The Parent’s Guide to Teen Drug Abuse

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Do you believe your teenager could benefit from drug rehab in Fort Lauderdale? Whether your son or daughter may already be using drugs or you simply want to educate yourself, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the signs of substance abuse and addiction. A parent always knows a child best, and experts encourage parents to start conversations with their teens if they notice any signs of trouble. Keep reading to learn what you should watch for when it comes to teen drug abuse, including behavioral shifts, health changes, and psychological warnings.

Behavioral Shifts

Behavioral shifts are one of the first signs of teen drug abuse or addiction. Eventually, drug abuse catches up with anyone, and even occasionally using illegal substances can affect a teen’s grades, job, and relationships. Many teens will start skipping class or getting in trouble at school. Others may miss work or appear obviously unmotivated. Parents are usually made aware of these problems when teachers, bosses, or friends complain.

Health Changes

If your teen’s health has been declining and there is no medical explanation, he or she may need addiction recovery help. Physical signs of drug use include small pupils, bloodshot eyes, and frequent nosebleeds. Many teens also allow their physical appearances to deteriorate. They may stop taking regular showers, eating solid meals, or sleeping through the night. As a result, teens can lose or gain significant amounts of weight. He or she may also have unusual smells on the body, breath, or clothing.

Psychological Warnings

Personality changes and mood shifts are also signs of drug addiction or substance abuse. Your son or daughter may be noticeably irritable or become angry for little or no reason. Some teens can also appear hyperactive or agitated, while others seem unmotivated or unable to focus. If your teen seems withdrawn, anxious, or paranoid, he or she may be using drugs. Appearing lethargic or spaced out is another psychological sign of drug abuse.

Preparing to Talk to Your Teen

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Teen therapy near Fort Lauderdale is an essential part of helping many teenagers recover from alcoholism or addiction. Watch this video to learn how you should prepare to talk to your son or daughter about drug and alcohol abuse.

It can seem overwhelming to confront your son or daughter about alcoholism or addiction. Instead of simply demanding that he or she get immediate treatment for substance abuse or face severe consequences, it helps to address the root of a teen substance problem. Making sure you understand why he or she is feeling isolated, rebellious, or unhappy is key to helping your child succeed in substance abuse treatment.

How Alcoholism Starts

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Alcoholism can seriously affect every aspect of your life, from your job to your family. The circumstances of every person’s alcohol dependency are different, but many of the same patterns can be seen in different cases. Many people begin to become dependent on alcohol when they drink frequently to deal with stress or to relax. As their body’s alcohol tolerance increases, they need to drink more to feel the effects of the alcohol. Eventually, they find themselves needing to have a drink—and then more than one drink—on a regular basis. If a person begins to experience withdrawal symptoms such as headache, depression, or fatigue after not having a drink, it’s a strong sign of alcohol dependence.

One of the hardest things about confronting your alcoholism is admitting that you have a problem in the first place. If you are interested in learning how to stop drinking in Fort Lauderdale, contact an alcoholism counseling center as soon as possible.

The Teen’s Guide to Recognizing Drug Problems

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Teen drug abuse and addiction in Fort Lauderdale can have serious, lasting consequences. If you suspect that a friend or family member has a problem with drug addiction, you should seek help from an adult who can help him a teen drug counseling and substance abuse treatment program. Here is a helpful guide to recognizing the signs that your friend might have a problem with drug abuse or drug addiction.

Personality Changes

If your friend exhibits personality changes, that doesn’t automatically mean that he has a problem with drug or alcohol abuse. However, sudden and significant changes in mood or personality are a sign that your friend needs to talk to an adult or a professional counselor. If you notice that your friend has suddenly become withdrawn, depressed, anxious, angry, frequently tired or sick, or disinterested in activities that he previously enjoyed, he is exhibiting serious personality changes. If these occur in combination with other warning signs, you should talk to an adult about the fact that your friend might have a drug addiction.

Problems in School

Drug and alcohol abuse can make it incredibly difficult to keep up in school. If your friend has a drug addiction, he may frequently miss class, or stop coming to school entirely. His grades will begin to slip, and he will get poor scores on assignments, projects, papers, and tests, if he participates in them at all. He may also have tension or problems with school administrators, and be frequently called to the principal’s office or put in detention. If you notice that your friend is developing problems in school that he didn’t have before, you should talk to a trusted adult about the possibility of drug or alcohol abuse.

Difficulties with Friends and Family Members

Another common sign of a drug addiction or drug abuse is frequent difficulties with friends and family. If your friend is suddenly experiencing regular conflict with friends and family members that he used to get along with, he may have a drug or alcohol problem.

The Effects of Teen Drinking

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When your child becomes involved in underage drinking near Fort Lauderdale, the results can be devastating. Alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse can significantly impair your teen’s physical, mental, and emotional health, and can impact every other aspect of his personal and academic life. Here is a look at some of the most common and dangerous effects of underage drinking.

