| Parents often find themselves in a quandary | | | | figures). |
| trying to figure out how to help the adolescent | | | | -Depression, over sleeping, insomnia, sadness, |
| whose behavior, disposition, and mood has | | | | apathy, loss of motivation, loss of interests |
| changed for the worst. The exact nature of the | | | | -Irritability, agitation, acting out of anger, hostility, |
| problem may be eluding them. They use a trial | | | | negative attitude Change in peer group. Peers are |
| and error problem solving method where they | | | | not the same group of kids they have always |
| end up trying anything and everything to solve | | | | hung out with (i.e."druggies", kids that are getting |
| the problem. They try assertive discipline, enrolling | | | | into trouble, older kids) |
| their child in extracurricular activities to improve | | | | -Changes in appearance and personal style; |
| self-confidence or self-esteem, tutors, | | | | neglect of hygiene; weight loss/gain |
| antidepressants, etc. without really knowing what | | | | -Social isolation and withdrawal |
| they are dealing with. | | | | -Emotional lability and mood swings. |
| They are often operating under faulty | | | | -Secrecy, dishonesty, lying about insignificant |
| suppositions. Although their child's personality | | | | things |
| changes can seemingly come out of nowhere, the | | | | Adolescents are more vulnerable to moving from |
| parent may have identified a link to changes in | | | | casual/experimental use of chemicals into addiction |
| the family, lifestyle, or other circumstances. | | | | because of their still developing brains and |
| Parents tend to point to a geographic move, a | | | | emotional immaturity. Other adolescents are even |
| divorce, death of a grandparent (or any other | | | | more vulnerable to addiction than others because |
| significant person), or other major life changes | | | | of genetic predisposition, personality characteristic |
| and believe that these changes are the source of | | | | (low self-esteem, people pleasing, anxiety, |
| the problem. | | | | especially social anxiety, lack of social skills, easily |
| Much of the time, the personality and behavioral | | | | bored, antisocial attitudes, etc.), peers with |
| changes they see in their adolescent, are related | | | | pro-drug use attitudes and behavior, certain family |
| to substance abuse. And the substance abuse can | | | | dynamics. |
| be linked to those life changes. If there is | | | | When parents discover that there is a substance |
| substance abuse/dependence issue, those life | | | | abuse problem amidst other life changes and |
| changes may have propelled the child into | | | | circumstances, it is tempting to try to focus on |
| escalating use of the chemical, which could bring | | | | those other circumstances, believing that the |
| about escalating negative consequences of that | | | | drinking/using problem will be resolved when the |
| drug use. | | | | other issues are fixed. This is typically not the |
| Most parents do not want to believe that their | | | | case. |
| child has an addiction or drug problem. It is much | | | | Unresolved emotional, mental health, and |
| more emotionally comfortable to believe that their | | | | relationship issues can be worked on and resolved |
| child is having a hard time adjusting to changes in | | | | once the drinking/using stops, but working on the |
| the family or to developmental stage difficulties. | | | | other issues will not stop the drinking/using. Unless |
| Parents are often so invested in "the problem" | | | | the chemical use is stopped, the symptoms and |
| not being a "drug problem" that they ignore or | | | | negative consequences of drinking/using will |
| explain away the first few wake-up calls that | | | | continue to occur. The symptoms and negative |
| they are dealing with addiction. | | | | consequences of substance abuse are those listed |
| Classic examples of an alcohol or drug problem | | | | above (i.e. drop in grades, secrecy, depression, |
| that parents often miss include (but are not | | | | etc.) |
| inclusive): | | | | Most addiction treatment modalities target the |
| 1) finding drugs in the child's room and believing | | | | emotional and psychological issues present in a |
| that the drugs belong to some other child and | | | | patient with addiction. Many emotional |
| that your son/daughter is holding them for | | | | psychological issues are resolved through getting |
| "Johnny". | | | | clean and sober. Many addicts have been |
| 2) writing off some anonymous phone call or | | | | misdiagnosed with physical and mental illnesses |
| letter that your child is using, to jealousy, or some | | | | that they simply do not have. Once the using |
| other malevolent motivation, | | | | stops, so do many of the other symptoms. |
| 3) explaining your adolescent's change in group of | | | | Addiction can mimic all kinds of other illnesses, |
| friends as his/her low self-esteem or need to | | | | including bipolar, schizophrenia, ADD, borderline |
| take care of others, | | | | personality, depression, anxiety disorders and |
| 4) explaining drugged or drunken behavior as a | | | | others. |
| "one time only" event. | | | | Sometimes, however, other illnesses are |
| Other common changes in your adolescent that | | | | co-occurring with substance abuse/addiction and |
| may signal an alcohol or other drug problem: | | | | will persist well into sobriety. Nevertheless, it is |
| -Drop in grades, being late, skipping school | | | | very difficult to know whether there is another |
| -Defiant, rebellious behavior at home, school, and | | | | underlying disorder when its symptoms are the |
| in community (lack of respect for authority | | | | same ones as addiction itself. |