How to Determine if Your Child Is Using Drugs

Early intervention is the best way to help your child. Be aware of signs of drug use by following these guidelines, based on the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Education.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Drug Charts
• Yellow Pages
• Telephones

Noticing Signs of Drug Abuse

1. Observe your child's relationships. Have relations deteriorated? Does your child have a new group of friends?

2. Take note of changes in your child's eating and/or sleeping habits, and look for signs of depression or withdrawal.

3. Notice if your child has suddenly lost interest in his or her favorite activities.

4. Be wary of irregular school attendance or a slip in your child's grades.

5. Note any increased hostility in your child's behavior.

6. Check to see if your child has become more careless about grooming.

7. Pay attention to clues around the house. Has money been disappearing? Be sure to note the presence of small medicine bottles, eyedrops or butane lighters in the house, as well as more obvious items such as homemade pipes and bongs made from soda cans or plastic beverage containers.

Acting on Your Suspicions

8. Ask your child what has been going on, both in school and out, and explore what could be going on in his or her emotional or social life that might be causing drug use.

9. Show your love for your child by being firm and enforcing whatever discipline you have established for breaking house rules.

10. Work together to come up with ways that your child can avoid using drugs and alcohol in the future.

11. Discuss possible ways that your child could regain the family's trust, such as calling in, spending evenings at home and raising school grades.

Tips & Warnings

• Wait to confront your child when he or she is sober and you are calm.
• Express your suspicions openly, but avoid direct accusations.
• Avoid denial or self-blame. The truth is that drug abuse can occur in families of any socioeconomic background, and in both happy and unhappy homes.
• The faster you act, the faster you can help your child on the road to recovery.
• If your child is reluctant to talk to you, seek outside help: the school guidance counselor, the family physician or a local drug treatment referral center. They may be able to get a better response from your child.

[fendermetal]

on 7/12/2009 I've displayed symptoms 1-6, and I'm not on drugs.

[fubbill]

on 5/5/2009 http://www.wcpo.com/content/news/fresh/story/3-Officers-Injured-While-Running-Down-Suspect/YeLwSjtYok2lV3aAarf5Hg.cspx?p=Comments

[elkim]

on 3/23/2009 all teenagers, especially teenage boys, will display signs in steps 1-6, whether or not they are doing drugs.

[SharpyCandidate]

on 6/19/2008 trying to set roadblocks up only makes a teen feel the need to rebel. Get off their back and let them learn essential life lessons on their own if they've gotten to their later teen years.

[adecesare]

on 11/30/2007 Be aware that all the warning signs listed here (with the exception of money disappearing) are also symptoms of clinical depression. Rule that out first before you start accusing.