Delayed Brain Development

Scientists have determined that the brain does not become fully developed until around the age of 24. The areas of the brain that continue developing in adolescents are areas responsible for stress response, managing drives, critical thinking, and understanding the consequences of actions. Underage drinking can significantly stunt, delay, or prevent brain development in these areas. Alcohol can also damage the frontal regions of the brain, causing lifelong neurological problems. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms may also cause seizures, which can further damage the brain.

Increased Risk of Emotional and Mental Health Problems

Underage drinking also greatly increases a teen’s risk of suffering from emotional and mental health problems. Teen alcohol abuse can contribute to depression, anxiety, personality changes, and other serious emotional and psychological symptoms. Chronic or heavy alcohol abuse may put a teen at a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, ideation, and suicide attempts. The neurological problems associated with alcohol abuse and alcohol withdrawal can also increase a teen’s risk of developing mental health problems later in life.

Social and Academic Difficulties

Chronic alcohol abuse can decrease school performance, and even cause teens to stop going to school entirely. Studies have shown that teens who participate in underage drinking miss classes, fall behind in school work, perform badly on papers and exams, and receive lower grades overall. Alcohol abuse and underage drinking also put extreme stress on a teen’s social and familial relationships. The other problems that result from underage drinking have a significant effect on relationships with family and friends. Teens also tend to lie more, break house rules, get into fights more often, and hang out with other teens with substance abuse problems, further degrading their social and familial relationships.

How Alcohol Affects the Brain

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Because the brain does not finish developing until you reach the age of 24, drug abuse and alcohol abuse in Fort Lauderdale can have a profound effect on your brain. Underage drinking can significantly delay the development of crucial areas of the brain. Chronic alcohol abuse can cause serious, permanent brain damage.

Watch this video to learn more about how alcohol abuse can affect the brain. If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction or drug addiction, you should talk to a trusted adult about the possibility of participating in teen alcohol counseling or substance abuse treatment.

Meet CEO Cici Kelly

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Every member of the Bougainvilla House is dedicated to providing teens and their families with the professional care and resources needed to overcome drug and alcohol abuse. Teens are a particularly high-risk group for alcohol abuse and addiction, so it is important that they have dedicated facilities to get the rehabilitation necessary for a long and healthy life.

In addition to a skilled clinical staff, the Bougainvilla House relies on its management team, which is led by CEO, Cici Kelly. Ms. Kelly has a diverse business background, having worked for a number of Fortune 500 companies before joining the team in Fort Lauderdale. Before taking on the role of CEO, Ms. Kelly served on the Board of Bougainvilla House, a position that offered her unique perspective on the business side of teen drug and alcohol counseling services. The management team also includes a Clinical Director and Director of Finance and Administration to ensure that the business is up and running to provide teens with the help they need.

What to Do If You Catch Your Teen Drinking

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Drinking is incredibly common among teens, and for some, it will not become a chronic problem. For most teens, however, the realities of alcohol use can be a rude awakening, since binge drinking and heavy drinking are much more likely in young adults and teens. If you catch your teen drinking, you will want to take action right away to minimize the trouble your teen might get into with alcohol. As you think about the next steps once you catch your teen with alcohol, keep these guidelines for a healthy interaction in mind. Whether the right course of action is laying ground rules at home or seeking professional help for alcohol abuse in Fort Lauderdale, these steps will help you get on the right track with your teen.

Consider your own relationship with alcohol

Before confronting your teen about his or her drinking, you should think about the example you set as a parent. If you have problems with alcohol yourself, it might be beneficial to get sober before trying to influence your teen not to drink. You should also think about any circumstances in which you might think it is okay for your teen to use alcohol. Knowing your own habits and establishing clear rules in your household will be the best way to send a clear message to your child.

Calmly get the facts from your teen

Confronting a teen about alcohol will be a different process, depending on the details of the situation. If your teen has been sneaking alcohol for weeks, you might have a different talk than you would if it was your kid’s first time drinking. You’ll want to take a good look at the facts and allow your teen to explain his or herself before dulling out any punishment or seeking rehabilitation.

Discuss the risks and pitfalls of drinking

Many teens will drink without fully realizing the danger of the situation, so it is important that you share an honest dialog about the potential consequences of drinking, both short- and long-term.

Alcohol and the Teenage Brain

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One of the reasons that alcohol abuse is such a significant concern for teens is that the teenage brain is still developing. In fact, during teenage years, connections in the brain are reinforced through the processes of pruning and myelination.

As this video explains, alcohol use can inhibit these processes, which might permanently affect behavior, mood, hormonal balance, balance, and movement. Therefore, it is important to seek a rehab program in Fort Lauderdale if your teen is using alcohol. Watch the whole video clip to learn all the ways that alcohol affects teens differently and see the importance of getting help.

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