Warning Signs Your Teen Could be Using Drugs
Children, and especially teenagers,are a constant source of worry for their parents. You brought them into this world, and you’re responsible for bringing them up to be healthy well-adjusted individuals, and that can be hard, especially if you’re worried they might be using drugs.
One thing that will help you is to know the warning signs of teenage drug use so that you can spot it and set about getting help for addiction before it gets out of hand. Here are some common warning signs to help you do just that:
You Find Drugs or Paraphernalia
Obviously, the biggest and simplest warning sign that your teenager is taking drugs is finding them in your kid’s possession. However, this is not always easy, especially if you’re trying to distinguish between legal and illegal pills and drugs that have been prescribed from those that are being abused. Luckily, there are lots of good websites that can help you with this. Make use of them and stay alert.
Unusual Aromas
If you start to notice strange smells emanating from your teenager’s room, it might be worth further investigation because they could be smoking marijuana in there and then burning incense or spraying deodorants to try and mask the smell.
Falling Grades
If your teen’s grades have started to rapidly plummet, there are a number of things that could be going on including everything from pure laziness to mental illness, but it could also be that they have started experimenting with drugs and that’s taken their interest away from their studies.
Glazed Eyes
Glazed eye, hugely dilated pupils, and even pinprick pupils can all be signs of drug abuse and will vary depending on the user’s drug of choice. So, if you’re worried your teenager could be taking something, look into their eyes, and you might just get your answers.
Slurred Speech
Some drugs cause speech to become slurred, and your teenager might start to sound a bit slow or dopey too. Of course, lots of teenagers tend to communicate in slow groans and mutterings without any chemical help, so it might not be a problem!
They Have New Friends
If your kid has abandoned his old friendship group in favor of a new gang of friends, it could be that the new crowd is the drug crowd, or it could just be that they’ve moved on and found new interests, so tread carefully. It can be so hard to tell sometimes!
They’re Evasive
If your teen used to be really open and honest with you, and recently you’ve noticed they’ve become more evasive about their activities, there is a chance they could be trying to hide their drug use from you. Of course, they could also be hiding the fact they’re being bullied, or they may just want more privacy now they’re older.
Money has Gone Missing
It’s not nice to think that your child would steal from you, but sometimes, when they’re hooked on drugs, they will, and this is perhaps one of the biggest red flags there is.
As you can see, determining if your kid is taking drugs isn’t easy, but it pays to remain vigilant if you even suspect that could be the case.