Teenage Drug Addiction: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Options
By Living Better on January 12, 2022
Teenagers getting addicted to drugs is something we hear every day. The question is, why? Why are young people getting addicted to such harmful materials still a thing? Because there are a lot of factors that could be contributing to the drug addiction. Teenagers have the minds of clay, and their minds could be molded in every direction.
This is the reason why we find teenagers not being able to make any conscious decisions. Of course, it is important to supervise them, but there are elements that make it harder even then.
The major one is their mindset. You can never level with a teenager when [according to them] their parents do not understand anything, and their friends are the knights in shining armor.
However, this is very natural for every teenager. If you want to help a teenager not get affected by these toxic materials, then the trick is to become alert. Plus, give them a comfortable environment for detoxification.
What Are The Symptoms Of Drug Addiction
Knowing every symptom and checking them is the first step to understanding whether a teen is falling into the deep ends of drugs.
Just note that not all of these symptoms clearly indicate a drug addiction. However, if all of them appear collectively, then it is a matter of concern.
1. Complete Hostile Behaviour
Teenagers are anyway hostile, but as a parent or a close family member, you will be able to distinguish when they are teenagers, and they are being pure nasty. Then, they will start sulking about everything you do for them and start using cuss words openly.
Aggressive behavior can lead to damaging physical properties in the home. Plus, they might start acting really violent. This is a clear-cut sign that their head is not in the right space.
2. Extreme Mood Swings
Is the teen acting hostile in one moment and suddenly extremely euphoric? This might be because of the drugs. Some recreational drugs are known to give this sudden euphoric feeling to the users.
Try to check their behavior when they return home from school or go on an outing with their friends. Try to see if they are using too much artificial smell to mask the smoke stink.
Keep track of their mood; if the changes are too extreme, then it is time for an intervention.
3. Refusing To Go The Doctor
Is the teen really sick, having some skin issues or other health problems, and yet refusing to go to the doctor? Teens who are getting addicted to these substances are always scared of taking medical help.
There is this constant fear of getting caught. Especially if their parents are insisting on taking them to the doctor, in order to reject the idea of going to the doctor, teens will start getting even more hostile.
Are they saying no to the doctor? Try to kindly talk to them and do not force them.
4. Red & Swollen Eyes
If you are reading this, this is probably not the first time you have seen a teen with red eyes. It is very common for people suffering from addiction to have blood red or swollen eyes.
This is something you should definitely be a matter of concern, and one shouldn’t ignore it.
5. Slurred Speech
Another inevitable symptom among drug users is slurred speech. You can never have a level-headed conversation with them because they are either zoning out or don’t understand what they are saying themselves.
6. Failing In Academics
A good or an average student suddenly starts derailing because of many reasons. Maybe they are suffering from some stress or having some difficulties coping with it.
However, if all the other symptoms of drug use match, handle this situation with every bit of caution.
7. Sudden Weight Loss
If you are seeing a teen losing weight drastically, then continuous usage of drugs could be one of the reasons.
This is because people are less likely to lose weight all of a sudden. Especially when they have a growing body, and you see them heavily lose their appetite.
When you see all these signs, do not panic. You should take some professional help as well in order to understand the matter and then take the steps.
8. Not Socializing With Family Anymore
For a teen, there is nothing scarier than getting caught doing such things because they know that immediate action will be taken to isolate them from these materials.
So they tend to isolate themselves from others in order to keep their addiction going. As a result, they will either be hostile and push them away or, overall, stop communicating.
Causes Of Addiction
These are some of the known causes of addiction among teenagers and young adults.
- Shady friend groups or companies push them to the deep ends of drug addiction. They somehow manage to justify this behavior and convince them.
- Peer pressure is a dangerous element in the life of a teenager. This is when they are not able to say no to substances in fear of being an outcast.
- Too much school stress is causing anxiety and depression. Eventually, they take the aid of drugs in order to overcome them.
- They start mixing with the wrong crowd from the emotional turmoil in the family environment or lack of friends to socialize with.
Treatment Options
Here are some of the treatment options you can try for a teenager suffering from drug addiction.
- Start with medical detoxification and enroll them in a recovery center. They need professional help and people who know about this addiction and can take care of them 24/7.
- Get them into cognitive behavioral therapy to make them understand the dangers of drug addiction. Of course, they have to learn that they are doing something wrong first.
- Family therapy is another efficient method of understanding what the teen is going through. You can also get a safe space to talk to the child where all the hostile behavior is kept in check.
It Is Not The End Of The World!
A teen’s drug addiction is definitely a difficult situation, but it is not the end of the world. You can see that teens are getting 100% recovery from these rehabilitation centers.
You have to remember to proceed with caution and uphold ironclad patience.
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