Many parents think prevention starts at 12 or 13 and that "bad company" is the cause. The author argues prevention starts in infancy, and that drug and alcohol use requires both predisposing factors and triggers. Peers are only the trigger; a child without the emotional predisposition will keep saying no even under pressure.
Predisposing factors
- Escape mechanisms learned early. A baby who cries from fear or pain and is repeatedly soothed with a sugar-dipped pacifier learns to cover discomfort with something pleasant instead of facing it. Later the pleasant thing may be sweets, cigarettes, alcohol or drugs. A mother who instead investigates (diaper, pain, a fright) and then comforts the baby teaches the child to face problems. Alcohol and marijuana are ideal escape tools; she notes marijuana offers a calm teens may not find in real life.
- Overprotection. A child who always had things solved for them grows up fearful and dependent, and in adolescence, forced to cope alone, may lean on a cigarette, a few drinks that make them feel like Superman, or stimulants like cocaine that create a sense of power.
- Low self-esteem. A teen who feels worthless discovers that a few beers let them do what they thought they couldn't (a 14-year-old who finally dares to kiss a girl and say he loves her) and wants to repeat it. Many start drinking or smoking marijuana to get close to the popular group. Low self-esteem leads teens to stand out through negative rather than positive actions.
- Depression or anxiety. Depressed teens may use cocaine or crack for energy, motivation and numbness; anxious teens may use cigarettes, alcohol or marijuana to calm down. Seeking calm, escaping problems and wanting to feel better are the main reasons teens start.
- Social factors. The author cites a machismo belief in parts of Latino culture that drinking proves manhood and that adults need alcohol to have fun.
- Parents who drink. Children who see a parent drink consider it normal and part of adulthood, and parents who drink lack credibility warning against it.
Adolescence brings big changes, self-testing, comparison and the need to belong. Teens arriving there with low self-esteem, insecurity, depression or anxiety are at much higher risk, and a hostile, conflict-filled or overly critical home pushes teens to escape.
Warning signs
- Physical: fatigue, sleep problems, frequent health complaints, red or dull eyes, a persistent cough.
- Emotional: personality changes, mood swings, irritability, irresponsibility, low self-esteem, poor judgment, depression, withdrawal, loss of interest.
- Family: starting arguments, breaking rules, withdrawing from family.
- School: declining interest, negative attitude, falling grades, frequent absences, missed homework, discipline problems.
- Social: friends who use drugs or alcohol, trouble with the law, dramatic changes in dress and appearance.
Some of these can signal other emotional problems, so a suspected teen should get a full evaluation from a trained mental health professional. Parents help most through early education about drugs and alcohol, open communication, their own example, and catching problems early.
If you suspect drug use
- Don't react with insults, threats or yelling.
- Resist the urge to search their room and belongings.
- Raise your concerns calmly when you're both relaxed.
- Don't use ultimatums.
- If they're in trouble with police or courts, support them but let them face the consequences.
- Learn about the drugs involved and how long they've been using.
- Seek professional help. Without evidence, ask a doctor about a drug and alcohol test.
Statistics the author cites
She cites figures from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and U.S. government sources, including that teens whose parents talk to them regularly about drugs are 42% less likely to use them (yet only one in four reported such talks), that alcohol is the most common drug among teens, that about 40% of those who start drinking at 14 or younger later become dependent versus about 10% of those who start at 20 or older, that 65% of teen drinkers get alcohol from family or friends, and that more than half of teens from 8th grade up had tried alcohol.
Note: These statistics date from around 2000–2005 and I haven't verified them; current figures are available from SAMHSA and the CDC.