Teenagers can be naïve about many things, and one area that this is most obvious is in their belief that they are indestructible.  They don’t recognize that their behavior has consequences, and that some of those consequences can be to their health, or even their very life.

Using drugs and alcohol tends to be one of the areas where they just don’t see the connection between their behavior and what it could mean to their health.  In the early stages of substance abuse, they just see and feel the enjoyment that they might be experiencing.  By the time they get to the stage of being addicted, they are unable to comprehend the magnitude of the problem.  As a parent you will have to step in and get your child medical treatment.  Oftentimes this means that a teen intervention might be necessary.

Addiction as a Disease

If you have a teenager who is addicted to drugs, but does not recognize their need for help, you will need to take control of the situation as if it were any other disease that might affect his or her wellbeing.  In reality, addiction is a disease and should be treated as such.

Unfortunately, addiction can progress significantly if left untreated.  This can lead to deterioration of the body, cause changes to a teen’s still developing brain (which can become permanent), and even damage their internal organs.  If left untreated, teen addiction can lead to death.

Teenagers typically do not fully understand these risks to their health and welfare.  Part of that comes from their lack of experience, and part of it can come from denial.  Another aspect of their lack of acceptance of the risks is that teens tend to think about right here and right now, with no regard for the future.  This factor often prevents them from recognizing the danger of their situation as a drug abuser.

Reasons for Medical Treatment of Addiction

Because addiction is a disease that affects the body and mind, professionals should medically treat it.  There are many reasons to get your teenager medical treatment as quickly as possible, including but not limited to the following:

• Abuse of drugs or alcohol can delay the onset of puberty in your child, and can inhibit their reproductive system from developing normally.  The effects could be permanent.
• It is known that the brain does not fully develop until about age 20.  Teenage alcohol or drug use could delay this development or permanently alter it, leaving lasting damage.  It is known that alcohol abuse can leave your teen with memory loss and permanent brain damage.
• Alcohol and drugs can damage the lining of the stomach, leading to ulcers, which will need to be treated.  This could leave your teenager with lasting, lifelong stomach problems.
• It is known that alcohol affects the liver, causing damage to this vital organ.  Enough liver damage can be fatal.
• Alcohol has been linked to cancer of the mouth and esophagus.  Cancer of the esophagus can be very painful and difficult to treat.  It can also spread quickly to other parts of the body.
• Some drugs, like cocaine, can cause seizures, panic attacks or even psychotic breakdowns.
• Ecstasy, which many teens think of as a safe and simple “club drug” that gives them a temporary high, has been shown to cause heart failure in some users.
• Illegal street drugs come from unknown sources and contain unknown substances that can be poisonous to the body.  These drugs also have varying levels of strength from one batch to the next, so it is hard to know what the impact will be on a person’s body and mind.

Addiction creates changes to the drug user’s body, causing him or her to crave the drug.  It takes medical treatment to detoxify the system of the drug and reduce the cravings.  Often this means that you will need to stage a teen intervention to get your child in for necessary detox and treatment.   This withdrawal process can be difficult, and despite what many drug users claim, they can rarely quit on their own.  It is important to keep this in mind if you have a teenager who is abusing alcohol or drugs.

If you are the parent of a teenager who you suspect may be using drugs or alcohol, is it okay for you to snoop into your child’s bedroom and personal belongings?  Just asking the question can be controversial, and the answer will vary depending on the respondent.

It is only natural that the parent might be conflicted over this question.  Parents recognize that their teen deserves some privacy, while on the other hand they have a recognized responsibility as a parent to protect their child.

If you were to ask the teenagers, most would say an emphatic NO to having their room searched by anyone.  On the other hand, drug prevention or teen intervention specialists insist that the parent has a responsibility to keep their child safe.  Therefore, if they suspect alcohol or drug use, they have no choice but to investigate.

Snooping by Any Other Name is Still Snooping

Part of the controversy over snooping is in the name itself.  People generally have a negative connotation associated with the word, so it can make a parent feel like they are doing something wrong.  For this reason some parents prefer to say they are searching or investigating, rather than snooping.

The key point to keep in mind is that as a parent you are only trying to help your teenager.  If it makes it easier to call it by some other name in your head go ahead and do that, just as long as you do what is best to help your suspected substance abuser overcome teen addiction.

Reasons for Snooping

The only truly justifiable reason for snooping through your teenager’s bedroom and belongings is if you have a solid suspicion that he or she is using drugs or alcohol or doing something else that could endanger his or her wellbeing.  This means that you have seen evidence of use, or there have been significant enough behavioral changes in your teen that indicate they are abusing some substance.

For example, if unexplained odd odors - like pot or burning chemicals - are coming out of your teen’s bedroom, that is evidence of use of something out of the norm, and grounds for snooping to investigate potential teen addiction.

Where to Snoop

If you have sufficient reason to proceed with your snooping, then you need to know what to look for and where to look.  The “what” is pretty easy; you are looking for any evidence of drug or alcohol use.  This could include actual products, empty liquor bottles, pipes that might be used for smoking drugs, and other drug paraphernalia.

