The Hard Truth About Drugs & Alcohol

A child's getting involved with drugs or alcohol is probably the biggest fear many parents face as their children reach the teen years.

A child with drug or alcohol problems can leave parents drained of energy, filled with fear, and wondering what went wrong. In the struggle to help their child resolve a problem that he may deny is a problem, parents may find themselves riding an emotional roller coaster of anger, anxiety, depression, embarrassment, frustration, and guilt.

Unfortunately, many parents of today's teens have ridden this roller coaster. Drug and alcohol use is a pervasive problem among adolescents; indeed, substance use may be the biggest challenge teenagers face.

Abuse of drugs or alcohol can drastically alter a teenager's life and has the potential of leading to a range of difficult consequences, from physical and emotional problems to school failure, legal problems, injury, or even death.

The long-term threat from another seemingly less dangerous substance, tobacco, is on a par with those from drugs and alcohol. The fact is that more than 5 million youths living today will die prematurely due to a smoking-related disease.

In trying to discourage your own child from substance use, you may underestimate your influence. You may assume that the opinions of your child's peers count more than your own.

While it is true that peers have considerable impact on a teen's beliefs and behavior, the reality is that you also play an important role in shaping your child's attitudes. Research indicates that when it comes to major issues in teens' lives, parents command the most influence.

As just one example, teens who have parents who talk with them about the risks of drug use are much less likely to use drugs.

In spite of this encouraging data, parents still face formidable obstacles in discouraging a child's drug or alcohol use. A prominent concern is teens' easy access to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

A second challenge is the media. Advertising tends to glorify alcohol use and ignore its harmful effects. Although you may feel that advertisements for alcohol are targeted at an audience older than your teen, the advertising gimmicks and slogans often become part of youth culture.

As for tobacco use, a recent study indicated that advertising plays an even greater role than peer pressure in influencing teens to smoke. Another hurdle that parents may face is their child's lack of concern for the consequences of substance abuse.

Many teens have a false sense of invulnerability, feeling that they are somehow immune to the negative effects of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

Parents may not always take fall advantage of their leverage with their child. Denial and lack of information are often the culprits. Parents frequently perceive drugs and alcohol as a serious societal problem but are blind to the possibility (or even the reality) of their own child's involvement.

They may not know the signs of substance use. Even if they have their suspicions, they may not know what to say or do. And if they do confront their child with their suspicions, they may be deceived by his response that he is not using or that it was only a one-time thing.

When it comes to drugs, alcohol, or tobacco, the stakes are too high for you to ignore the possibility that your child is at risk. Accept what the experts say - that you have considerable impact on your child's decisions with regard to substance use - and take an active role in trying to influence his beliefs and behaviors.

And don't wait until your child enters high school to begin shaping his views. The reality is that by then many kids have already tried their first cigarette, had their first drink, or experimented with drugs.