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[E144]Effects Of Drug Abuse

by Roger Thompson, Rog

Many a parent questions their teens behavior at one point in time or another. But every parent's worst is always that they will one day find that their child has become addicted to some sort of illicit drug. Watching anxiously for any sign of erratic behavior, has caused many parents' hair to turn grey virtually overnight. This isn't necessary if you know how to recognize the effects of drug addiction in your teen, and are able to stop their destructive behavior before it gets the best of them. Recognizing the effects of drug addiction in your teen isn't difficult as long as you understand what to look for. Below you will find some of the early warning signs that your teen may be battling a drug addiction, along with useful tips on how to get him or her the help they need.

Although withdrawing from family is a normal part of adolescence, an extreme and sudden withdrawal from both family and friends can be one of the effects of drug addiction in your teen. If you have noticed that your teen has become even more sullen and withdrawn than usual, you may want to talk to them (or at least try to) about what they are experiencing. A lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities can also be one of the effects of drug addiction in teens. If your teen was once active in his or her school, church, or community, and suddenly shows little or no interest in these activities, it may be a sign that he or she is battling the effects of drug addiction.

A sudden and extreme weight loss is also one of the effects of drug addiction in teens. Even though this may have roots stemming from an eating disorder, rapid weight loss is usually indicative of drug use; and you should get your teen into the doctor as quickly as possible. Even if your teen's sudden weight loss is not due to the effects of drug addiction, it may have a serious underlying cause, and should be treated immediately.

Again, although every teen will typically experience a decline in their grades during their high school years, a sharp drop on your teen's report card can be one of the effects of drug addiction. As can a sudden lack of interest in their part time jobs, or even just getting out of bed in the morning. If you think that your teen is experiencing any of the effects of drug addiction, it is imperative that you get him or her help as early as possible. All too often parents put off trying to help their teens until it is too late, purely out of the fear of being rejected. Just remember that you are the parent, and if counseling or admission into a drug rehabilitation center is what your child needs, then it is up to you to make certain that he or she gets it. Although the effects of drug addiction can be quite frightening when they present themselves in your child, catching them early and taking action now can save your teen from a life of addiction.

Every day of every year, families in every state grapple with the drug problems of one or more of their members. Distraught parents, children or siblings appeal to the drug or alcohol user to please cease their excessive substance abuse without understanding that when substance abuse has progressed to addiction, most addicts need rehabilitation before they can quit. That is true no matter how much that they have promised they will end their drug or alcohol use. When a person is addicted, the addiction controls them rather than their controlling the addiction.

The slide into addiction very often has a consistent pattern, person to person. Problems at work, problems paying bills, unexplained loss of money; if the person has taken to dealing drugs to support their habit, unexplained cash. Missed family events, falling grades in school, secretive or accusative behavior are all common symptoms of the descent into addiction.

But these events are mild in comparison to what lies ahead when a person completes his or her full descent into addiction.

Drug or alcohol addiction commonly results in manipulative, abusive or criminal behavior; suicide; homelessness; overdoses leading to hospitalization or death. Addiction is frequently accompanies by serious or incurable health conditions: HIV, Hepatitis C, herpes, heart disorders, loss of teeth, abscesses, staph infections, liver disease and much more. Then there's the constant threat of incarceration. The average sentence for drug felonies in 2004 was 51 months.

?Families often call or email us wondering what they should do to help someone they love who is addicted,? stated said Derry Hallmark, a Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor is one of the country's leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, located in Canadian, Oklahoma. ?Unfortunately, many families try to help the addict by bailing them out of jail, helping them pay their bills or find a new job. The right thing to do is to help the addict learn to live completely drug-free by getting them into an effective rehabilitation program.?

Rather than substitute an addictive medication for an illicit drug problem, some drug and alcohol rehabilitation program uses nutrition, one-on-one counseling and life skills training to help a person resolve the real reasons they started using drugs in the first place. The result is that 70 percent of the graduates remain drug-free after graduation.

?Not every drug addict is ready to ask for help with the family wants them to,? added Mr. Hallmark. ?That's why we work with experienced interventionists around the country. These people are experienced at helping addicted people make their own decision to stop the pain and loss by getting help. That decision is really the first step in rehabilitation.?

If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol please seek help immediately. There are many resources out there to help you choose a program that is right for each situation. There are multiple referral lines, which can be found by searching on the internet that will help you locate these programs on an individualized basis.

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Both Roger Thompson & Karen Hadley are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Roger Thompson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Remodeling Ideas, Types of Cancer and Arthritis Signs. Roger Thompson writes for Leading . Roger Thompson's top article generates over 201000 views. to your Favourites.

Karen Hadley has sinced written about articles on various topics from Hoodia, Medicine and Fitness. If you or someone you know is struggling with an to drugs or alcohol please seek help immediately.. Karen Hadley's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.