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Signs of Addiction

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24 Warning Signs of Adolescent Drug or Alcohol Addiction
24 Steps to Take if Your Adolescent is Using Drugs or Alcohol
24 Signs of Relapse
24 Points to Consider When Choosing a Drug Treatment Facility For an Adolescent



24 Warning Signs of Adolescent Drug or Alcohol Addiction
  1. Loss of interest in hobbies, sports or other favorite activities
  2. School grades have declined dramatically
  3. Difficult time concentrating on tasks
  4. Change in sleeping patterns, up all-night or sleeping all day
  5. Withdrawn, depressed, tired, careless, or manipulative
  6. Hostile, disrespectful, untruthful, and uncooperative
  7. Relationships with family members and friends has deteriorated
  8. Money is missing from the household
  9. An increase in borrowing money from family members and friends
  10. Physical health has declined, bloodshot eyes, bulging veins, runny nose
  11. Dramatic mood swings
  12. Missing prescription drugs, cold medicines, alcohol, aerosol containers in the home
  13. Increased secrecy about possessions or activities
  14. Personal hygiene has deteriorated
  15. Dramatic weight loss
  16. Finding drug paraphernalia hidden in the home, pipes, rolling papers, eye drops, butane lighters, soft drink containers made in to pipes, etc.
  17. Inhalant products, rags, computer duster, paint, nail polish, paper or plastic bags etc. hidden in the home
  18. Truancy and tardiness to school or a job
  19. Changes in fashion, hairstyle, use of breath mints, fascination with the drug culture
  20. Sudden change in friends, numerous secretive phone calls
  21. Use of room deodorant or incense in their room
  22. Physically abusive, aggressive, punching holes in walls, etc.
  23. Has anyone told you that your child is using drugs?
  24. Odd phone calls, sneaking out of the house, etc.
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24 Steps to Take if Your Adolescent is Using Drugs or Alcohol
  1. Have your adolescent evaluated by a professional drug counselor or treatment facility
  2. Immediately admit your child to a drug treatment program if it is recommended
  3. Educate yourself and your family about the disease of addiction
  4. Seek family counseling from a group or a professional specializing in addiction
  5. Consider attending Al-Anon or Al-A-Teen meetings
  6. Understand that addiction will lead to prison, institutions or death if not treated
  7. Understand that no one has any control over the addicted adolescent except the addict
  8. Do not give your adolescent cash or credit cards
  9. Recognize that addicted adolescents have a disease and do not reason the same way as non-addicted teens
  10. Do not make excuses for your adolescent’s behavior; let the natural consequences of their actions occur
  11. Do not feel guilty about your parenting skills, your child made the decision to abuse drugs
  12. Realize that emotional maturity in addicted adolescents stops from the time they begin their drug or alcohol use
  13. Set and communicate clear behavior standards for the adolescent to live by while living in your home, no fuzzy or gray areas
  14. Hold the addicted adolescent accountable for their actions
  15. Consider suspending their driving privileges until the teen achieves sobriety
  16. If the adolescent is facing legal problems, do not intervene, let the natural consequences occur
  17. Be wary of the addict’s skills at manipulating people and events
  18. Consider removing or securing all alcohol, narcotic prescription medication, cold medication, etc. from your home
  19. Realize that addiction is a life long disease that cannot be cured, but can be treated
  20. All family members should try to be of the same mind set when setting behavioral expectations for the teen, and when holding them accountable
  21. Realize that addiction is a family disease that has a negative impact on all members of the family
  22. The addicted adolescents recovery is his program, you should not try to work harder than the teen at that program
  23. Relapses are common, recovery is achieved one small step at a time
  24. Learn to live life with an addict one day at a time, and be grateful for the time you have together
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24 Signs of Relapse
  1. Apprehension by the addict about the ability to remain sober
  2. Denial about their uncertainty to remain sober
  3. Compulsive attempts to impose sobriety on others
  4. Noticeable defensiveness when discussing the challenges of remaining sober
  5. A return to former compulsive behavior
  6. Tendencies towards loneliness
  7. Developing tunnel vision about tasks or events while ignoring other important areas
  8. Minor depression, listlessness, oversleeping
  9. Loss of constructive planning, lack of attention to detail
  10. Idle daydreaming, feelings that nothing can be solved
  11. Wish to be happy without defining what is necessary to be content
  12. Periods of confusion even with simple tasks
  13. Irritation with family and friends, easily angered
  14. Irregular eating habits
  15. Irregular sleeping habits, insomnia
  16. Progressive loss of daily structure
  17. Periods of deep depression
  18. Irregular attendance at AA meetings, treatment and counseling sessions
  19. Open rejection of help, don’t care attitude
  20. Feelings of powerlessness, self pity, distorted judgment
  21. Thoughts of social drug and alcohol use being acceptable
  22. Conscious lying, denial and rationalization
  23. Discontinues all treatment, stops seeking support for addiction
  24. Loss of control, return to addictive behavior
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24 Points to Consider When Choosing a Drug Treatment Facility For an Adolescent
  1. The facility should be certified by a national drug treatment organization
  2. How will the facility provide the tools and skills necessary for the adolescent to treat their addiction?
  3. The facility should accept health insurance plans
  4. Detox treatment and care should be available
  5. Does the facility provide education about the disease to all family members?
  6. Various levels of care and programs are available based on the patients needs
  7. Treats the disease as one that affects the entire family
  8. Specializes in the treatment of adolescent addicts
  9. How is the evaluation and assessment of potential patients handled?
  10. Is there a physician on staff who specializes in addiction?
  11. Are there after care programs available
  12. Is the facility willing to work with families on a payment program for services not covered by insurance?
  13. What rules are the patients and their families expected to follow?
  14. Is the location convenient to make attendance at programs more likely?
  15. Are there AA, NA, CA and Al-Anon meetings available on site?
  16. Is the facility clean and well maintained?
  17. If your adolescent is in an in-patient program, are tutors available to assist with missed schoolwork?
  18. Is there a parent support group or network available?
  19. Is patient and family confidentially respected and adhered to?
  20. Are there programs available to help keep adolescents connected to their recovery after treatment is finished?
  21. In patient programs should provide food service with menus formulated to help patients bodies recover
  22. Will the facility recommend programs at other treatment facilities if circumstances warrant?
  23. Does the facility provide counseling sessions with the family to plan for the recovery process?
  24. Is programming available to help siblings of the adolescent addict in their recovery?
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