Preventing substance abuse in Teenagers

Drug and alcohol abuse are jointly referred to as substance abuse. It is a condition where individuals misuse these substances to the point where it begins to affect them negatively.

No one is excluded when it comes to substance abuse, as it cuts across all ages- from childhood to adulthood.  

Parents and caregivers have a lot of work to do in preventing substance abuse in their teenagers. Here are some tips to facilitate this:

• Develop a genuine relationship with them

Many parents and guardians do not have a sincere relationship with their teenagers. And this can be largely attributed to different factors.

Parents are advised not to neglect their teenagers while they pursue other aspects of their lives. The life of a teenager could be slipping away under the ignorance of their parents.

• Build trust

While you try to get closer to your teenager, it is important to allow them to trust you. Many teenagers prefer to depend on their friends for trustworthiness instead of their parents.

In many cases, this has turned out bad for them because they received bad pieces of advice. Since you know what is best for your child, let them get to the point where they can trust you for anything.  

• Know the friends of your teenager

It is important to know the people surrounding your teenager to be sure they are in safe hands. You cannot be with your teenager 24/7, so you need to be sure that they are all sober.

You can also go to extra lengths to know who the parents of those kids are. This way you can rest assured that your teenager is not doing something to affect their health in your absence.

While you draw your teenager close to you, create and enforce rules that will guide them. You need to balance care, love, and discipline for your child to know that you want what’s best for them. With these rules, you can be sure of their safety and sobriety.