Being a parent or guardian of a teenager can be difficult, especially when they grow more independent and begin to explore new life experiences.
For teens, this can be a great time to forge their own path and discover who they really are in life; however, it can equally be a time of peer pressure and naive curiosity about all of the aspects of life they may not have been exposed to before.
Teenagers are unfortunately likely to experiment with substances such as alcohol and drugs through friends or environments where others are using them, but substances can have very negative effects on a developing brain.
If you are concerned for your teenager, then make sure you recognise the signs of drug use and know how and where you can find support.
The Impact of Drugs on a Teenage Brain
As humans, our brains do not fully develop until around 25 years of age with a significant amount of development happening during adolescence.
Areas of the brain which manage impulsivity, risk-taking and pleasure-seeking change dramatically from the ages of around 10-24, and therefore the drive to take risks in teenagers is heightened alongside the inability to manage these emotions.
That is not to say that all teenagers will experiment with drugs or seek out risky behaviours, but it does mean that they could be more susceptible to experimentation due to their brain development.
This also makes their brain vulnerable to substances, so that if they do experiment with drugs, then they could be at great risk of harming or altering their brain development too.
Exposure to drugs during adolescence can affect aspects of brain development from memory to emotional regulation, causing long-term problems into adulthood.
1. Behavioural Changes
The first sign that your teenager might be experimenting with drugs comes in the form of behavioural changes.
If they have tried a drug once or twice and then stopped, they could be unlikely to experience behavioural changes (depending on the drug, time within which they experimented and the drugs mental impact of course).
However, if they have been actively experimenting with drugs on a regular basis then you might come across changes in their behaviour.
2. Mood Changes
You might find that your teen has been acting differently and either being very withdrawn and depressed, nervous and anxious or irritable and aggressive.
The specific changes in their behaviour will depend on the type/s of substance/s they have been using, how long they have been using for and their personal reaction to it.
Often, if a teenager has been experimenting with drugs, they might seem withdrawn or depressed the day after they have been out or meeting up with friends.
Over time this can develop into long-term behavioural changes, and if they become dependent on drugs then not having access to them can mean that they become moody, paranoid, angry or irritable.
It is worth noting though, that teenagers have many emotional and hormonal changes happening to them as they develop, and this can often come with rapid changes in mood.
Alongside biological shifts during this time, there are many social and environmental changes that happen in adolescence which can lead to things which can affect mood such as bullying, the development of a mental health disorder and relationship/friendship problems.
3. Secretive Behaviour
Teens who are experimenting with drugs will usually be secretive about their behaviour, especially when it comes to their parents or guardians. Therefore, this could be an indicator of drug use if your teen is being especially secretive, evasive or more withdrawn than usual.
It is important to bear in mind that teenagers value privacy and will likely be keeping some things in their life private which might not be to do with drugs at all.
Adolescence is full of confusing, exciting and embarrassing moments, many of which teenagers do not share with the adults in their lives.
However, if you find that they are deliberately hiding things, being overly careful to lock their door, panicking if you have been in their room or washing their laundry, or if they are very anxious and making strange excuses when you ask them questions, this may be an indication of drug use.
They might also make excuses to get out of things such as family holidays or gatherings and might try to get more alone time if they are actively dependant on substances, as they will likely be conscious of the need to have the drug on them and to take it without their family noticing the effects, smell or catching them in the act.
Spending Time with New Friends
Sometimes if a person is becoming involved with substances, they can begin to associate more with the people who are also taking drugs or the people who are supplying them.
The difficulty is that it can be hard to know whether your teen is experimenting with drugs with their current friend group, if they are experimenting with new friends or if they have simply developed new friendships and are not experimenting at all.
Teenagers spend more time out of the house so it can also be more difficult to know who they are hanging around with.
Asking them about how their day has been, what they have been up to and asking about specific friends can be a good way to gauge whether they are meeting up with the same group of people or not.
If they seem reluctant to discuss friendships or are very vague about their answers, this may be an indication that they are meeting people or engaging in activities that they do not want to discuss.
It is important to remember however, that your teen might just be growing more independent and meeting new people as they move into new school years. Friendships often change during adolescence, and often childhood friends can grow apart from one another.
1. Physical Changes
There are a number of physical changes that can occur when someone begins experimenting with drugs. Substances can affect people differently, and in some people it can be difficult to tell simply from physical changes whether they are taking drugs or not.
However, recognising the common physical signs of drug use can ensure that you know that there is a possibility that they are experimenting with drugs and how to help them if they are either currently intoxicated, struggling with the effect of prolonged drug abuse or both.
The changes which you might see from someone who is currently inebriated include:
- Bloodshot eyes
- Glassy eyes
- Dilated or constricted pupils
- Uncontrollable giggling
- Nosebleeds
- Appearing to be ‘zoned out’
- Appearing overly excitable
- Some signs of long term drug use include:
- Significant weight loss or weight gain
- Lack of motivation
- Poor hygiene
- Track marks, bruising or burns on the body
- Yellow, brown or fragile teeth
- Memory issues
- Insomnia and sleep problems
- Fidgeting
- Shaking and nail biting – anxiety symptoms associated with withdrawal
- Nausea, vomiting and sweating – symptoms associated with more severe withdrawal
It is also important to note that, as with any sign of drug abuse, these signs could be down to other reasons too. Changes in appearance occur throughout the teenage years, and alongside drug use there could be several other reasons for many of the physical changes in a person.
Signs of current inebriation such as track marks, bloodshot eyes and pupil differences are more likely to be down to drug use, although can have other health-related reasons, whereas long-term effects such as weight changes and poor hygiene are also likely to be due to developmental changes or mental/physical health issues.
If your teenager is currently intoxicated, it is important to care for them in a safe and supportive environment.
