Researchers at National Institute on Drug Abuse report a variety of reasons—drug users may feel peer pressure to try new things, they may have been looking for relief from anxiety or stress, or they may have thought drugs would help improve their athletic performance.
Keep in mind that the brains of teenagers are still developing and the parts of their brain that control emotions and impulsive behavior have not fully matured. Your child’s decision to try drugs may have been unplanned, they may not have thought about consequences or anticipated how their drug use would impact others…like their parents and siblings.
The good news is that families can help teens kick drug habits by engaging in family-based treatment approaches, and by providing moral support, rules and structure, supervision and monitoring for a period of time.
Tip: Share your child’s drug use with their healthcare provider so they can advise you (and your teenager) about the health risks of using drugs. Medical professionals can also recommend a counselor or therapist to partner with, and they can provide information about monitoring options.
If your teenager’s drug cessation treatment plan includes scheduled or random drug tests, know that Bostec Inc. is here as a resource.