Nothing matters more in the world than making sure your child is healthy, happy, and safe at all times. That is why it may not be easy to admit if your child is experimenting or frequently using drugs. However, it can be hard to know if they are. Let us walk you through how to tell if your child is using drugs.
However, some parents may not be able to fully tell if their child is currently struggling with drug use or dependency. Not every child shows the exact same signs of drug use, which means parents may not be able to directly confirm if drugs are impacting their child.
Parents need to understand some of the best ways to tell if their child is currently experimenting with drugs in order to initiate a successful recovery. The sooner you identify a potential drug issue the faster you can get your child sober and treated. Identifying and accepting that your child is going through a troublesome experience with drugs are crucial first steps to protecting them from further harm.
So what can you do to confidently know if your child is using drugs? How can you do it a respectful manner without compromising your child’s trust? And how do you know when it’s time to find a men’s and women’s addiction treatment center in Florida for them?
How to Tell if Your Child is Using Drugs
Your child may be using drugs or alcohol as they go into high school and experiment at social gatherings or parties. After social events or a night out, you should always rely on your sense to make educated inferences on potential drug use. Try these following tactics to then follow up on possible drug use:
- Rely on your sense of smell. If your child smells like alcohol, marijuana, or a different substance then they could be experimenting with drugs. This may be the cause if they come home from a party and smell like they have been drinking or smoking
- Do you notice any changes in mood? You know your child better than anyone else. If you notice sudden or erratic changes in mood it could be a sign of current drug use, a possible high, or potentially a withdrawal. Monitor these mood changes to see if they lineup with drug or alcohol use
- Is your child more secretive or secluded than before? As your child grows older they going to want their own space and privacy. However, if your child acts like they are hiding more and more it could be a sign of drug use.
- Look out for signs and excuses for erratic behavior such as coming home late and deflecting questions about their whereabouts
Is It Time to Search Their Room?
If you’re noticing more of the signs mentioned above, then it may be time to search their room and personal belongings to see if they’re hiding drugs or alcohol.
As a parent, you’ll want to be careful so you don’t compromise your child’s privacy and trust before a search. You’ll want to ultimately decide to confirm for yourself if you believe drugs are impacting your child’s health and safety. If you don’t find anything in their room, then it may be time to explain to your child what you’re doing and have a separate conversation about other issues.
If you do search your child’s room make sure to look underneath and behind furniture as well as in drawers and other storage containers. Other hiding places include underneath the mattress, in a shoe, in clothing, behind a poster, inside books, underneath rugs or floorboards, small personal containers like video cases, and backpacks/luggage.
Take Them to a Detox and Rehab Facility ASAP
No matter how old your child is it is hard to accept that they are struggling with substance abuse issues. When you have to get your child treatment and rehab options, make sure to visit our men’s and women’s addiction treatment centers at Serenity House Detox & Recovery. Our Fort Lauderdale and Jupiter locations make it easy to get the care you need for your child ASAP.
Call us at 866.294.5306 if you have any questions about detox and therapy solutions we provide. We’ll walk you through how to tell if your child is using drugs.
