Preventing Teen Substance Use Disorders (continued)

• Change in health, grooming
• Dilated or constricted pupils
• Drop in school performance/attendance
• Legal problems
• Items or money missing from home
• Decrease interested in socialization, family, etc
• Not bringing home friends, new friends
• Risky sexual behaviors
• Increased requests for money, or poor reasons for money spent
• Unexplained Injuries
• Illness, shakiness, or tremors
• Swollen hands or feet
• Depression, poor concentration
• Susceptibility to illness, or fatigue
• Irritability, agitation, paranoia
• Impaired short-term memory

If your teen shows some of these signs, you should take him or her to see a professional such as a social worker. A social worker with experience in dealing with adolescent substance abuse issues can help by working with your teen and family to get treatment and to put a plan in place to help reduce the likeliness of continued use. Look for social workers with experience using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Enhancement Therapy as these are shown to be particularly helpful in treating substance use disorders.

Again, there are things that you can do, starting now, to help your teenager. Remember, the most important thing you can do is talk openly with your kids about substances, make sure they know that you disapprove of them using substances, and that you are willing to listen and to help.

NOTE: Some information in this Tip Sheet was found on www.theantidrug.com and www.health.org. Please visit these sites as they provide information on a number of important topics including how to talk with you teens about substances.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Association of Social Workers or its members.