As a parent, it can be very difficult in determining if a teen has a substance abuse problem. Often teens are very careful about what they use and when they use it, giving parents very little in the way of concrete signs of teen substance abuse in the Los Angeles area.
While the signs of teen substance abuse may be hard to see, they often aren’t hidden as completely as the teen assumes. This gives the parent the ability to determine if there is a probability that the teen is using drugs or alcohol, and then to follow up with a professional assessment to determine if there is a problem.
Obvious Signs
The obvious signs of teen substance abuse are fairly easy to detect. With some drugs, such as marijuana, there is the distinctive odor on clothing. Additional signs can include sudden mood swings from euphoric to depressed, extreme irritability and defensiveness, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, and signs of intoxication, disorientation or confusion.
When teens are shooting up, look for signs of track marks on the arms or legs or a teen always wearing long sleeves and long pants even the hot Los Angeles weather.
Subtle Signs
More subtle signs of teen substance abuse can also be linked to other issues, but if there are more than a few combined with a suspicion by the parents, it is worth having the teen assessed.
Some easily missed signs of substance abuse include:
-
Skipping school or failing to have an interest in school, grades or the future
-
Lack of personal hygiene or care about appearance
-
Stealing from the house, from parents, or from friends or family members
-
Lack of interest in the family or in long term friends who are not involved in drug use
-
Sudden new friendship where the “new” peer group is not introduced to parents
-
Signs of depression, fatigue, mental fog and inability to plan
-
Withdrawal from activities the teen used to enjoy
-
Changes in behavior including becoming more irritated and angry or unusually happy and euphoric with no specific explanation
-
Frequent illnesses
-
Excessive use of over the counter types of medications (pain relievers, cold medications, eye drops, etc.)
-
Rapid weight loss
-
Complaints of headaches and general body pains
-
Sores, bruises, lesions or sudden changes in the condition of the teen’s skin
Each type of drug or combining drugs and alcohol will result in different teen substance abuse symptoms. As a parent, if you are concerned about these issues, schedule an appointment with a professional to have the child assessed as soon as possible.
At Adolescent Growth, our trained professionals can assess teen substance abuse and develop a personalized treatment plan for recovery.
