The Six Signs Of Addiction Your Teen May Be Trying To Tell You

Addiction to illicit substances such as illegal drugs and alcohol is prevalent among teenagers, but too often, parents are unaware of the problem. Here are six signs that your teenager may be hooked; once you know that there is a problem, you can take steps to help your teen overcome the addiction and move forward in a positive direction.

Lack of Interest in Physical Appearance

If your teen has always been attentive to personal appearance, taking care to wear attractive and well-laundered clothes each day and to keep up with personal hygiene, a sudden lack of interest may signal a problem. Those who are addicted often are too wrapped up in their cravings to pay much attention to how they look.

Different Eating or Sleeping Habits

Addiction can have many physical symptoms, including changes to one’s sleeping pattern or hunger. Different substances may have different effects, but if you notice any sort of radical increase or decrease in how much your teenager is eating or sleeping, there may be cause for concern.

Suspicious Sights and Smells

Teens who imbibe alcohol often tend to keep drinking-related paraphernalia around them. If they become very secretive, they may be hiding such items in their rooms. In addition to this, teens who drink regularly are likely to smell of alcohol. If you smell alcohol on your teen, the chances of a problem are significant.

Always Asking for Money

While teenagers often have a habit of asking for money, if they seem to be asking especially often, it may be because they are trying to feed an addiction, especially if they are reluctant to say why the money is needed. While some will ask for large amounts, it’s more common for them to ask frequently for smaller amounts to create an endless income stream.

Becoming Less Responsible

Has your teen’s academic life taken a sudden nosedive? If grades are suffering or you’ve noticed a serious dip in work ethic, that could be a sign of addiction. When a teen is a substance abuser, everything else takes a backseat to keeping that craving satisfied.

Major Personality Changes

Teenagers are prone to mood swings, but if your teen’s personality has drastically changed, it could be due to an addiction, especially if you’ve begun to notice periods of hyperactivity followed by periods of lethargy.

If signs like these are concerning you, talk to your teen and find out what’s going on. Your involvement could save your child’s life and avoid a harmful way of life. If the situation worsens, consider taking a more extreme approach and research what the adolescent alcohol rehab programs could provide and what they can do for your teens health.