Effective Strategies for Preventing Teen Substance Abuse

During teen maturation, teenagers’ brains are more focused on rewards and taking risks. This can pose a serious challenge for parents as teens push for greater freedom and explore their independence. Teen substance abuse can greatly impact your adolescent’s life, making it imperative to employ effective strategies to encourage healthy choices to help them avoid using drugs.

Experimenting with drugs and other substances can put your teen’s health and safety at risk. The human brain is vulnerable as it matures during the teenage years, and drug use can rewire and overload the reward circuits. In addition to negative consequences, drug use can lead to various health risks, including drug addiction, serious impairment, illness, and death.

We've been in your shoes, so at Lotus Behavioral Health, we believe in treating our patients and their families with the respect and high-quality care they deserve. Through our experience and expertise, we're able to achieve successful outcomes and help your child heal.

We’ve adopted a well-rounded and evidence-based approach that includes an individualized treatment plan. As part of our clinical model, each treatment plan is developed to build upon prior effective treatments tailored to each individual’s goals and unique needs.

We target the underlying factors contributing to maladaptive and high-risk behavior, focusing on whole-person care. Our team is state-licensed to provide a comprehensive and holistic treatment experience for alcohol and drug use in teens, combining time-tested treatment modalities with the latest techniques and therapies in adolescent behavioral health.

Our mission is to renew and restore wholeness to individuals and their families impacted by substance use and mental health disorders. Let us help your teen reestablish healthy adolescent behavior and set the stage for a successful transition back into their community. We are in this together — our family healing yours.

Why Teens Use or Misuse Drugs

There are, unfortunately, many reasons why teens use or misuse drugs. Some factors that have been linked to drug use include a family history of substance abuse, a co-occurring mental or behavioral health condition, impulsive or risk-taking behavior, a history of traumatic events, and low self-esteem or feelings of social rejection.

Teens are curious and generally want to fit in with their peers, especially if they’re hanging out in a social setting where adults aren’t present. Teens may use substances to distract from feelings of loneliness or stress or as a way to rebel and challenge family rules. With some substances readily accessible to teens (do you want to say: in a home environment), it not only makes it easier to try but also seems safer to experiment with if they see that adults use them. Teens may also see themselves as invincible, not fully understanding the consequences of their actions and giving them a false sense of immunity.

As a parent, you may start to notice possible warning signs or red flags of drug use that your teen is exhibiting. These can include sudden or extreme changes in their friend groups, sleeping and eating habits, physical appearance, attitude, and school performance. Other signs include irresponsible behavior, poor judgment, general lack of interest, breaking rules, withdrawing from family, and the presence of drug paraphernalia.

Preventing Substance Abuse

While there are many different strategies parents can use to reduce the impact of substance use, prevention and early intervention are among the leading methods. Prevention activities are critical to behavioral and physical health and should focus on educating and supporting teens to avoid the use and misuse of drugs and the development of substance use disorders.

Here are some strategies you can use to prevent teen drug use:

• Talk to your teen. Set aside a dedicated time to talk to your teen about the consequences of using drugs and the importance of making healthy choices. Listen to your teen's opinions, answer their questions, and avoid lecturing and using scare tactics. Brainstorm ways for them to resist peer pressure and be ready to discuss your own drug use.
• Keep tabs on your teen’s activities and friends. Pay attention to what your teen's up to, who they're "hanging" with, and where they're going, taking care to avoid invading their space. Encourage your teen to get involved in adult-supervised activities that align with their interests. If their friends are using drugs, they may be tempted to try them as well.
• Establish clear rules and enforce consequences. Explain your family rules and work with your teen to develop a plan to get them to stick to the rules. If those rules are broken, you’ll need to reinforce them consistently.
• Keep track of the substances in your home. Whether it’s prescription or over-the-counter medications, alcohol, or other drugs, parents should take an inventory and know when substances are being misused.
• Be a good example. If you use alcohol or take prescription drugs or medication, use it in moderation or as directed by your doctor, and avoid using illicit drugs.
• Offer support. Praising and encouraging your teen’s successes can help form a strong bond and prevent drug use.
• Consider working with a professional. Lotus Behavioral Health takes an all-encompassing approach to treating substance use by conducting a detailed assessment, providing an array of levels of care, planning individualized treatment options, and involving the whole family in recovery.

Early interventions prior to high school are critical, as patterns of substance use can worsen in the upper grades. Those who begin using substances at a younger age are more likely to abuse them later in life, making quitting at an older age more difficult.

Seeking Help for Teen Drug Use

Lotus Behavioral Health takes a medically oriented, evidence-based approach to addiction, substance use, mental health, and co-occurring mental health disorders. We specialize in alleviating all substance use disorders, including addictions to illicit drugs, alcohol, and prescription medications. As a premier not-for-profit teen rehabilitation center and treatment facility, we offer four different levels of services, including residential programs for teens, IOP, day/night (PHP), and outpatient programs. We aim to provide accessible and cost-effective quality services to all those in need.

If you suspect your teen is experimenting with or misusing drugs, it’s never too soon to start using effective strategies to prevent substance use. Plan your strategy, talk to your teen, encourage honesty, and check in regularly. And if you believe your teen needs professional assistance, we’re here to help.

By taking action today, you can help your teen make healthy choices in the future and prevent teen substance use.

We’re in This Together

If you are a parent or guardian of a teenager with a substance use disorder, reach out to the Lotus Behavioral Health team of health professionals for additional information on our services and the different levels of care we offer adolescents at our treatment facility. You can start the process by visiting our Admissions page, where you can view more information about a complimentary brief assessment to determine eligibility.

For more information about our adolescent programs, contact Lotus Behavioral Health in Central Florida for an intake consultation at (833) 948-2273 or visit our website.