows is a discussion into the generalities of young people using drugs. Obviously, every situation is a little different, and comes with its own nuances. To speak with a substance abuse treatment professional regarding your particular situation, please contact our alcohol and drug rehab center in Denver or call us at (303) 690-0082. All consultations and evaluations are free.
Many teenagers experiment with illicit drugs or alcohol throughout their school years. What tends to start with the occasional party or weekend get-together with friends gradually turns into a weekly occurrence and evolves from there.
The problem with casual use is that the drug user doesn’t usually realize what’s happening. Using with more frequency, experimenting with different types of drugs, and telling ‘little lies’ more and more often become a part of their routine. When drug users experience their first consequence (such as getting caught, arrested at school, or a DUI), they usually chock it up to “bad luck” and keep using.
The Problem With Teenagers and Drugs – Delayed Emotional Growth
An unfortunate side effect of all drug use, that we observe repeatedly in the substance abuse treatment world, is delayed emotional growth. It is known that the brain is not fully developed until around age 25. The brain’s prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision making and thinking things through, is the last part of the brain to develop. This is why teenagers, known for being fun-loving and spontaneous, are also famous for being impulsive and struggling to foresee the consequences of their actions. Unironically, this is one of the primary areas of the brain inhibited by drug use – leading to problems with decision making and impulsivity that can last for years.
The other notable problem with teenage drug use lies in the fact that teenagers are still learning valuable life skills. People abuse drugs because they create a sense of euphoria in the user. Therefore, the critical highs and lows of being a teenager – such as being proud of getting good grade or dealing with the emotional low of their first breakup – get glossed over by a teenager who uses drugs. With continued use, this typically results in an individual who goes through experiences but continually fails to learn the emotional “lesson” and seems to repeat the same mistakes over and over (a common trait of adult alcoholics and drug addicts).
Due to the vulnerability of the teenage mind and the fact that they are still developing, we would suggest that ALL teenage drug use is a problem. Of course, not every situation requires substance abuse treatment. The only way to determine that for sure is to get an evaluation from a professional. Below are some signs that the young person in your life may need treatment. If you are noticing two or more of these symptoms in your young person, you may want to schedule an evaluation.
Signs Your Child May Need Substance Abuse Treatment
If you’re like most parents or loved ones of drug or alcohol abusers, you may be aware of unusual changes in your young person. Sometimes, these signs and symptoms that your child is using drugs can be difficult to interpret – are they normal teenage behavior patterns or are they a cause for concern? The following signs and symptoms may suggest that a more serious problem has arisen in your young one’s life. Pay attention for the following signs of drug use (details below):
- Lack of interest in favorite activities
- Gradual changes in academic performance
- Change of friends
- Becoming secretive or isolated
- Needing more money than usual
- Missing valuables or prescription drugs
- Personality changes
- Physical changes
Lack of Interest in Favorite Activities
Lack of interest in activities they usually enjoy is one of the tell-tale signs of drug use, due to the effect drugs have on the brain’s reward centers (limbic system). While it is normal for interests to come and go during the teenage years, suddenly quitting their favorite hobbies or sports teams can be a symptom of a greater problem.
Gradual Changes in Academic Performance
Drops in school attendance, decreases in academic performance, or getting into trouble at school can be signs of drug use, even if the trouble isn’t drug related. The changes can be sudden or gradual. As a drug user’s brain becomes more used to receiving rewards from drug use, it becomes less dependent on healthy rewards, such as performing well or getting good grades.
Change of Friends
One of the common rewards of drug use is that the teen will often feel they gained the acceptance of a new crowd at school, seemingly overnight. The other half of this symptom is that any positive friend groups they had previously will often disapprove of their new habits and stop hanging out with them. Parents and family members often perceive this as a sudden change of friend-groups with no apparent reason.
Becoming Secretive or Isolated
If your young person spends greater and greater amounts of time in their room or bathroom, or if they are spending large amounts of time with their friends without being able to provide a clear account of where they went or what they did, you might be noticing symptoms of a drug problem.
Needing More Money than Usual
If you’re noticing that your young person seems to need more and more money, you may be noticing symptoms of a drug problem.
Missing Cash, Valuables, or Prescription Drugs
If you’ve noticed anything in your home suddenly go missing, you may have cause for concern. Often the missing items start small – things that can be sold for quick cash. This may progress to larger amounts of money or more valuable items like jewelry or electronics. Another factor that sometimes catches families by surprise is missing prescription drugs. Many prescription drugs have the potential for abuse, or can be traded for other drugs. It’s important to take inventory of any prescription drugs you have, and to properly dispose of old stock when you no longer need it.
