Governors Prevention Partnership - Seeking Help

When It's Time to Seek Help for Your Child: Warning Signs of Alcohol or Drug Use

It is difficult to acknowledge that your child is using alcohol or other drugs. This list of warning signs can help you see a pattern that indicates a potentially serious problem. The more warning signs you check, the more likely it is that your child has a problem.

The drug-using young person:

Has exhibitied significant personality changes and seems to be a "different person."

Has changed friends over the past two years and is now spending time with a group of peers whom parents/teachers consider trouble or a bad influence. These friends may be know as drinkers or drug users.

NOTE: When teens first begin to use drugs, they do it with their usual friends. The change in friends occurs as drugs begin to dominate their lives.

Isolates from other family members; has begun a "motel existence" within the house; will often escape into music with drug themes.
Has increased difficulty in getting up in the morning and may also exhibit "day-night reversal," i.e., staying up very late and sleeping during the day.

Displays significant difficulty in observing curfew and/or other rules of the home; is constantly testing limits and getting angry when confronted.
Exhibits hostility and distrust of authority figures, is often rebellious and argumentative.

Seems to have a problem expressing anger appropriately; will be likely to explode with increasingly less provocation -- more likely over little things than big things; seems to be generally angry and depressed.
Has been threatened with suspension and expulsion or actually has been suspended or expelled from school; is considered a "negative influence" by school authorities.
Demonstrates difficulty with maintaining good grades in proportion to his/her abilities.
Is increasingly dishonest with self and others.
Seems more "sensitive" than average; mood swings occur more frequently and are more extreme.
Has a significantly decreased attention span.
Has either been caught or been accused of stealing from family members or from others.
Has become abusive with parents, siblings.
Seems to have lost interest in things s/he was once interested in.
Is likely to have been fired from a job at least once if old enough to work.
Is overly preoccupied with privacy and secrecy.
Has gotten caught at least once with possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia. When confronted, will exhibit defensiveness and turn around the confrontation so the confronter will feel confused or guilty; e.g., "You don't trust me."
Shows a pattern of increase in the amount, frequency and scope of drug use over the past 12 to 18 months.
Is regularly using one or two different mind-altering substances and has experimented with at least one other drug.
First used drugs before age 13.
Often begins to use during school or work.
Increasingly will often feel "paranoid" while high.
Uses drugs specifically to escape bad feelings.