Drug Addiction: What to Do when You Discover Your Child is Using

Drug addiction is a problem brought on by my generation, the baby boomers. We were wrong drugs don't help us in anyway. Flower power is a delusion of the worse kind.

Now we are faced with drug addicts in our families. We watch brokenhearted while our kids slowly hurt themselves and the family that loves them.

Drug of Choice

Don't get me wrong not all kids are drug addicts, but statistics show that marijuana use, which has declined over the last five year's is now staling out and experts fear may be on the rise.

Drugs of choice are changing in the high schools from cocaine, methamphetamines, and alcohol to Vicodin, OxyContin and smokeless tobacco.

First thing I said was how are kids getting prescription drugs? 52% of high school seniors said they were given to them or they purchased them from friends or relatives.

This is shocking that we make strides in one area of drug abuse and now it changes completely to another area. This in my opinion is proof of how strong the addicted mentality is when faced with a changing landscape of no drugs.

How Do We Deal with Teenagers That Use Drugs

We must treat this as something life-threaten, because it will kill if left unchecked. If you discover your teenager using drugs seek help immediately. This problem is not like anything you as a parent have ever faced.

An elderly bus driver for our middle school was murdered by his own 34 year-old son over money to buy beer. Yes alcohol is a huge problem it's just not growing among high schoolers.

I would suggest that you talk with a counselor or your pastor. Don't walk run, because time is of the essence. Do what ever they tell you to do because once again you don't have a clue how ruthless drug and alcohol addiction can be over time. Once it gets started it cannot be cured. If you are lucky your child can be in recovery one day at a time for the rest of their life.

Also notice in the courtroom how many cases are for alcohol or drug abuse. It will shock you. The first time I went it was 6 for 6.

What to Do if Your Child is Arrested

If your child is arrested do not bail them out and I don't care if they are only 15 years old and they swear to never do it again. All addicts are very good liars so let them sit in jail. Maybe if they know they can't get out on their own they will seek help that you and your advisor will offer them.

If the courts mandate them to rehab you need to support it. Do not go along with probation that is only to get money in government coffers and a good way for them to wind up back in jail. Understand this, jail is not a solution but the right rehab can be.

Do not put your child in a local halfway house that makes them work and sets a schedule. Yes I know they go to meetings and such but that doesn't work. What does work are institutional rehabs run by doctors with outpatient follow-up. Let your child know this is costing a lot of money and that it is their final chance to get help from their family.

Don't be an enabler and continue to help and support them, that doesn't work. They will take advantage of you again. They will steal your money, checks and/or credit cards. They will pawn anything of value. They will sell or take your prescription drugs. You aren't the first to face this, go to an AA meeting and ask someone who has been in recovery a long time because they will tell you the truth.

Drug Addiction will Take a Huge Toll on Your Family

There is nothing worse then seeing your son and daughter lying in a hospital bed in the CCU of a local hospital. But that is were they finally wind up. Some overdose 5-6 times a year and every time is a near death experience.

If your child comes out of an institutional rehab and relapses then your family is in for a long stressful ride. This is when you must cut all ties to the addict and let them reach a bottom, because they are the only one that can decide not to do drugs. You can't nor can they do it for you.

I know this is cruel but the slow road of drama is worse.

Source:

National Institute of Drug Addiction Trends and Stats- High School and Youth Trends

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