Detecting a Child’s Drug Use
Part II of a two-part series
Here we continue with some more of the most commonly abused drugs by children and teenagers, with useful drug information, and some signs that you can look out for:
Part I covered, Ritalin, opioids, inhalants and marijuana.
Alcohol
You will know the obvious signs of alcohol use, the smell of it, and what a drunk person looks like, but as a young person may be trying to hide their use, and not drink when you are near to observe it, it is important that you know some other less obvious signs too.
The less easy signs to hide are those of a hangover, is there lots of sleeping in late, grogginess, nausea and headaches, particularly in the mornings? If that is fairly consistent, you have quite a strong sign that heavy drinking is occurring.
Other indicators can be accidents, particularly if the teen drives, neglect of self or possessions is another one. A big indicator is missing alcohol from the house, it is worth taking note of what you have, so you will notice if something goes missing. Don’t be fooled by watered down alcohol done to hide what has been taken!
Cough Syrup
Cough syrup can be abused for the euphoric, out-of-control feeling that it causes. The responsible substance is dextromethorphan, on the label as ’DM’. When abused, the quantity consumed will be way above the recommended dose of 10 to 15 milligrams, an abuser will probably consume 240 to 360 milligrams.
It is often abused by younger people who have no contacts for illegal drugs, or older teens who may abuse it because there is easy access from a pharmacy, no questions asked.
Effects that you can look for are dizziness and distorted perceptions; high levels of consumption can cause numb fingers and toes, vomiting and loss of consciousness. In extreme cases, hearts can beat rapidly or irregularly, and the person could even experience hallucinations, psychotic episodes and seizures.
Watch for cough syrup going missing from the home, or empty bottles in the rubbish or hidden away.
Synthetic Drugs
This is a very large and constantly changing category of drugs. Hundreds of different chemical formulas have been found. While the effects of these drugs vary, they tend to be very strong stimulants, increasing the heart rate and blood pressure. Some of the most common synthetics include:
- MDMA (Ecstasy)
- Mephedrone
- Synthetic cannabis formulas nicknamed Spice or K2 or identified as JWH-018
- Bath salts formulas pyrovalerone, MDPV or N-BOMe (aka 25I-NBOMe)
- Stimulants and hallucinogens Bromo-dragonFLY, Benzo Fury, PMA and PMMA
Signs to look for include delusions, paranoia, suicidal thoughts or hallucinations. If your child uses one of these drugs at home, it will probably be obvious, but if he is using them away from home, he may appear confused, delusional, irritable and anxious when he is home.
Just ‘Teen’ Behaviour
Some parents dismiss certain indicators as just ‘normal’ teen behaviour. Things like becoming isolated and withdrawing from family life are not definitely indicators of drug use, but leaving it with no investigation is certainly not a safe option.
Being alert, questioning and insistent is your best path to preventing disastrous results from drug abuse. Remember no matter the little problems now, it is all worth it in comparison to discovering your child is suffering from full-blown addiction, or worse, dead from an overdose.
To get more information for yourself or your children, regarding drugs and their effects, check out our Drug Abuse page or our Blog which both contain a wealth of information.
For more information regarding our rehabilitation programme, contact us.
