Are younger children exposed to drugs?
Drugs are everywhere and predatory dealers are looking for younger and younger customers, drug addiction parents need to be always on the look out for it.
The idea of a young child taking drugs is frightening, but equally as alarming is the knowledge that kids, even little kids, have about drugs. They can tell you about cocaine, or marijuana, or heroin or any of the other drugs sold on the street.
Consider this: half of all children will try drugs before they get out of high school. Half! Can you say with complete certainty that your child will be among the 50% who do not try drugs at least once?
If there is even the slightest chance your child might make a bad decision in a moment of weakness, you need to know what to do.
My wife grew up in a large urban area. Her family lived in the city and later moved to a suburb when their financial situation improved. She clearly recalls knowing kids in her elementary schools that took drugs, both in the city and in the suburb.
She was one of the 50% who did not use drugs, but her brother, who was seven years older, used drugs regularly when he was in the suburban high school.
As it relates to drug addiction parents need to recognize that each child is an individual and that life experience for one may bear no resemblance to the experience of the other. If the older one never uses drugs, don't assume the younger one will not use drugs either.
According to Dr. Allen I. Leshner, director, National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), the first thing parents need to understand is WHY their kids would consider taking drugs. He offers that researchers have identified more than 50 factors, which are found at several different levels-individual, family, peer group and broader community.
Here are some of the factors about drug addiction parents should look for:
- Too much free time
- Weak family structures
- Peer pressure
- Social pressure
- Media glorification of drugs
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Parents need to understand the risk factors. Keep your eyes open. There are a couple of reasons why children will take drugs. Let's divide kids into two groups:
The first group is just looking for fun and excitement. They want to be a part of the crowd, so they do what their friends do, or what they THINK their friends do. They want to be cool. Even in elementary or intermediate school, kids want to be cool.
The second group is the kids who want to feel better. They might have emotional or mental issues, or they come from an abusive home, or something else is not right, regardless of how loving and supportive their parents are. They want to feel better, or just feel "normal." They are self-medicating to feel better.
How do you know if your kids are using?
- Look for the signs like mood changes, or changes in energy levels.
- Do they have redness around their eyes?
- Have they stopped eating?
- Are they keeping up with their homework?
- Are they more secretive?
- Have they changes friends?
To discuss drug addiction parents need quality time with their children. Try to draw them out and see what's going on in their lives. Get smart. Don't assume Little Johnny or Little Jane isn't trying something new, or won't make a bad choice. The best drug prevention program is your job as a parent right at home.
We encourage you to look into drug prevention programs in your child's school, or in the community.
If you suspect your child is self-medicating, get help from a professional!
If your child is abusing drugs, becoming addicted, or is already addicted, you can't handle it alone. Your child needs help and you need help!!
You should consult your family doctor, who can give you a referral to a local drug counselor, psychologist or social worker. Drug addiction is a disease of the body, mind and spirit, so there are many people who are trained to help.
Avoid wrong assumptions
Some dangerous assumptions about drug addiction parents can make is thinking the drug use is a passing phase. Do you want to take the risk of your child falling into the clutches of addiction because you think it's just a passing fancy?
They assume they can just handle it at home, maybe talk the kid out of using drugs. They don't have training in handling drug-related problems and may lose a lot of time, while their child loses control.
Parents assume they are the right kind of parents whose children do not do "these kinds of things." They have money, they have social position, they go to church every Sunday and so these problems happen to other families.
Some parents make another dangerous assumption; they might recall their own youth and rationalize their child's drug use by saying, "I smoked some grass when I was a kid and look at me, I didn't become an addict."
Know your child
Know your kid. Be open to allowing your kids to talk to you and share themselves with you, without your correcting them or minimizing their concerns. Be the parent, an understanding and protective guide.
Don't compromise your role by being their "buddy," because you will lose perspective. Like a general directing his troops, take a step back and look at the field from a hillside. Know that the enemy is there and wants to strike your child. That is a reality.
Common Street Names for ILLEGAL DRUGS
Amphetamines Bennies, Black Beauties, Crosses, Hearts, LA Turnaround, Truck Drivers, Uppers
Cocaine Blow, Bump, Candy, Charlie, Coke, C, Crack, Flake, Rock, Speed Ball (combined with Heroin), Toot
Methamphetamine Chalk, Cristy, Meth, Speed, Tina, Zip
Methamphetamine Hydrochloride 64 Glass, Crank, Crystal, Fire, Glass, Go Fast, Ice, Quartz, Cheese (Mixture of Meth Amphetamine and Tylenol)