One of parents’ worst nightmares is finding out that their child is using drugs. There are all sorts of telltale signs that can hint at it as well. The sudden problem reports from school, the strange new friends, the moodiness – these are all signs that your child may very well be on drugs. As the father, you may feel that it is your role to take charge of the situation and establish harsh authority in it very quickly. However, is this the correct way to go about it? What other options do you have?
You should first understand that accusing and brutally confronting your child about his/her possible drug use is never the way to go about it. After all, your child may not even be dabbling in drugs after all. However, if your teen is doing enough to make you suspect something, it’s important for you to act on this.
When you’ve got the suspicion that your child is on drugs, your initial reaction may be to make a bee line for his/her bedroom and begin searching for “incriminating” items. However, it’s highly advised that you do not take this route. Going through your teen’s belongings without him/her knowing is enough to break the trust between the two of your for a long time. Of course, you may find what you’re looking for if you do search your child’s bedroom, but you could have figured the same information out had you just talked to your teen in the first place.
When it’s time to talk to your child about your suspicions, be sure to keep your tone as calm and composed as possible. Your teen may react in an unexpected way, such as getting angry or lashing out, but your job is to keep things as level-headed as possible. If you feel as if your teen is holding information from you, you might want to give him/her an incentive to confess by letting them know that they will be in a lot more trouble if they lie to you and don’t let you know what’s going on.
Even if you give your teen an incentive to confess their wrongdoings, he/she might still stand their ground and swear up and down that they’re not doing drugs. In this case, there are either two possible categories that your child falls under. Either your teen is not using drugs or they are doing anything they can to mask their drug use.
If your teen denies using drugs, you should initially take their word for it. After all, there is a chance that he/she is telling the truth about the entire thing. However, if their behavior worsens or you begin to notice more signs that may indicate drug use, it may be time to administer a drug test. It should be given to the child unexpectedly so that you can get a true reading.
If your suspicions were true about your teen’s drug use, it is time to get professional help as soon as possible. The quicker you can handle your teen’s drug problem, the less time he/she has to become addicted to their drug of choice. Just remember to assure your teen that you’re doing this because you love them and don’t want to see them destroy their life. Your teen probably won’t see the good in what you’re doing now, but they will eventually thank you for it.