Parenting a teenager has special challenges that were never faced by the parents in the children's early years. Everything seems to change the day that the children turn the age of 13. Their friends and even their habits begin to change. Parents take a lot of precautions to make sure they have taught their children everything they need to know about drugs and how to stay away from them. Even when parents take the time to do this, children often end up in the world of drugs to the point of addiction.
How to cope as the parent of a teen drug addict:
Finding Help for the Teenage Drug Addict- A teen drug addict needs help as fast as possible if there is to be any hope of recovery. There are aids available that can help your teen overcome their drug addiction. Drug rehabilitation centers are just one way that you can help your teenager get past the drug addiction and on the way to a better life. The programs that are available can't guarantee that your child will become drug free, but it is a good start. It is important that parents make every possible effort to get their drug addicted teen help in dropping the habit.
Finding Help for Yourself- Your drug addicted teenager isn't the only one that needs help. Parents and siblings of a teen drug addict need help as well. This can be easily found by joining groups such asALANON. You should also consider getting one on one counseling to discuss the hardships you have had since discovering that you have a teen drug addict in your home. This will help you more than anything else in coping with being the parent of a teen drug addict.
Items of Value in the Home- As the parent of a teenage drug addict, you have to be especially careful of the valuables in your home. Drug addicts who are looking for their next fix and don't have money will find anyway they can to come up with the cash they need. That means they will steal from anyone they can. Keep a close eye on your valuables. Keep them locked up and check on them everyday. This is one of the most aggravating parts of parenting a teenager with a drug addiction. They are taking away from their own family members to support their habit. Don't be surprised if your valuables go missing. You may want to look for them in the local pawn shop. The most important thing to remember is that you have to fill out a police report or the pawn shop will not give out any information.
Cash/Gift Cards- Do not give your teen drug addict any cash or gift cards. Gift cards might sound safe, but they really aren't. The truth is, the drug addict will find a way to sell the gift card in order to get the drugs they want. It is the same for other types of gifts as well. Although you have to feed and clothe your children, you do not have any obligation to give them gifts no matter what the occasion is.
Searching your Teens Room- As the parent of a teenager, you have every right to search their room. If you suspect that your teenager has brought drugs into your home, feel free to search the room. Any drugs in the house become your responsibility. Don't feel bad about searching the room of a teen drug addict. You will likely find drugs and drug paraphernalia at some point. That is when you can confront your child about his/her drug use.
Teen Drug Addicts Privacy Issues- By all rights, teenagers don't have any rights except the ones that you afford him/her. If you feel it necessary to invade your teens space because of possible drug addiction, by all means, do so. If you don't, your child could be in serious danger. Parenting is your job, not worrying about whether you are right or wrong to invade your teenagers privacy.
It is not easy coping with a drug addict at any age. Having a teenager who has a drug addiction is much worse because you are legally bound to keep them in your home until they become of legal adult age. There are ways to cope with the teen drug addict to keep your sanity along with the rest of your family. There may be times that you want to give up on your teenager because of the drug addiction. That is the easy way out. Do everything you can to help your teenager before they become an adult. Once they reach the adult age level, you lose complete control in helping him/her find a solution to their drug addiction.
Paradigm Malibu is devoted to the provision of state of the art Teen Drug Treatment, Adolescent Behavioral Health, Mental Health and Emotional Health Treatment. To learn more about our services, please visit our web site at: www.paradigmmalibu.com
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