9 Warning Signs of Addiction in Tweens & Teens
Parents can be blindsided by a tween or teen’s substance abuse. These nine warning signs will help you determine if your child may be dealing with addiction. What appears to be normal “growing pains” in how a child behaves can actually be a red flag. And truly, it can happen to any family.
9 Warning Signs of Addiction in Tweens & Teens
- Secrecy and deceit
- Love-hate relationships with family members and friends
- Poor personal hygiene/health
- Broken curfews
- Unusual eating & sleeping habits
- Always broke
- Change in family dynamics (disrespect, stress)
- Withdrawal from activities & school
- Boundaries constantly tested
Interact, listen, and observe. Ask open ended questions in conversations with your child. Befriend the child’s friends and the parents of the friends. Provide unconditional love and persevere in doing what’s best for your child to get help rather than excusing or enabling the child. Above all pray with and for your child. Pray your child gets caught, gets help, and learns from the experience.
Read more about what to watch for and how to get help if needed from these reputable resources.
• Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
• MN Adult & Teen Challenge
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
• National Institute on Drug Abuse
• U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
• Common Sense Media
• Video Game Addiction
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5 & 6
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him,
who have been called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28
© 2020 Becky Danielson. All rights reserved.
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Photo by Orkhan Farmanli on Unsplash.