Teenage years can have a significant impact on an individual’s personality. However, due to a number of biological and physical changes taking place in the body, teens do not always make the best decisions. Making bad decisions and adopting bad habits is fairly common amongst teenagers due to a variety of changes that they have to deal with. It is because of this reason that parents need to play an important role during this time of their child’s life. Teens that develop addiction during this phase of life are more susceptible to develop problems related to drug abuse. In this article, we will inform the parents about different signs and effects that are associated with drug use in teens.

Signs of Drug Abuse

1.      Physical Changes

Some of the physical changes that occur when a teen becomes addicted to drugs are:

  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Regular nosebleeds
  • Dizziness
  • Excessive Fatigue
  • Pupils that are widely dilated
  • Frequent Tremors and/or Shakes

2.      Behavioral Changes

There are certain changes that you will witness in your teenage child’s behavior if they are involved in drug abuse. If your teen is showing more outbursts and is continuously engaging in harmful activities, there is a need to keep a check on their regular routine.

3.      Personality Changes

Being moody is not the only personality change that teens go through as a result of drug use. If you find your child to be less sympathetic towards others or witness a trend of poor results in school, you should look for other signs of drug abuse.

Effects of Drug Abuse

As mentioned earlier, if an adolescent develops a habit of drug abuse at this stage, they are more likely to turn into drug addicts during adulthood. Moreover, there are many other dangerous effects linked with drug abuse. These include, bad decisions, more susceptible to developing diseases caused by needles, emotional and mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Thus, it is vital for parents to play an important role in their teen’s life during this time.

Treatment

If parents play an active role in their child’s life during this time, they can protect them from making bad decisions. In his book, “The Teen Formula”, Dr. Dave Campbell has provided parents with a guide that they can use to protect their teenage children from becoming victims of substance abuse. Many parents have reported seeing results within 30 days.

Bottom Line

Because the brain is still developing during an individual’s teenage years, substance abuse amongst this age group is fairly common. A majority of substance abuse problems start at this stage and it is therefore extremely important for parents to keep a close eye on their child’s behavior and activities during this phase of their life. By incorporating positive parenting, parents can counsel their children and can prove to be a source of constant support for them.