Posts Tagged child drug abuse

Parents Dealing with Child’s Drug Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Rehabilitation, Drug Testing on January 5th, 2012

Statistics on drug abuse in the year 2011 proves to be very alarming especially for parents. For the fourth straight year, marijuana use among high school seniors increased. In the same student population, 50% of them admitted to using illicit drugs at some point in their young lives while 40% of them are already into one or more types of drug abuse in the past year alone.

child drug abuseUnfortunately, not all drug abuse cases get the necessary treatment or therapy. More than 23 million people in America are hooked on drug and alcohol use, yet only 2.6 million receive the help that they need to sober up again.

When this problem occurs in the family especially on kids, parents should be ready and equip themselves to be able to deal with the situation. When parents suspect their child is into drug use, it’s best to have him immediately tested. Parents can purchase drug testing kits for their children or acquire the services of professionals in doing the process.

Kids are not the only ones who need help with drug problems. Parents too need the proper information and support to better handle their kids’ problems. The more parents learn about the condition of their kids, the more they are able to help them get better. There are many organizations that offer their services to help parents in complicated situations.

It is necessary to have the parent-child talk, but it should be done at the right time and place. Do not attempt to talk to kids when they are under the influence or when there are other people that could hear your conversation. Yet it is important that the talk should be made at the soonest possible time before things get worse.

Parents should never let shame or fear get in the way of helping their child. After all, there are other families who experience the same problem and resolving the problem is much more important than keeping family reputation.

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5 Ways to Detect Teen Substance Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Prevention, Raising Healthy Kids on July 19th, 2011

As parents, you would have to be sensitive and observant about the ways of your teen as he goes through the critical periods of his life.

teen drug abuseThere are times that parents think their kids are into life-threatening substance abuse habits. But for some, they often refuse to look into their teen’s true situation for the sake of not losing “trust” and “privacy” in the family. Parents would often feel they are going beyond the boundaries that define their child’s independence. Due to these apprehensions, teens often go into such activities and sometimes, parent intervention becomes too late.

Once a child is into substance abuse, it’s difficult to deal or fix the situation. This is why a parent’s role should not be taken for granted in helping kids avoid making their own mistakes. Here are some ways that could help parents detect teen substance abuse.

1. Being a parent, you must educate yourself about the signs and symptoms of teen substance abuse. This way, you could easily tell if something is wrong.

2. Get to know your kid’s friends. You will gain much information about what your child is doing through his friends.

3. Check their laundry. It’s a good way of going through your child’s stuff without having the guilt feeling that you do not trust them enough. Be on the lookout for anything left in their pockets and for some abnormal marks on their clothing.

4. Be a friend who’s ready to listen. Make your child feel at ease with you when he talks about his problems and the things that disturb him.

5. Do you know that a simple hug can open the window in determining your child’s troubles? Yes, when you do give them a hug, you can smell and feel if your child just smoked or took certain drugs.

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Cough Medicine Abuse and Addiction

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Prevention, Drug Addiction, Prescription Drug Abuse, Raising Healthy Kids on May 23rd, 2011

Cough medicine is a possible addictive substance that kids can easily get hold of. Parents think that since cough medicines are legal and sold in most drug stores, it’s safe and harmless. Although it has not been a choice drug for children, most of them who become addicted with such types of medicines are typically engaged in other types or forms of drug abuse. This fact alone makes it a very worrisome issue.

cough abuseBy the time parents see signs and symptoms that their child is into drugs, their kids have already long been addicted and could be using more than one form of drugs. This is why the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University campaigns for teens and parents to always have quality time together to avoid having drug and alcohol problems at home. In a study conducted by the University, it was found out that most teens who have solid relationships with their parents were less likely to become drug or alcohol addicts.

It also helps when parents do their jobs as caretakers of their children. Whenever they sense that their child is into something dangerous, they should take the necessary steps to intervene and take a look at all the angles of the problem, without interfering with their children’s own identity and privacy.

It’s best that you get your children involved in coming up with a solution to the problem. When there are strong evidence that your child is in trouble, immediately talk to your child. Make your child feel that despite what he’s into, you are still there to listen to him and to help him get back on the right track.

