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What to do if you find out your teenager is taking drugs

Not all teenagers who take drugs are drug addicts. Some may have experimented once or twice and then decided that the temporary high was not worth the long term risk, and they do not do it again. Be thankful if your teenager is one of these drug takers. If you find out that they have taken drugs but you believe they have stopped, try to stay calm and talk to them about it.

On the one hand, you should be glad that they are sensible enough to have made the right decision, but you still need to know why they took the drugs in the first place. It may be a sign that they have some problems that you can help them with, or that are over but may reoccur. What you must avoid is being so angry about the drug taking that your teenager will not tell you when they need help in the future.

However, all drug addicts are liars, this may sound harsh, but it is the reality of any addiction. So, if you find out your teenager is taking drugs, and they say that they have stopped; you need to be very sure that they are telling the truth. You need to know every detail of their drug taking, who with, why, how often, before you can judge if they are no longer taking drugs. Just like any addiction there are triggers and rituals that go with drug abuse, these patterns must be known and broken if the drug taker is to have any chance of recovery.

If your teenager has been taking drugs for some time it is unlikely that you, personally, as parents have the resources to deal with this. They will have to endure a period of withdrawal which can be physically draining and during which their behavior can be terrifying and distressing. You need to get help and as soon as possible, from trained professionals.

Sometimes, the best solution for a drug addicted teenager is help from somebody totally removed from the family, even a location far away from the environment in which they took drugs. Teen boot camps, wilderness camps and recovery centers are all good options. You need to choose one that you feel comfortable with, has good recommendations, and that suits your budget. The long term cost to a family that has a drug addicted teenager in their midst is immeasurable. If the addiction persists, they will eventually steal to feed it; they are likely to get involved in crime; you are likely as parents to spend time at police stations bailing them out and paying fines on their behalf.

The emotional cost to your family, and other children in the household, and the teenager, is beyond pricing, it will be devastating. If your teen is addicted to drugs, get help, do not try to deal with this alone. You may be very angry with them, but this is your child, and they need you.

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