In 2013, there were over 2.8 million new users of illicit drugs, or about 7,800 new people every day. Over half (54.1 percent) of these were under 18 years of age. If you’ve discovered that your teenager has a substance abuse problem, you’re probably feeling overwhelmed. It’s tempting to try to blame yourself, wondering what you did wrong or what you could’ve done differently, or why you didn’t notice sooner. You might not know who to turn to for help. Does your insurance cover therapists or addiction specialists? Will your family doctor know enough to be any help? Is your mother just going to judge you and call your parenting skills into question if you tell her about it? You could reach for the phone book or the keyboard, but it might be hard to know where to start searching or how to tell reputable websites or organizations from scams. Luckily, there are plenty of quality resources out there that can help.
“Family Checkup: Positive Parenting Prevents Drug Abuse” is an initiative from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) that asks parents five essential questions, developed by the Child and Family Center at the University of Oregon, that highlight parenting skills that are important in preventing the use of drugs – and escalation of that use – in young people.
The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids has a drug guide for parents, which has information about nearly every drug out there as well as their warning signs. NIDA also provides information on commonly abused drugs and current drug use trends.
“Make a Difference: Talk to Your Child About Alcohol” is a guide from the United States Department of Health and Human Services on prevention strategies and how to talk to teens about alcohol.
“Alcohol and Drug Addiction Happens in the Best of Families” from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is a brochure that describes how substance abuse affects the entire family, how treatment works, and how family interventions can play a role in helping someone work toward recovery.
Healthychildren.org is a site sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics that provides resources for parents of teenagers about substance abuse and treatment.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD, is a group that works to prevent underage drinking, end drunk driving and drugged driving, and support the victims of these crimes.
SMART Recovery is an addiction recovery support group for both parents and teens. It is recognized as effective by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Center for Health Care Evaluation, NIDA, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Addict’s Mom is a group focusing on the mothers of addicted children and raising substance abuse awareness.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504 to get started.
