Teen Drug Use: Is Your Teen Using?

As a parent of two teens myself I know that worrying about teen drug use is always on your mind. It doesn't matter what your social standing in life is or your race or religion. The temptation and easy availability of drugs is out there for your teen. They can get drugs and even use them without you knowing anything about it. Unless you stay active in your child's life and monitor who, where, what and when then you can probably figure your teen at one time or another will experiment with drugs and/or alcohol, or worse become addicted to them. Peer pressure can get a child into drugs they want to feel like everyone likes them so if there friends are doing it and try and get them to then the temptation to do what there friends are doing might make them give in. So we has parents need to monitor who they hang out with and try and supervise those they hang with.

Other times a teen who is abused or who has a horrible home life may use drugs to try and escape even for a minute the life that surrounds them. They may not have anyone to turn to for guidance and advice that's where teachers, other family members, counselors or even neighbors come in. If you suspect a child you know is doing drugs and has no one to turn to then do what you can to guide them into making better decisions.

What a teen does not understand is the damage they are causing to themselves. There brains are not fully developed yet and they are destroying little parts of there brains every time they use drugs or alcohol. Also many of the drugs our kids are using today can cause death the very first time they use them.There are signs you can watch for if you suspect your child is using drugs. Has your teen had a recent change of friends? Have they become careless with there grooming? Have they lost interest in activities or sports they use to enjoy? Have they been missing school? Have there grades started to decline? Do they seem guilty when you ask them about there whereabouts? Have you found drug paraphernalia such as pipes, rolling papers, etc? Bottles of eyes drops use to disguise bloodshot eyes or diluted pupils?