How to know if my child takes drugs: 10 keys to detect it

Adolescence and youth are difficult and changing ages, in which many adolescents and young people do things that they may later regret. During these ages, the perception of risk is lower and, therefore, many young people carry out many behaviors without being fully aware of its consequences.

Some of these behaviors include unprotected sex, reckless driving, or drug use. If you are the parent of a boy or girl of this age, in this article we will talk about this last point and delve into the signs that can indicate if your son or daughter is using drugs.

• Article: "Types of drugs: know their characteristics and effects”

Adolescence: a stage of change

People live a stage of change in adolescence and youth. Not only in terms of the development of sexual and reproductive functions, but also in terms of social status, since it takes on great importance in these years.

Adolescents are natural experimenters and it is easy for them to carry out risky behaviors without being aware of the consequences of their behavior, simply to improve their image. The

egocentrism characteristic of this stage of life, as well as the importance and influence of friendships, are some of the reasons why they behave like this.

One of the most worrying phenomena of this age is propensity to use drugs, which is, in many cases, recreational. The marijuana, cocaine, MDMA, among others, are psychoactive substances that can begin to be consumed at a relatively early age.

Although many young people experience drug use as a simple life experience and later quit, others remain hooked during the rest of her life, which causes them serious problems in the different areas of their life (work, interpersonal relationships, etc.) and their Health.

• Related article: "The 10 most addictive drugs in the world”

How to detect if your child is taking drugs

Drug use is one of the great concerns of parents, who are the key figures in preventing this behavior in their children. Logically, teenagers who take drugs will try to hide it.

If you are a father or mother and you want to know how to recognize the signs that warn that your son or daughter consumes these substances usually, in the following lines you will find a list of codes and signs revealing.

1. How does he smell?

Some drugs such as marijuana or tobacco leave a strong smell in those who take them. Surely, if your child is a consumer, he will use a series of strategies to minimize the chances of being caught. Chewing gum, repeatedly cleaning your hands, and even applying cologne exaggeratedly are some examples of this.

However, there are always traces of the smell, either in the hands where the cigarette or joint is held, or in clothing or hair, because if they smoke in a closed place it is easy for the smell to remain in them places. You can try having a conversation with your child right when he comes home from being with his friends. You can also smell your child's clothes before putting them in the washing machine.

2. How do you have eyes?

In the eyes it is possible to detect drug use. But it must be clear that each drug has its effects and, therefore, there are several visible signs that can manifest in this part of the body.

Marijuana, for example, causes the eyes to become red and a look of drowsiness to appear. In the case of drugs such as ecstasy, the eyes adopt what is known as "plate-shaped eyes", well rounded, open and with dilated pupils. Cocaine, on the other hand, also causes a form similar to that generated by this designer drug, but its effects are less exaggerated.

3. Do you have mood swings?

Drugs cause a very noticeable change in mood in people who use them, especially when they are not high. This usually happens because the body is asking for the drug to be used again, and so may be irritable, grumpy, and even aggressive. In addition, the presence of parents makes young people who consume very uncomfortable, since they prefer to spend time alone to do their own thing.

4. Are medicines missing in the medicine cabinet?

Some young people do not use a single drug, but rather experiment with several types of substances. For example, marijuana, cocaine, and speed. But many of these young people can also reach into the home medicine cabinet to try new sensations. Diazepam or cough medicine are some drugs that they can consume. If you have noticed that some medications you had at home disappear, it is cause for concern.

5. Do you have unhealthy friendships?

Friends are very important socializing agents at this age, so if your child hangs out with regular users, have a better chance of developing harmful habits. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to whether your child has developed unhealthy friendships, because it can be a clear indicator of what your child can do when he is with them.

6. Do other family members take drugs?

If other family members take drugs, the children are also more likely to use psychoactive substances. Studies show that if the parents are consumers (for example, if the father is an alcoholic) the children can develop behaviors of this type.

In addition, if the older brother or sister consumes, there is also an increased risk that the latter will copy his negative behavior, as he is often a role model for the little brother.

7. Have you put aside your responsibilities?

The drug has a devastating effect on the life of the person it uses, and this includes their work or studies. This is not always the case, but, especially in the case of hard drugs, it is possible that many young people put aside your responsibilities to live a rather idle life. For example, poor grades or “bells” in high school can also be an indicator of your bad habits.

8. Do you have financial problems?

If your child works summers and He spends all his money but you don't know what the reason may be drug use. The drug generally has a high cost, and people who use drugs often suffer financial problems. Substances like cocaine are especially expensive.

• Related article: "Cocaine stripes: components, effects and dangers”

9. Does he show other changes in behavior?

Different types of drugs have different effects. For example, some are relaxing and some are stimulating. However, you will surely know your son or daughter well, and if you notice changes in behavior that make you suspicious, these substances may be behind it.

If you are always tired and lazy you may use marijuana, if you speak in a strange way (for example, very fast) you may take amphetamines, if you spend two Days without sleep, he may use cocaine, and if he is very reserved and avoids being with the rest of the family, he may hide other types of habits from this class.

• Related article: "The 9 types of drug addiction and their characteristics”

10. Make a global assessment

Young people live a delicate stage of their life, full of changes. Drug use is frequent at these ages, so parents should be alert to prevent this behavior from having negative effects on their future.

The above points are signs that may indicate that your son or daughter has entered the world of drugs, but they cannot be assessed independently: the more points above are met, the greater the probability that your child is a consumer of drugs.