subject: The Physical Signs Of Teen Drug Addiction: Know What To Look For [print this page] The teen years are difficult ones for both the teen and his parents. Teens are starting to spread their wings and becoming more independent, and this natural step in adolescence often leads to a withdrawal from family life. As a result, parents are often at a loss when it comes to diagnosing teen behavior: is it normal? Where does this attitude come from?
While a certain amount of withdrawal is certainly normal, other physical and behavioral changes are not. The biggest mistake parents can make is to turn the other way when they suspect something might actually be wrong. Here are some of the physical signs of teen drug addiction: know what to look for and know when to act.
Physical Changes
--An inability to sleep during regular hours. This symptom is a difficult one because many teens have a hard time keeping to a "normal" sleeping regimen. However, if staying up all night is really out of the norm for your teen, it may be an indicator: look for other signs as well.
--Sudden problems with coordination. Many adolescents need to "grow into" their large feet, but coordination related to drug addiction are distinct: he might stagger or really drag when he walks; he will lose "sharpness" and struggle with basic tasks requiring hand/eye coordination.
--Change in appetite. Most adolescent boys eat a lot as part of their growth process, but warning bells should go off if there are sudden and radical changes in appetite. Marijuana use generally leads to a marked increase in appetite, whereby other drugs such as heroin or cocaine lead to weight loss. Extreme weight loss in girls may be a symptom of an eating disorder, so if this is the case with your daughter, look for other symptoms too and visit the doctor right away.
--Changes in facial features. If parents are truly paying close attention, they will see that their teen's drug use is written all over his face. Look for eyes that are chronically red or watery in appearance for no apparent reason. There may be a change in the resting state of his pupils: they may be unnaturally dilated or contracted. Their eyes may have a hard time concentrating on objects, will lose their sparkle, and will often look blank and lifeless. Other facial signs are puffiness, excessive pallor, or flushing.
--Subtleties. Watch for subtle physical signs that your teen may attempt to conceal: hand tremors, cold or sweaty palms, and sneaking away to vomit. He may be blowing his nose all the time, even when he doesn't appear to be sick.
These are just a few of the physical signs of teen drug addiction. If you suspect your child may have a problem, be sure to contact a doctor as well as a quality rehab center in your community for information on how to proceed. Don't turn the other way and hope your teen's problems will disappear on their own. They won't.