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Teen Drug Addiction: Should Parents Invade Teen’s Privacy?

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Raising Healthy Kids on May 20th, 2011

Parents should realize the importance of respecting their teen’s privacy. There are times that kids get into trouble and other complicated situations, and parents automatically react to safeguard their child’s well-being. But sometimes, parents cause more trouble by stepping into their child’s privacy while protecting them; the question then is should parents consider their teen’s privacy first, or should they be doing their jobs regardless of whether their kids allow it or not?

talk to kidsWhen teens get into drugs and alcohol addiction, there are two extreme ways parents usually react. A parent can overreact and put the situation in their hands, or they don’t do anything at all. Those who choose to do option 2 think that it’s just a phase that children undergo, and that it will, in time, go away. But what if it does not go away and becomes out of control?

Experts in the field of child psychiatry say that parents should talk to their kids about the problem. Before doing any investigative work, it’s best to get the facts straight from your child’s mouth. For all you know, it might be something else other than drugs and alcohol that may be causing trouble in your child’s life. After talking with your kids, tell them that you are seeing a possible complication in your lives and that as a parent, you would have to intervene.

Parents often get scared when the need to talk about drugs and alcohol arises. The most common cause is the lack of knowledge on the subjects and the inability to anticipate possible questions that children may raise on the matter. If this case applies to you, it’s about time you spend time in your community library or educate yourself using the internet. You can also take part in programs in your area that aims to fight drug and alcohol abuse among teens.

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How to Help Kids Stay Away from Smoking, Drugs and Alcohol Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Raising Healthy Kids, Tobacco Abuse on April 26th, 2011

Kids today can easily find themselves vulnerable to tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. Parents must help these children stay away from these harmful vices. The best way to do so is through talking with children openly and honestly about all the dangers that these substances could bring about in their lives.

Here are some tips on how parents can do it the right way:

talk to kidsa. Equip your child with the proper decision-making tools so that he may not be easily influenced by his peers.

b. Be an example. If you are a smoking parent, better quit the habit.  If you drink, do so in moderation.

c. Get your kids involved in worthwhile activities like sports and other fun hobbies. Let them see that clean fun is possible and that drugs and alcohol are not necessary.

d. Quality time with your kids is very important. Knowing your child’s routines and even his circle of friends will give you a better control of things.

e. Explain how he or she can become addicted to tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. Provide a clear picture of what they might experience when they become addicts and the withdrawal symptoms that come along during treatment.

f. Show them examples of how people can be easily motivated to do anything against the law just to satisfy the cravings.

g. Explain to your kids that all these substances when abused can result to legal problems even if they are still minors.

h. Establish your own set of rules at home regarding the use of these substances. Be consistent in implementing such rules to show children that you are serious on these matters.

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Dining with Family Helps Prevent Teen Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Prevention, Raising Healthy Kids on April 15th, 2011

Did you know that a simple family dinner could make a big difference on a child’s perspective of drugs and alcohol?

family dinnerA post on WebMD shares a report released by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University last 2010, saying teens who don’t have dinners with family on a regular basis have increased risks of becoming drug and alcohol users. Those who eat with family at dinner time are less likely to use, or even try, alcohol, marijuana, or tobacco substances.

On a survey that the same group conducted, it was found out that nearly three-fourths of the teen population they studied say that having dinner with family is very important. Having a healthy family dinner at least five times a week makes a child think less of drugs and alcohol. Teens who are in families that do not eat together for at least three times a week becomes twice as much susceptible to tobacco and alcohol use, and 1.5 times more likely to use marijuana.

What the report says to parents is very vital especially for their children’s welfare. As more and more kids 12 years old and older are engaging in substance and alcohol abuse in America, a simple dinner with the family could prevent these abuses from happening. The chance to sit down and talk with the kids about school, their friends, and their lives can be a worthwhile experience for both the parents and the children. As a result, 60% of those who have such family time on a regular occurrence will less likely be associated with peers who are into marijuana, alcohol, tobacco, and even prescription drugs abuse.

The main point is that what is important in family dinners is not the food on the table. It all boils down to the conversations and effective communication that happens within.

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