How To Spot Signs Of Drug Addiction In Teenagers: 7 Things You Should Know

How To Spot Signs Of Drug Addiction In Teenagers

Drug Addiction!!! 

Around 20 million people in the United States of America are suffering from substance abuse or drug addiction. Among those 20 million, 788,000 are teenagers from an age group of 12 years to 17 years.  

You might not have noticed that your child could be into drug addiction. Substance abuse or drug addiction is something you might not know at the beginning. That does not mean if you find out that your teen has been into drug addiction lately, there is no hope.  

They can always start a new life anytime, as never is too late. They just need the assistance of one of the best drug treatment programs. If you are willing to know some details about drug rehab, you can visit Ocean Recovery official website.  

Spot Signs Of Drug Addiction In Teenagers

We totally get how exhausting it can be when you find out that your teen is into drug addiction. You might have heard someone from your neighborhood is suffering from substance abuse, so you find out whether your teens are safe from that or not. 

Identifying some signs will make your work easier. That is why we have curated some of the best signs you can look for to spot drug addiction in your teenager. 

Changes In Personality And Behavior

The very first thing you will be able to spot in your teenagers is a sudden change in the behavior and personality of the individual who is into drug addiction or any other type of substance abuse 

You might notice your children are becoming irritated and agitated. He or she is overreacting in simple or smaller matters. So, if you find that your teenage child is getting irritated about whatever you are saying to him or her, they might be into drug addiction. 

A Change In Friends Or Withdrawing From Family And Usual Friends

In most cases, people who are into drug addiction do drugs in groups. They mostly have a separate group of people to hang out with when they start taking drugs. Due to the newly developed substance abuse behavior, they also might lose their old friends. 

So if you are seeing that your teenage child is hanging out with some other people more frequently than their usual friends and also forgetting about the family or relationship responsibilities, they might be struggling with substance abuse. 

Lower Overall Motivation And Less Interest In Activities

Your teenage boy might have some hobbies of painting or creating some other form of art. But lately, you have been watching him not touching the paintbrush for a long time. Apart from that, he is spending more time just in his room without doing anything. 

This loss of interest in activities and not feeling motivated to do anything and everything is a major sign of drug addiction. You can directly ask your child about that. He also might want to come out of the addiction world and need some serious support.  

Some Physical Symptoms

Just by looking at your teenage child, you can find out or at least make a prominent guess that they are into drug abuse. There are several physical signs that can be witnessed in them. Here are some of the major signs you can look for.  

  • Rapid weight loss or gain. 
  • Extremely hyperactive or extremely tired.
  • Swollen, puffy face.
  • Headaches.
  • Sores on the mouth.
  • Smaller or larger pupils than usual. 
  • Changes in mood or attitude. 
  • Mall track marks on legs and arms (even in hot weather, wear full sleeves).
  • Sweaty, cold palms, and shaky hands. 
  • Difficulty in staying focused.
  • Anxiety, irritability, fidgeting, paranoia.
  • Nosebleeds or frequent runny nose.
  • Bloodshot or glazed eyes. 
  • Change in appearance and poor hygiene.

Some Behavioral Signs

Apart from some physical signs, there are some behavioral signs you also can look for when you doubt that your teenager might be into drug addiction. Here we are mentioning some of the major behavioral signs.  

  • Abandoning long-time friends.
  • Losing interest in hobbies and other activities. 
  • Missing work or school.
  • Resisting discipline or feedback.
  • Slipping in grades, or withdrawing classroom participation. 
  • Making some excuses most of the time, or outright lying. 
  • Making secret calls. 
  • Damaging relationships with friends and family, isolating from others. 
  • Stealing.
  • Locking bedroom doors. 
  • Frequently asking for money. 
  • Acting irresponsibly. 
  • Breaking or ignoring curfew.
  • Avoiding eye contact.

Finding Some Obvious Equipment Of Drug

Individuals who are addicted to drug addiction usually inject the drugs into their veins. That is why they need injections and syringes. If someone is into smoking weed, they also need rolling papers and other staff for their addiction.  

So, while cleaning the room of your child, you might find all these things. If you are getting any of these things, you can be sure that your child is already suffering from drug addiction. Therefore, without wasting any more time, contact for professional support right now. 

Secretive Behavior

Drug addiction is not something that an individual would like to flaunt. They always keep it secret. We have already mentioned in point 5 that your child might start to keep a secret. It does not matter how friendly you both are with each other, you teens will never share your addiction stories.  

They will always protect their bags from you. They will not allow you in their rooms so frequently. Most of the time, you will find their room doors to be locked. They can even lie to you more frequently. Those secret phone calls will increase in number. 

Get Help ASAP

We hope from the above discussion; you have already got to know whether your child is suffering from drug abuse or other forms of substance abuse or not. So, now, as you know the thing, it is your responsibility to provide them with the necessary help they actually need.  

Instead of scolding them or judging them for addictive behavior, you should understand their situation and console them by saying that you are with them in the recovery journey. Always remember they also want to get out of it, but the thing is not that easy. 

Let’s not make things tougher for them.