How to Help a Teen Stop Taking Drugs

When a teen is using drugs, a parent may not know before a serious problem has developed. Parents who feel as though their teen could have started taking drugs should not ignore these feelings because getting an early start on addressing the situation could make the difference between nipping recreational or self-medicating use in the bud or later dealing with a full-blown addiction.

Instructions

    • 1

      Create an open family environment where your teen is comfortable approaching you with problems, suggests the Nemours Foundation's website, Kids Health. Since many teens will hide their drug use, having this environment makes it more likely that you will find out about it in the first place.

    • 2

      Do not make direct accusations. If you believe that your child is using drugs, it does not do any good to attack his behavior, as he could be turning to illegal substances because he doesn't know how else to deal with the stress or pain of school problems or an emotional or mental health issue such as depression, notes HealthyChildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Not attacking behavior doesn't mean ignoring the situation.

    • 3

      Discuss your suspicions with your teen, while being careful to avoid making him feel guilty. When a teen is abusing a substance, he might already feel bad about his behavior, but he may also feel he is not able to do anything about it. The teen could also suffer from low self-esteem, which could have led to using drugs in the first place. Making him feel guilty could even increase his drug use as he attempts to quell his guilty conscience, according to HealthyChildren.org.

    • 4

      Name the concerns you have directly, suggests HealthyChildren.org. As a parent, you are likely worried about your teen's short and long term health, so make that concern perfectly clear. By letting your teen know that you are concerned and why you have these concerns, you can potentially get through to him.

    • 5

      Seek professional help. If your child will not stop taking drugs after you confront her, contact a mental health professional who specializes in teen addiction. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends contacting the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, as both organizations provide advice for parents.

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