What are the common signs of adolescent drug or alcohol use?

One of the most telling signs that a teenager is using drugs or alcohol is the uneasiness of his or her parents. Many such parents tell us, "I just don't know my own kid anymore. Parents often just sense that something is wrong; this intuition is valuable and is one of the common indicators of drug and alcohol abuse. While few teens show all of the signs listed below, parents should be concerned if they see several of the following changes in their teenager:

Isolation from family members
Lying to parents, siblings and friends
Moodiness, especially anger and depression
Academic decline
Loss of interest in sports and hobbies
Loss of old friends
New friends who are using drugs and alcohol
Drug paraphernalia (pipes, bongs, Zig-Zag papers, fabric softener sheets in bedrooms)
Physical violence
Stealing
Suicide threats or suicidal thinking
Truancy

Isn't experimentation with drugs and alcohol fairly common among teenagers?
What causes some teens to develop such serious problems with these?

Current studies by the University of Michigan indicate that about 20% of eighth-graders regularly drink alcohol and nearly 10% of them smoke marijuana. By the time these kids become seniors in high school, 50% of them will be drinking alcohol regularly and 23% smoking marijuana. This does not mean, however, that alcohol and drug use should be accepted as a rite of passage for adolescents. Legality aside, there is growing evidence that their use during the adolescent phase of development has serious consequences for the long-term well-being of young people.

Is marijuana really a serious drug? Isn't it pretty safe for the most part?

The marijuana used by today's teenagers is significantly more potent than marijuana from the past and it is often easier for kids to get than cigarettes. Two-thirds of the teenagers entering the Discovery Program identify marijuana as their chief drug of abuse Ð the one which has caused them to suffer significant academic, social and family problems.

How would I know if my teen's problems are serious enough to warrant an assessment or treatment?

Most teens with alcohol and drug problems started drinking or using drugs much sooner than their parents ever realized. If a teen is showing several of the signs or behaviors listed earlier, it is likely that he or she is having problems with alcohol and drugs and an assessment is advisable. If kids continue to use alcohol and drugs despite repeated problems at school, at home or with the law, parents should certainly seek a substance abuse assessment

How does the St. John's program differ from other approaches to drug and alcohol treatment?

The St. John's Discovery Program believes that teens with alcohol and drug problems are usually great kids with serious problems. We believe that providing help to these kids must focus on changing perceptions of themselves, others and the world around them rather than on just changing their drug-using behavior. We treat kids the way we would want our own children to be treated; and we help kids return to the path of discovery which adolescence is supposed to be.

Isn't drug and alcohol treatment expensive?

One of the reasons St. John's developed the Discovery Program was to provide affordable, high-quality substance abuse services to teenagers and their families. We accept health insurance and all major credit cards. For more information on assessment and treatment costs, please call Whitney Johnson at Discovery, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (616) 361-5227.