Teaching Your Teen The Dangers Of Addiction
With the unfathomable number of people addicted to drugs in this country, how do you ensure that your teen child doesn't become another statistic? The best thing you can do is open up a dialogue with them about the dangers of drug addiction, as awkward and uncomfortable as that can sometimes be.
Show Them Statistics
Teens don't often respond well to statistics, as it reminds them of their school assignments, but if you show them how many young people are dying from addiction each year, you might convince them it's not worth trying drugs. The numbers are staggering, and anyone who learns how high they are will rethink whether or not it's worth it to experiment.
Give Them Real Examples from Your Life
Sometimes teens respond well to hearing about real-life examples of drugs ruining someone's life. You can tell them about friends you grew up with who had a lot of potential, but drugs destroyed their lives. Your child may even know people personally who've had addiction issues, and it's best not to hide that information from your child because they may learn valuable life lessons if they can see the downsides firsthand.
Enroll Them in Anti-drug Educational Programs
There are some great anti-drug educational programs for teens, and if you enroll your child in one, they will learn a lot of valuable information on the subject. Knowledge is a vital tool to combat addiction.
Explain the Normalization of Some Drugs
When your teen is confused about the dangers of individual drugs, they're more likely to experiment. Why is alcohol use glamorized in shows, movies, etc., if it's dangerous and addictive? You must speak with them about how many drugs have become normalized in American culture, but that doesn't make them any less risky.
Don't Let Your Mistakes Become Theirs
Many parents today struggled with drug use themselves, making it harder for them to tell their children to stay clean because it feels hypocritical. However, if you're clean now, you figured out the dangers and gave up drugs. Rather than letting guilt prevent you from helping your children, you can use your mistakes to ensure they don't go down the same path.
Set a Good Example
Even if it seems like your teen doesn't respect you and look up to you like they did when they were younger, you still set an example in your household. If they see you drinking, smoking, etc., your child will be more likely to engage in risky behaviors and fall into the trap of addiction.
If you want to learn more about teen addiction treatment, reach out to an addiction clinic near you.