Personality Changes
One of the fundamental aspects of the disease model of addiction is that the user begins by experiencing euphoria, and over time their “normal” emotional state worsens gradually as their brain produces less and less of the “feel good” hormone dopamine. If your teen all of a sudden seems to be grumpy, irritable, and argumentative all of the time, you may be seeing signs of drug use. Another common trait is that a teen or young person may present as unusually unmotivated or lazy. Depending on the drugs they are using, they can also present as paranoid, anxious, depressed, or have random bursts of energy or giddiness for no apparent reason.
Physical Changes
The physical warning signs of addiction or drug abuse can vary depending on the user’s drug of choice. However, it is fairly common that the user’s appearance changes in some way. Sudden weight loss or weight gain, dilated or constricted pupils, bloodshot eyes, sudden disregard for hygiene, and unusual smells can all be signs of drug use. Symptoms of intoxication could be slurred speech or impaired coordination. Since some drugs can stay in the user’s systems for days or weeks after use, some users will present these symptoms even when they are not intoxicated.
Strange Illnesses
Withdrawal symptoms are often presented by the user to their loved one as “the flu, or “I’m just feeling sick today.” Parents are often puzzled at why their normally healthy loved one is all of a sudden catching the flu every month. These can by symptoms of opiate, benzodiazepine, or alcohol use. The other category to be aware of is inhalants. The use of inhalants can cause rashes around the nose and mouth, headaches, nausea, poor muscle control, changes in appetite, anxiety, and impaired vision.
Next Steps – And How to Determine if Substance Abuse Treatment is Right for You
Suspecting a loved one of drug abuse can be a scary time for a family. Many parents second guess themselves and begin to feel isolated. One of the best things you can do is call a substance abuse treatment program specializing in adolescent and young adult drug abuse early in the process. At the very least, we can connect you to some supportive resources so you can determine a course of action without having to feel alone in the process. As a basic plan of action, we recommend:
- Contact substance abuse treatment professionals
- Get some answers
- Get an evaluation
- Check out our support groups
- Don’t beat yourself up
- Don’t forget to take care of yourself
Contact Substance Abuse Treatment Professionals
As professional substance abuse treatment counselors, we do this for a living. We are very equipped to help you sort through the symptoms you are seeing and helping you determine whether further action is appropriate in your situation. Due to the nature of our work, we also generally have up to the minute awareness of the trends in the drug world.
Get Some Answers!
Some parents keep a fairly level head, some feel a sense of dread, and others are in a full-blown panic. Either way, we understand that you’ve probably got more questions than answers at this point. When you meet with our counselors and attend our support groups – ask questions and be willing to learn.
For more answers to common questions parents have, take a look at our drug and alcohol treatment FAQ page.
Get an Evaluation
Since every situation is different, we do all of our evaluations free of charge. An evaluation can include parents with their child, or just parents. Sometimes, our first appointment or phone call will just be a strategy session on how to get your loved one to come meet with us.
Check Out Our Support Groups
We believe this is a critical step for both you and your child. After our evaluation, we will likely invite you to one of our parent support group meetings and invite your child to one of our 12-step meetings. This is simply to help you and your child decide whether our program is a good fit for your family.
Don’t Beat Yourself Up
Many parents’ first reaction is that they “should have seen this coming”, or that they “did something wrong”. In general, this couldn’t be further from the truth. People who use drugs are experts at creating a smoke-screen around their drug use, and it often takes quite a while for their loved ones to figure it out. Couple this with the fact that when you look at your child, you want to see the best in them. You didn’t create this situation – all you can do is respond to it.
Don’t Forget to Take Care of Yourself
One of the most common stumbling blocks for parents during the substance abuse treatment process is that they forget to tend to their own mental and physical wellbeing. This is especially true of parents who have been doing this for a while. We understand that as parents, your children are your world. We often remind families of what flight attendants repeat before a plane takes off: “Make sure to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others.” Taking care of your own basic needs will make this process ten times easier in the long run – for you AND your child.
Contact Us Our Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities in Denver, CO
If you believe your teen or adolescent needs substance abuse or addiction treatment, contact our Denver alcohol and drug rehab center right away at (303) 690-0082. We can answer any questions you may have, educate you on the options for substance abuse treatment programs, and help you develop a plan of action.