5 Warning Signs of Drug Addiction: How Parents can Know if the Teen is on Drugs or not?

Warning Signs of Drug Addiction

Do you know about the Warning Signs of Drug Addiction? We are familiar with the word addiction may be alcohol addiction or addicted to some substances but we are till now not aware with the signs of addiction. That’s why we cannot help our adolescents when they are struggling with their addiction. According to WHO, drinking alcohol among adolescents is a major concern in many countries. Worldwide, more than a quarter of all people aged 15–19 years are current drinkers, amounting to 155 million adolescents. Prevalence of heavy episodic drinking among adolescents aged 15­–19 years was 13.6% in 2016, with males most at risk.

WHO report also expressed that vast majority of people using tobacco today began doing so when they were adolescents. Globally in 2018, at least 1 in 10 adolescents aged 13–15 years uses tobacco. Day by day the addicted percentage is increasing and it’s the duty of the care giver\ parents to be familiar with warning signs of drug addiction in order to help their children.

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Warning Signs of Drug Addiction

Some signs and symptoms are common to all addicted people and also similar in many disorders, for example signs like irritability, preference of staying alone, changing pattern of sleeping etc. are associated with so many other disorders and also with addiction. Social Withdrawal, Depression, Lack of Personal Hygiene etc. may aware you as caregivers, guide you to think about Addiction in children\adolescents. The most common but unnoticed signs are shared here.

Disturbed Mental Health

The addicted children are suffering from many mental health issues like anger issues, severe irritability, depression, social isolation and frequent mood swings. Though mental health disorders are also the causes of addiction, addiction may also cause many mental health issues like depression, inferiority complex, insecurity issues and others and sometimes lead into depression. Anxiety Disorder, ADHD, Personality disorder is seen frequently. A rapid change in personality is also one of the major warning signs of drug addiction.

Changing Pattern of Sleep and Appetite

The remarkable changes in eating and sleeping pattern are also the Warning Signs of Addiction. Most of the cases the addicted children\adolescents have less appetite but some have high craving for sugar and junk food. Due to their disturbed sleeping pattern, they cannot study\work properly or suffering from lack of concentration. Sometimes they cannot sleep at night and may need higher dose of drugs or other substances for their sleep.

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Lack of Communication\ Social Isolation

Lack of communication with people especially with friends or family members for a long time is also one of the major warning signs of drug addiction. The addicted youths prefer to stay alone, hardly interact and may confine himself\herself in a room. Actually they are also trying to hide from parents or friends about their dependency on substances like drugs or alcohol. Here the parents must try to communicate with their children and continuously monitor their activities so that they can help their child to overcome this addiction.

Poor School Performance

Gradually poor academic performance may also be one of the major warning signs of drug addiction for many adolescents. Here also the parents need to be careful to monitor the academic activities of the students, the parents may communicate with the teachers of school/colleges about his/her everyday performance in school for trying to find out the root cause. Absence in classes, failed in different subjects, violent activities in classes etc. are generally the signs of the children who are addicted to different substances.

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Lack of Personal Hygiene

If your teens are suddenly lack of personal hygiene and shows no interest to maintain personal hygiene in spite of your reminders, it may be one of the warning signs of Drug Addiction. It’s seen that often addicted children have the issues of body odor, dirty hair, long nails and other issues due to lack of personal hygiene. If your teens are lack of personal hygiene for a long time and also prefer to stay alone, as a parent you should take care of your teens, try to communicate with him\her. If you see that, your children\adolescents are suffering from drug addiction, you should immediately take help of counselors.

Words from Wingsofwishes.in

If we can identify the warning signs of Drug Addiction in our youths at an early stage, we can help them to go through the process of deaddiction and heal themselves. Here Parents and other Family members, Teachers, Friends can play the important role by identifying the warning signs at an early stage.

References

1. Substance Use and Co-Occurring Mental Disorders – National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (nih.gov)
2. Adolescent health (who.int)
3. Understanding Drug Use and Addiction DrugFacts | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov)
4. Adolescent and young adult health (who.int)
5. Alcohol, e-cigarettes, cannabis: concerning trends in adolescent substance use, shows new WHO/Europe report