Death And Emotional Pain: Get Your Drug-Addicted Teen Back On The Right Path

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Losing a beloved patriarch or matriarch of the family can be both painful and emotionally draining, especially for young adults and teens. Some teenagers undergo emotional changes that not only affect them but also their families. If your teen turned to drugs or alcohol to cope with the loss of their grandparent, you may not know exactly how to approach your loved one's problem. You may fear that if you do address the issue, you might lose your teen as well. You can get your drug-addicted teen back on track with the information below.

Examine the Reasons for Your Teen's Addiction

As a parent, one of your first and most important duties is to protect your children from harm. But when a loved one turns to vices like drugs, you may feel as though you failed them in some way. Before you lose hope, step back and examine the reasons why your teen turned to drugs in the first place. 

Some individuals turn to drugs, such as LSD, crystal meth, and marijuana, to fill a void or emptiness they feel inside. If your teen relied on their grandparent for advice, strength, or even companionship, they may use drugs to substitute for that loss. The grandparent may have been a great source of strength and happiness for your teen.

Many types of illegal substances change the way users feel about themselves and about life in general. The drugs tend to affect the chemicals of the brain that control emotions and feelings. The substances your teen uses may allow them to escape the emotional pain they feel about their grandparent's passing. But by the time your teen realizes the negative effects of the drug, they've become addicted to it and need more to achieve the happiness they seek.

For instance, crystal meth is a highly addictive street drug that creates a feeling of euphoria, or happiness, in users. The substance makes users feel good about themselves by immediately eliminating pain, sadness, and other negative emotions. But over time, users lose the instant "high" and need more of the drug to achieve the gratification they seek. 

After you consider the possible reasons for your teen's use of drugs, you can take steps to address it.

Approach Your Teen With Respect and Caution

One of things you might do to help your teen get through their addiction is sit down and talk to them about their loss. However, you want to approach your teen with respect and caution by allowing your teen to talk about their grandparent at their own pace.

Sometimes, listening can be a powerful tool for parents. Instead of confronting your teen about their drug use, approach them with empathy and kindness. Yelling or making accusations may cause your teen to shut down and abuse the drugs even more.

If your teen doesn't respond to you, consider getting drug addiction counseling for them. Counseling allows your teen to talk about their grandparent's death without feeling pressured or cornered. Don't feel alarmed if your teen feels more comfortable discussing their loss and addiction with someone else. Getting your loved one back on track to a healthier lifestyle is the main goal.

As your teen overcomes their drug addiction and loss, they may feel more comfortable about talking to you. Your loved one may even seek more productive ways to get through their days, such as obtaining a part-time job or joining a school sports club. If possible, try to plan family outings to the movies, the beach, or an amusement park to help your loved one find peace.

If you need help with your troubled teen, contact an addiction treatment service like Lifeline today.

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10 April 2017

Advice for Getting Through Stressful Situations in Life

From the time I was born to the time I graduated high school, my parents were very overprotective of me and shielded me from all of the "bad" things in the world. When I decided to go to college out of state, they wanted me to stay closer to home, but gave into my wishes eventually. Once I got settled at college, I realized just how attached I was to my parents. I began to feel so homesick that I almost quit before the first semester ended. I decided to visit a counselor to see if she could help me get through the semester, and after just a couple of visits, I began actually enjoying my time away from home. I know there are others in tough situations like I was who need guidance, so I decided to start a blog to share my tips for coping with stressful situations.