Substance abuse amongst Calgary youth is a concern. Yet there are many actions family, friends and community members can do to help. Substance abuse has pain at the core of its motivation. For example, teenagers struggling with drug or alcohol use may be experiencing depression, anxiety, loneliness, conflict, etc. Drugs and alcohol serve to provide distraction from suffering, as well as relief. This mechanism of coping has an inevitable negative effect on the individual, their family and their community.
Substance use amongst adolescents is not uncommon. Teenage use of drugs and alcohol become a concern when there is a deterioration of functioning across different areas of their life. For example, a teenager struggling with substance abuse may experience lower school attendance and performance, withdrawal from hobbies/sports/music, increased conflict in relationships, a shift in peer groups, disruption or change to eating or sleeping patterns and changes to managing personal hygiene. Changes in any one or two of these areas would be expected in typical adolescence. When the change is marked, ongoing and across several areas, parents or community members may be observing the effects of drug and alcohol abuse.
How to help a young person with substance abuse issues is widely variable; however, there are some ways of helping that are universal.
Some suggestions for concerned parents or caregivers include the following:
Be observant. Take an active role in understanding your teen’s patterns of behavior. Monitor their grades, how they spend their time and whom they choose to spend their time with. Be aware of their habits with sleeping, eating and personal well-being such as hygiene. Be attuned to their interests and hobbies.
Be open and communicate with your teen. Talk with them in a curious and supportive manner. Talking with teens about their lives and the changes they are experiencing is important. Being sensitive to your teen and casual in your interactions will create safety and increase the likelihood that your teen will be open in the conversation.
Timing is important. When talking with youth, choose a time that is calm and avoid times that are stressful. In that way, communication will be more successful.
Be compassionate. Approach your teen with kindness, seeking to understand them and what may be motivating them to abuse drugs and alcohol. Remember that most teens are emotional and tend to react quickly and defensively when they perceive judgment.
There are things parents and caregivers can do to decrease the likelihood of teen involvement with drugs and alcohol. A proactive approach would include modeling appropriate and healthy behavior related to drugs and alcohol. From an early age, children can be engaged in conversations related to substances, emotions and healthy coping strategies. Parents can be eager about healthy choices, encouraging the development of hobbies, participation in sports and engaging in community activities. Adolescence involves a natural movement away from structured time and activities. More than younger children, teenagers should be included in decision making on how their time is spent. Parents of adolescents need to maintain open communication to encourage healthy decision making in their use of time.
Parents who have significant concerns can address it with their teen. If communication is difficult, unhelpful or conflictual, it may be time to get help with that conversation. Support in the form of family therapy is often a helpful process.
Hull Services helps children, youth and families who experience significant mental health, behavioral and developmental challenges. Hull Services uses their expertise to help move them to success, and actively confront the barriers to wellness. For information about treatment for your family or teen, contact Bryan Hume, Program Coordinator, Hull Psychological Services, at 403-589-1865 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information, visit hullservices.ca.
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