Younger and younger kids are experimenting with drugs and alcohol at an alarming rate, which is also increasing the rate of teenage drug abuse like never before. The problem is that kids as young as 10-12 years of age are finding ways to even take up the destructive habit of inhaling everyday substances to get high. Unfortunately this has become a popular pastime with items like permanent markers, nail polish remover, glue, paints and even room deodorizers. All of these are common and seemingly harmless items kids can find freely in their own homes and schools.
These kids are much too young to fully understand the consequences of this behavior, which is causing brain damage and even damage to their internal organs including their heart, lungs, kidneys and liver as well as their entire neurological system. And if they don’t destroy their internal organs or even die from this behavior, it sets these youngsters up for teenage drug abuse as they become old enough to gain access to the long line of illegal addictive substances. Elicit drugs that are readily available in the largest to the smallest of cities and communities around the world.
Teenage Drug Abuse – Don’t Look the Other Way
It’s hard for many parents to believe their own child would get involved in such destructive behavior. So, they tend to ignore the warning signs that something is in deed going wrong. And with so many families where both parents work outside the home, kids in these age ranges are being left alone for several hours each day. This means there is more opportunity for teens and even preteens to influence each other and put pressure on their friends to join in on the so called fun.
Much of the problems with teenage drug abuse is also gaining a foot hold from the use of everyday prescription medications that can be found in many medicine cabinets. Troubled teenagers begin by raiding the medicine available in their own homes and even the homes of their friends. And once it becomes full blown teenage drug abuse, they get desperate for the high their mind is now craving. This desperation leads them to lie, steal and even try out any medication they find available without fear of the consequences to their body and mind.
Trust Your Suspicions
As parents you need to keep in mind that if you even suspect that your teen is inhaling household items or using drugs or alcohol, you need to trust your gut feeling. Don’t just ignore it because you don’t have actual proof. And whatever you do don’t fall for the lies from your kids about their unusual behavior or the accusations that it belongs to a friend when they get caught with drugs or paraphernalia. Your adolescent’s life is in danger and if they do survive this behavior long enough to live to adulthood, the teenage drug abuse won’t just magically go away as they reach maturity.
Find out everything you can about teenage drug abuse. Reach out and get professional help if you have even the slightest suspicion that there is a problem. Consult your family doctor or local family counseling center for more information and ideas for how to handle the situations. If your wrong there will be no harm done but if your right you just might save your child’s life.