After a comment on the last article I wrote about drugs and Teens from Mony and Nell18-3 I thought I would write an article on some of the signs that may show that your child is experimenting with drugs...Alot of people mistake these signs for just teenage behaviour...Some are but when you get all of these signs together wouldn't it be better to keep an eye on it rather than just thinking it is teenage behaviour...

Some kids go through fazes...Changing their hair colour and style drastically or listening to a really different type of music...dressing the way other kids are dressing to fit in is a sign that your child may be giving in to peer pressure...If a child starts to give into peer pressure with their clothes maybe they are at risk of giving in when it comes to drugs...Giving in to peer pressure to fit in is not necessarily a bad thing but this is why our kids need to be armed with all this information on Drugs and things so if they are pressured then they have the information to try to make an informed decision...

Hanging around with a crew of kids who are into drugs or smoking is probably a good sign that you child might be too...Look at the way these kids act because chances are when you are not around your child is acting that way...This is not always the case but it can be so please be aware of who your kids friends are...

Keep in contact with the school on a regular basis...You need to do this because chances are if your child is having a go at drugs they will take off in the middle of the school day to go and get high...It is true... think about it and guess what... I knew how to forge my parents signature did you? So there might not be any unexplained absences the school needs to confirm with you..Just keep an eye on it is all I am saying...

Sometimes when a child is using drugs they can isolate themselves from the family...It is easier not to explain to mum or dad what they are up to at times if they just avoid them...So if you child starts to avoid you all together be aware this could be a problem...

Taking drugs changes your attitude...So if your child is showing signs of a drastic change in this please be cautious...Of course this could be just teenage behaviour as we all know when they hit a certain age someone came into our rooms and gave us a labotomy hehehe...Even though there is a change in kids when they hit teenage years this change could also mean a drug using issue...

If you child starts beliveing that every one is out to get them then this too can be a sign of drug experimentation...If everything every body says to them is  turned that they feel they are out to get them there could be a problem...Do they think you are public enemy number one and you are out to get them?

Some teens who experiement with drugs can become violent...having bursts of anger out of no where...this doesn't have to be physically violent but also yelling and screaming especially if it has not been in your childs nature before...Keep an eye on things here because with the use of drugs there is alot of psychosis and things that can be brought on by them...

If you child has suddenly changed their sleeping patterns...Staying awake all night or even just up late...Refusing to get out of bed in the morning...I don't mean just whinging about getting up I mean refusing to get up..Or then there is the other side of it there are alot of drugs as you can read about in my Drugs and teens articles that will keep them up for hours even legal ones like caffeine tablets will keep them awake...There are alot of stimulants out there...

One of the good signs to keep an eye on would be your kids eyes...If they are using some sort of stimulant with that comes dialated pupils...Other drugs  make the pupils really small...Some drugs out there make the eyes red or glazed...The eyes are a really good way of telling if you have a problem...

Food is also another sign that can help you on your way to thinking something may be wrong...When kids use some drugs they become hungry and get the MUNCHIES...So if your child is coming home and cleaning out you fridge or cupboard with an appetiete that is soo beyond normal for them then start thinking you may have a problem...Other drugs take away a persons desire to eat..Stimulants can do this to people...

If your child starts to talk slower than usual or faster than usual this can also be sign that you may have a problem...Stimulants can speed up they way a person talks and even their actions...Whereas depressants do the opposite...If your child one day is holding a conversation with you without a problem and the next day they are taking their time to answer a question or are answering a question at a time that is out of context with the conversation you could have a huge problem there...Also children who have been known to take E have been known to chew the inside of their cheeks and mouth...

Mood swings can also give you an idea of if there could be a problem with drugs as well....Keep notes if you think the mood swings are way out of character or are not justified...What I mean by that is if they go into a bad mood for no apparent reason...

To end this piece of advice off...I will say a few things... Alot of the things I have listed can be put down to normal teenage behaviour...My main thing I would be looking at is the eyes...They can hide nothing really when it comes to drugs...I still stand by what I have said in all the other articles I have written but COMMUNICATION is the key and the best tool we as parents have...If you have a gut feeling then that you child is experimenting ask them...If you have good communication and they know no matter how bad they can come to you...You just never know they might tell you...MIGHT being the operative word...Build the relationship NOW today and hope for the best when it comes to drugs and your teen...Good Luck

Have a great day
Cheers
Angie