As to where to look, that can be challenging.  Teens who are trying to hide substance abuse can become pretty secretive, and pretty good at hiding things within their bedrooms.  Some possible hiding places for drugs or alcohol could include:

• The bottom of the laundry hamper in the closet.
• Under a stack of clothing in a dresser drawer.
• Inside pockets of jeans hanging in the closet.
• In some sort of box or container that has been placed under the bed.
• Inside a DVD or CD case.
• In a backpack or computer bag that is normally carried to school with your teen.
• Inside a container that was originally for some other product.  For example, drugs might be hidden in an old Tylenol bottle or alcohol might be poured into a container that used to hold an energy drink.

The Bottom Line

If you choose to snoop and do find evidence of drug or alcohol use, then your snooping is justified and you can explain yourself to your teenager.  If you snoop and don’t find anything, you then have to reevaluate your suspicions of substance abuse.  You will also have to decide if you are going to admit your snooping to your teenager.  As a parent, always remember that your chief objective is to keep your children safe.  Whether that involves snooping or not will be a decision you have to make.

On the surface you might think that it is easy to recognize a teenager who abuses drugs.  If you believe only in the stereotype of the drug addict as portrayed on television, you would likely miss many of the symptoms that are common in teenagers.

However, as any adult can tell you, the teenage years can be a challenging time.  Many of the behaviors of drug addiction are also normal adolescent behavior, or could be symptoms of common teenage depression or anxiety.  That is why it is so important to watch your teen for unusual behavior, or sudden changes in behavior. While many teenagers will not admit to an addiction, if you pay attention, understand what to watch for, and keep the lines of communication open with your teenager, you have a much better change of recognizing the signs of addiction early enough to get effective treatment.

If your teen begins to exhibit some of the symptoms discussed below, it is important to talk directly about it.  The last thing you should do is just assume that it is “normal teenage behavior” and ignore what it going on with your teen.

Common Physical Changes

Teenagers who are addicted to drugs will most likely exhibit some physical changes over a period of time.  These could include:

• Weight loss due to loss of appetite from drug abuse.
• Red or glassy appearance to their eyes.
• Excessive exhaustion or complaints of fatigue.
• Health complaints that are non-specific, but unusual for their normal condition.
• Marks on the arms from needles.
• A change in appearance because they are no longer practicing good hygiene habits.

Behavioral Changes to Watch For

The behavioral changes may be noticed even before any of the physical changes have a chance to establish themselves.  It is not unusual for teens to start acting differently once they start using drugs, and these changes can increase as the drug use intensifies.  Changes to make note of include:

• A change in the friends that your teen spends time with.
• Mood swings or emotional instability, including aggressive or abusive behavior.
• Coming home late, ignoring curfew, or not coming home at all.
• Distancing themselves from the rest of the family physically and emotionally.
• Hyperactivity or inability to concentrate or focus for any length of time.
• Lying or stealing.

While all of the signs listed can be symptoms of something other than teen addiction, it should not be assumed that this is the case.  It is very important to trust your gut instincts as a parent, and if something does not seem right with your teenager’s behavior or appearance, you should explore what might be causing the change.  It is better to be overly cautious than to ignore signs, only to discover too late that your teen is addicted.

Inpatient substance abuse care is when the patient is admitted to a facility.  This is usually the recommended course of action for those who are heavily addicted to alcohol.  However, the cost for inpatient care is higher.  Therefore, some people find it to be unaffordable.  On the other hand, outpatient care is when a person is not formally admitted to an alcoholism treatment facility.  In this case, the treatment may take place in a doctor’s office, clinic or the outpatient department of a hospital.

The first step that you might want to take if you have health insurance is to see if your plan covers alcoholism treatment.  Find out what providers are covered on your plan.  If your insurance covers treatment, the costs that will be incurred in an inpatient facility will be much more affordable.

For severe alcoholics who have contracted medical problems as a result of their drinking, inpatient care is often recommended.  In this case, a supervised alcohol detox will likely be necessary.  Typically, after the detox, an inpatient care program follows.  The patient usually attends the program for a few hours each day.  Often these programs can take 3-6 weeks.  After the inpatient treatment is completed, a patient is often moved to an outpatient treatment center.

For severe alcoholics, inpatient care is highly recommended, as there will be no access to alcohol.  Patients will also be under 24-7 security.  In addition to the alcohol detox, patients will be given intensive counseling that help them understand their condition and the reasons behind their addiction.

On the other hand, there are definitely benefits to outpatient care.  For example, the patient can be at home in a familiar environment during the alcohol recovery process.  They can continue a normal lifestyle and they won’t have to leave their job or school to get care.  If the patient has a quality support system, this option can also work quite effectively.  However, in general, outpatient treatment is typically more suited to people who are not severely addicted.  Obviously, outpatient care is far less expensive.  There are also other possibilities to explore including residential care and self-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous.