Discovering that your teenage child is abusing drugs can be one of the most scariest days of your life. As a parent, you want nothing more than to see your child flourish and become a healthy and happy individual. Unfortunately for many families, it is quite common to find out that your child is partaking in these illicit substances. If you have just discovered that your teen is using drugs, here are some things to keep mind:
- Types Of Drugs
The first thing you need to keep in mind as you go through this process is to be aware of the types of drugs your child is using. Are they recreational substances such as marijuana, MDMA, or cocaine? Are they psychedelics that can help with mental illness, such as mushrooms, LSD, salvia, DMT, and so on?
The type of drug your teen may be using is important to understand before you try and help them because it plays a direct role in telling you the frame of mind they are in. Recreational means they are “partying”. Psychedelics means they are “exploring”. And hard drugs means they are “escaping”. So it’s important to understand clearly why they are using these substances.
- Try Not To Judge Them
While it can be very disappointing to find out that your good boy or girl are using substances, it is important that you not judge them as you do not want to push them away or make them feel wrong or bad. It is important that they see you as an ally and friend in this process so that they will want to keep you in their life.
If they feel that you are judging them then they will begin to shut you out of their life making it much more difficult for you to help them. During this difficult time, you want to keep the lines of communication open. Just try and remember that this is still your child and this is just a difficult phase in their life.
- Get Professional Help
If you feel that you have lost your ability to reach your child and help them, then it may be time to get some help by getting some therapy for your teenager. Having someone that he or she can talk to outside of the family dynamic will provide a neutral boundary making it much easier for your child to want to talk about what is going on for them.
Because your child may feel guilty or embarrassed by what they are going through, they may not be as forthcoming with you as they would be an outside person. Take the time to find a professional who your child will trust to open up to as this can be very beneficial in ensuring that your child does not harm themselves in irrevocable ways.