Facts About Teens And Drug Use
How alarming would it sound when you’re young teen says weed is normal and it’s a way of life? The nightmare still doesn’t end for most of our parents in NCR, in fact it rings a bell only when they face medico legal complications, some medical emergency or severe behavioural issues of their adolescents.
The start young:
So what I want to bring into your notice, after seeing so many cases in my clinical practice, is that there is a sudden increase in teenagers using and experimenting with cannabis, weed or marijuana. These teenagers are primarily not aware of the harmful uses. These addictions are not dependent on the socio economic strata, in fact experience highlights that numerous children suffering from substance abuse are from high socio economic strata, best of the schools and have extremely well educated parents.
The substance abuse usually starts early and is usually motivated by observing other older children opting for the same. Studies have highlighted that children have been opting for the same as early as 13 yrs of age. They often fall for peer pressure and a status quo that they have to highlight. Numerous children also opt for the same to cope with their failures and stress. Substance abuse and addiction can become worse if it is not detected and corrected early. If the same goes undetected through school the child can be surrounded by more issues due to the addiction – low grades, attendance behavioural issues and in some extreme cases medico legal aspects. The children can feel drain out, lost and confused at an early stage. Guidance and counselling is essential at this stage.
Sensitize yourself and your kids:
Through this write up all I want is to motivate each one of you – the parents, the teachers and the precious teens to not take it lightly. Please sensitize your kids and yourself to handle the situation well.
Start discussions from preventive perspective from early on, tell them:
- Regular monitoring will be done whether they do this or they don’t.
- In slightest doubt reach out to a Clinical Psychologist or a Psychiatrist.
- Be all eyes and ears for any sudden change in behaviour, increased irritability, sleep disturbances, redness in eyes, poor performance and stressors.
To be honest this is difficult to be done by a single parent, it has to be a team effort from teachers to parents to mental health professionals. So the most important part is to identify the problem and keep each other informed, don’t isolate yourself and don’t let the stigma over power you, reach out for intervention, because it can be treated and cured.
So don’t lose your teen to drugs lets help them reclaim their lives.