If you are concerned for their health, then to contact a medical professional as soon as possible and seek treatment for them. Do not try to discuss their drug use until they are sober and no longer under the influence.
2. Changes in School Behaviour
Teenagers spend a significant amount of time at school, so this can be another area which might provide insight into if something has changed in your teens life.
If their grades are dropping, or their behaviour has changed at school, then this could be an indicator that your teen is struggling with something.
Often when a teenager is experimenting with drugs, especially when the drugs affect their mental health over a prolonged period of time, their life can be consumed by substances to the extent where other aspects of life are put to the side.
The schoolwork itself might be at a lower level, they might not be showing up to school or not handing in work, or they could do poorly on tests and exams.
This is often due to the impact that drugs have on learning and cognitive functioning, as well as on motivation both whilst on the substance and whilst going through withdrawals, come downs and cravings.
You can discuss your child’s schoolwork with their teacher, and see whether they have noticed changes to the standard of their work as well as whether they have noticed changes in your teens social circle, attendance or behaviour.
3. Evidence of Drug Experimentation
Sometimes there may be more evidence that your teen has been experimenting with drugs such as:
- Smells: The smell of drugs on their breath or on their clothes
- Drug Paraphernalia: Finding drug paraphernalia in their room or in their pockets.
- Money and Theft: Other signs or pieces of evidence can be the amount of money they are spending, for example if their spending habits have increased and there is no obvious cause or if they have resorted to stealing money or selling objects in order to get more money.
If you suspect your teenager of experimenting with drugs, then it is important that you be aware of the potential signs you might spot but also that you do not sacrifice your child’s trust in you.
This means that you can be aware of what you might find, but don’t go searching through drawers or diaries to find evidence if you are uncertain.
Often, what we see as signs of potential drug abuse such as behaving secretively or being withdrawn, can be down to a variety of other factors to do with being a teenager, many of which are perfectly normal things that teens experience.
Be open to finding evidence, but also be aware that it is best to have an open conversation with your teenager about your concerns, regardless of the ‘hard’ evidence you have, before you go through their possessions, so that they trust that they can be open with you.
What To Do if you Suspect your Teenager is Using Drugs
If you suspect that your teen is using drugs, then the first and most important step is to have an open, honest and judgement-free discussion with them.
Talking to a teen can be tricky, as they are changing and becoming more independent, and it can be hard for parents sometimes to understand and know how to talk to their teenager.
Prepare for your discussion by writing down some key points that you want to get out within the conversation, such as ensuring that they know you are there to support them, finding out what drugs they are using, how often they use them and why they started using them.
You can also prepare some opening questions to begin the discussion, as well as consider what they might say and note down your responses.
When beginning the discussion, you should ensure that your teen is not currently under the influence of substances (or there are no signs that they are currently inebriated) and have free time for an in-depth talk.
The talk should take place in a private place, in a quiet and calm location. It does not need to begin as a formal talk, and in fact it can make it a lot easier to talk if it begins as a casual conversation that arises naturally rather than a formal ‘interview’-style discussion.
This can allow your teen to feel less pressured, more open and also more equal within the discussion, as though two people are having a chat rather than a parent trying to ‘teach’ a child, which can result in pushback as your teen asserts their independence.
There are a variety of ways to start a conversation about drugs with your teen, and only you will know how your teenager is likely to respond to the discussion.
Often, if a teen is using drugs, they might become defensive, and in this case you can calmly end the conversation and begin again another day.
If you are struggling to get through to your teen, then you can call on the support of a CRAFT Interventionist, who can help you to support your teen in seeking treatment.
Where to Get Help for Teen Drug Abuse
Addiction treatment centres are situated all over the UK and can provide professional help for teenagers struggling with substance abuse.
If your teen has tried a drug/drugs once or twice, and is not in active addiction or seeking out trying drugs again, then they might not need addiction treatment.
Instead, a conversation with you about the risks with using substances and how to avoid the pressure to take drugs with friends, can be enough to stop a teen from experimenting further. If your teenager is not addicted but is considering taking drugs, then there might be an underlying issue such as a mental health issue in which they are trying to self-medicate with drugs. If this is the case, then it is essential to help them
If your teen is struggling with active drug addiction, or is going down that road, you can contact your GP or a local addiction charity for a referral, or contact a private or NHS drug and alcohol services directly.
Depending on the type of rehabilitation clinic you contact, such as Rehab Recovery, they might redirect you to a specialist clinic for children and teenagers so that your teen can get specialised support.
When you get in touch, the rehab clinic will arrange an assessment to explore potential treatment options and see where your teen is currently.
Following this, a treatment plan will then be developed with the most suitable treatments based on the level of substance abuse, the drug/s that your teen is taking and how long they have been taking them, the treatment.
Other factors such as whether your teenager has any co-occurring mental health issues or physical health issues will also be explored during the assessment, and treated alongside the substance use.
The treatment your teen has will depend on a number of factors, and they might have inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment or a combination of the two.
Your teen will go through a course of addiction therapies such as CBT, psychotherapy, group therapy, medically assisted therapy or family therapy, and will learn to manage their addiction in a healthy way.
There are many worries parents and guardians have when their child becomes a teen, and the adolescent years can definitely be challenging.
Experimenting with drugs is unfortunately something that many teens do, but being able to recognise the possible signs of drug use is vital to ensure that you can fully help your teen.
Remembering to always provide a safe and supportive environment is essential so that your child trusts you enough to open up about potential struggles they are having, but it is also important to remember that often teens are going to be withdrawn or moody because they are growing into independent people.
Whether your teen is simply growing up or is struggling with drug use problems, there are plenty of options for help whether it’s simply offering advice and guidance or helping them access addiction treatment.
