How To Tell If Your Child Is Using Drugs

The teenage years are difficult times for most kids, but they can be just as tough on parents. Hormones, physical and emotional changes, peer pressure, fitting in, increased work loads at school, and a demanding extra-curricular schedule push many teens to the brink of exhaustion and confusion.

Some kids become severely depressed, while others turn to destructive behavior. Drug use and abuse circle the top of the list of bad behaviors, and not surprisingly, teen drug use is one of the top fears of most parents.

At one time, alcohol and marijuana were the drugs of choice for most teens. While they’re still very popular, designer drugs and synthetics have entered the landscape, often with more adverse effects.

Because these drugs are so new and don’t have a history, they can be extremely difficult for parents to recognize the warning signs of abuse.

The infographic below shows some of the warning signs of various types of drugs today’s teens are abusing, and can help parents learn how to tell if their kids are using drugs.

While some of the warning signs are the same for many of the drugs listed here, there are slightly different signals to be aware of between alcohol, marijuana, spice or K2, bath salts, salvia, and inhalants.

Keep in mind; these aren’t just limited to teen use. Changes in behavior may be noticed about your spouse, coworker, or other family members. Recognizing the signs can be the first step to intervention and getting help for a loved one.