You (as a parent) could be worried about the surprising shift in your formerly bubbly and active teenager’s character and mannerisms; now he’s withdrawn, frazzled, or distant. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if it’s a typical adolescent stage or if it’s a serious problem that should be addressed.
There is a close link between teen mental health and adolescent substance use. Teens who have a diagnosed anxiety, depression, or over-arousing stress may self–medicate by drinking alcohol or using substances, especially marijuana. Unfortunately, substance use can exacerbate mental health symptoms, making it difficult for many to maintain and difficult to break away from.
Why Teen Mental Health and Substance Use Often Connect
Bidirectional Connection
Mental health issues and substance use can reinforce each other. Teens who are feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, sadness, or trauma may try substances to dull their feelings or to relieve them temporarily. It can worsen depression over time, leading to higher anxiety as well as further psychological well-being troubles. During the teens, frequent drug and alcohol use can affect the functioning of the developing brain and can exacerbate adolescent mood swings.
Why Teens Are Especially Vulnerable
During teenage years, the brain is vulnerable and developing, especially the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which controls decision making and impulse control. It is a natural stage of development that renders teenagers more vulnerable to peer pressure, pressure of schoolwork, social media comparison, and identity issues. The stressors can be constant, and may drive some youth to ‘self-medicate’ with substances in today’s busy culture.
Early Warning Signs Every Parent Should Know
The only way to tell if there are warning signs is to look for several of them. They are normally progressive in nature, and rarely appear all at once, so it is essential that patterns are observed.
Emotional and Psychological Changes
You may notice the child is persistently sad, will cry a lot, become more irritable, or have angry outbursts that are out of proportion. Some teens lose interest in and enjoy things they used to enjoy, feel worthless, or feel very worried and panicked in normal situations.
Behavioral Red Flags
Understand that if your teenager’s performance declines quickly, or they skip classes on a regular basis, or no longer show up, this could be a sign of serious problems. One of the biggest signs is the secrecy surrounding their phone, friends, or whereabouts, and if there are changes to their sleeping or eating habits as well. Sometimes requests for money that don’t come with a request for an explanation may be a sign of trouble.
Physical Signs of Possible Substance Use
If you notice any of the following signs, think of possible drug use: Bloodshot eyes, frequent nosebleeds, strange smells on clothes or breath, poor personal hygiene, poor coordination, or sudden weight loss.
Social and Relationship Changes
Teens might isolate themselves from family and close friends, spend time with a new group that causes concern, argue more at home, or not be as interested in family traditions as usual or family activities. Listen to your parental alarm clock. If multiple of these changes are happening and they just keep on happening, it is important to investigate more deeply and explore the issue even more.
Common Risk Factors for Teen Mental Health and Substance Use
There are a number of factors that can make one vulnerable. Some of these factors involve a family history of mental illnesses or drug and alcohol abuse, trauma or being bullied, significant life changes (e.g., parental divorce, separation, or moving), and high exposure to substance use and poor self-esteem or sleep hygiene. Once you know about these, you can be more helpful in providing additional support at the right time.
How to Help Your Teen: A Step-by-Step Approach
Connecting takes the place of confronting when you support your teen.
Start Open, Non-Judgmental Conversations
When opening a non-judgmental conversation, it’s a suitable opportunity and a quiet, calm time to share from a loving space. Expounding: “I’ve been noticing you’ve been very stressed lately, and I’m just concerned about you because I really care. “ Be mindful, listen more than talk. Discuss the issue without lectures, blaming, or overreacting. Demonstrate a genuine curiosity towards your teen’s experience.
Observe Without Jumping to Conclusions
Notice, rather than react to a bad day of the week, take time to notice patterns over days or weeks. Be warm and involved in adolescent life, yet respecting their need for autonomy.
Set Healthy Boundaries with Love
Restore healthy boundaries of love in family events like dinner or evening visits together. Plan for online supervision, give positive recognition for good work, and have consistent and clear expectations for drug and alcohol use. It is often best to both structure and empathize.
Encourage Healthy Coping Skills
Talk to your teen about using healthy coping mechanisms, engaging in regular exercise, hobbies (music/art), basic breathing exercises, writing down thoughts in a journal, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining a healthy sleep schedule. These are some of the tools that can be used as a way to develop natural resilience over time.
When to Seek Professional Support
Please know that if safety concerns are observed (thoughts about hurting oneself, escalating dysfunction, excessive drug and/or alcohol use, or severe withdrawal), contacting the expert person is important.
Individual and family counseling, psych evaluations, and med management (where appropriate) are some effective forms of professional support. Having mental health and substance use treated together is more likely to result in the best, most lasting outcomes.
In Wilmington, DE, caring for teens is both difficult and necessary. At IHAWS, we are dedicated to increasing awareness of the vital importance of caring for teens in a compassionate and personalized way, while accommodating busy family schedules with in-person and telehealth services.
Prevention Strategies That Work for Families
The use of prevention strategies that work for families. When a child’s sense of safety depends on parents and the environment, it’s most likely to be achieved through prevention.
Normalize discussing emotions, stress, and drugs and/or alcohol throughout childhood. Set a good example yourself. Develop a nurturing and safe learning atmosphere for teens to disclose their struggles. Promote friendships, co-curricular pursuits, and healthy limits with screen time outside the classroom.
Supporting Recovery and Long-Term Wellness
The recovery is a process, and it can take time and a lot of support. Family therapy may be able to aid in restoring relationships and communicating better. Focus on celebrating small positive changes, slowly and surely rebuild the trust, and study the issue with providers to design a health plan of their own for the future, not just the crisis.
Moving Forward with Hope
Being able to recognize signs and symptoms of teen mental health and substance use, along with responding to them with empathy, can have a positive impact in the long run on your teen. There is no reason you have to do it on your own.
If you are worried about your teen, please reach out to us at IHAWS. Our staff offers full mental health care, including psychiatric evaluation, individual and family counseling, and integrated therapeutic effectiveness focusing on teens and their families.
Please call IHAWS today to make an appointment, face-to-face or by telehealth, that is confidential. Your initial decision could be one of the most crucial in your child’s life.
FAQs
Can substance use cause permanent mental health damage in teens?
While early heavy use can affect brain development, the teenage brain is also highly adaptable. With timely, professional support, most teens show significant improvement and recovery.
How do I talk to my teen about drugs without them shutting down?
Stay calm, express love and concern first, listen actively, and avoid judgmental lectures. Curiosity and connection work far better than confrontation.
Is outpatient treatment effective for co-occurring conditions?
Yes. Many families see excellent results with outpatient counseling, family involvement, and psychiatric care while allowing teens to remain at home and continue school.