No parent wants to find out that their teen is hiding drugs in the house, but if you do this could be the right time to confront your teen about their drug use. It’s not easy to ask your teen whether they’ve been using drugs, but it’s a conversation you need to have if you’re going to help your child get better and kick this nasty habit.
Collect Yourself
Finding drugs in your teen’s room, backpack or in their clothes’ pockets is not easy so of course you’re going to feel mixed—and most likely very strong—emotions. It’s best for you to give yourself some time to calm down and figure out your plan of action: How are you going to approach your teen? What will you say? If you’re calm, you’ll be able to have a better conversation with your child, rather than acting emotionally.
Talk to Them
If you want to get your child help or just to figure out what’s going on with them and why they’re stashing drugs in their room, you’ll need to have a serious conversation with them. You want to have this chat at the right time and in the right place. Set aside time that you can dedicate to this conversation and make sure you’re in an environment where your teen will feel safe and not threatened.
Image: Nadja Tatar
Be Prepared
Before you have a talk with your teen about their drug use, take some time to prepare yourself. Do some research on the drug(s) you found in their belongings, know what you’re going to say and how you want to help them. This will likely be an emotionally charged conversation, so the more prepared you are the better. You want to be able to back up your claims and and answer your kid’s questions.
It’s Not Too Late
When you find your teen’s drugs, there are many questions that run through your mind. You have no idea how long they’ve been using and you worry that it’s too late. But know that it’s never too late to intervene. You’ve found the drugs and now it’s time to get your kid the help they need so that they can get better and lead the life you both truly want for them.
There are lots of support groups for parents and free and affordable treatment options for teen drug abuse. Talk to your doctor or a drug counselor for more information on rehab programs for your teen.
Feature Image: Zarya Maxim Alexandrovich / Shutterstock
