Troubled Teens Resources

“I started on my course with alcohol and drugs at about the age of 13. I got drunk for the first time when my parents went out of town and I decided to raid their liquor cabinet…”

“I had several different techniques to cover up the signs I was using drugs. I pulled hats down over my eyes, I put gum in mouth to cover up my bad breath or I’d put Visine in my eyes to take away the redness completely…”

“Sometimes I wouldn’t go to school at all. It was really easy to get away with this because all I had to do was write a note from my mom, or steal passes from the office, fill them out and turn them back in. I found myself getting away with a lot more than I ever thought I would…”

This is some of the advice given by Brian, a young man who fell into teen age drug abuse a few years after he started drinking alcohol at 13. He was inspired to divulge all of the secretive methods troubled teens employ to cover their drug abuse after realizing how close he came to loosing his life. He attributes his new found respect for sobriety to an intervention arranged by his parents and conducted on the Dr. Phil show.

Sadly enough, he states that those parents who are the most trusting are usually the parents that suffer the most.

Below are more of his recommendations:

• The most trusting parents are the ones who are the easiest to take advantage of.
• Lock your liquor cabinet.
• Double check alarm systems.
• Check their bedrooms.
• Look closely at your child.
• Don’t think your child is too young to be exposed to drugs.
• Know who your child’s friends are.
• Consider where they get their drugs.
• Check your child’s attendance record at school.
• Are you paying for your child’s drugs?
• Check your child’s vehicle after a Friday or Saturday night.
• Look through their pockets, purses, wallets and backpacks.
• Give your kids a random drug test.
• Look for signs.
• Develop an open, strong and trusting relationship with your child, one without judgment.

(Source)