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My Child Is Using Drugs |
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Drug use among young people is now commonplace. National statistics indicate that 49% of young people aged from 16-18 in England have ever used illicit drugs or solvents. 22% have used drugs in the last month. For 15-16 year olds the proportion is 31% having ever used and 17.5 % having used in the last month. |
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Most of this drug use is only occasional and will not result in harm.
In most cases if you discover that your child has been using drugs, it will not lead to significant long-term problems.
Don't forget that alcohol kills more young people than illicit drugs.
That doesn't mean that you should ignore the drug use, you simply need to put it in perspective. What should you do:
Learn more about drugs yourself - you will not help your child or yourself if you give out misinformation. It is very likely that they will ignore your messages and not value what you tell them in future.
Talk to them - nothing will be lost if you talk to your child about your concerns. A great deal will be lost if you lose your temper and go over the top in what you say. Talk about your concerns and listen to what your son or daughter has to say. Of course, you can tell them that you would prefer them not to use drugs, but do not forget to recognise that they may continue and it will be important to give them information about keeping themselves safe. Again you will need to make sure that you are well informed.
Keep communicating - talking about drugs should not be a one-off. Keep the communication going, that way if problems do develop your child will be able to turn to you.
Sadly some young people will develop more serious drug problems. The question that every parent asks is - "How can I tell whether this is a serious problem or not?"
This is not a simple question to answer. It will depend on so many aspects of the young person's life. But if you are worried SADAS can offer you the chance to talk through your concerns with a skilled counsellor.
Contact us if you want information on the help available.
Other services in Surrey can also offer help and advice to parents. Click here to find your nearest service:
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