Teens experience a wide range of emotions and changes in adolescence. When young people use drugs or alcohol to cope, there is a high risk they might engage in risky or dangerous behavior. Many teens and young adults suffer from a mental health condition and turn to drugs or alcohol to cope.
According to an article for Medical News Today by Ana Sandoiu (2018), “Anxiety, depression, and panic attacks are on the rise among U.S. college students.” Depending on the drug used, they can become addicted after just one try.
How to know if your teen is addicted:
- Isolates him or herself and rarely interacts with loved ones
- Changes in appearance and hygiene
- Loses his or her appetite and rapidly changes weight
- Dilated pupils, bloodshot eyes
- Seizures
- Shakes and tremors
- Changes in sleep patterns, insomnia
- Acts withdrawn
- Skips school and grades drop
- Mood changes
If your teen uses drugs, he or she may become irrational in their behavior and actions. Drugs can cause your teen to become verbally abusive and aggressive. He or she could become destructive and destroy things in your home. A teen that has a drug problem will withdraw from family and friends and spend a lot of time alone.
Sudden bad behavior in school can be a sign of drug abuse. People who use drugs exhibit personality changes. Depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other mental health conditions can lead to drug use as a way to escape. A young person’s brain continues to develop into his or her early 20s. If your teen is using drugs, it can have detrimental effects to his or her brain.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, get help now. If you have an underlying mental illness that coincides with the addiction, both need to be treated simultaneously as a dual diagnosis. Addiction is treatable and recovery is possible. Do not wait for another day. Get help today.
Cypress Lakes Lodge specializes in addiction treatment and is located in a serene, remote, lush-green, oxygen enriched environment. The program encompasses holistic addiction therapy and offers yoga and meditation for the mind, body, and soul. The focus is on physical, mental, and emotional well-being by generating the balance of life-enriching treatment, wellness, and healthy, sober, sustainable relationships. Call us to get started: 409-331-2204