Many parents want to believe that the erratic behavior of their teenager is due to normal adolescent development and not substance abuse. That may very well be. The teenage years can be a very trying time for both the parent and the teenager under the best of circumstances. However it doesn't mean that a parent should turn a blind eye to their child's behavior.
While teenagers do become argumentative and "mouthy" with their parents on occasion during their teenage years, a teenager who is using alcohol either occasionally or frequently will tend to have more frequent and more severe mood swings due to the effects of alcohol on their young body. As the situation grows more severe, a parent might even notice that money or other valuables have been taken from household as a way to pay for an increased habit. After all, not every family has a liquor cabinet that other friends can steal alcohol from.
It can be a very delicate situation to confront your teenager if you suspect that alcohol use has become a problem. But it is important to act quickly before the problem gets out of hand. No matter how difficult it will be to confront your teenager, you must do it and let them know that you are aware of the problem. Sometimes letting them know that they are not fooling you with their behavior is the first step to their stopping it.
The damage that is done to a teenager's body from alcohol abuse is quicker than that of an adult's. Teenagers don't think in long-range terms. They see the here and now and live for the moment. But continued use of alcohol could end up meaning that your child will be battling a lifelong problem either with health issues or alcoholism.
First try talking to your teenager. More likely than not they will become angry, defensive, and deny that there's problem. That's normal and something that you should expect. Make them aware of whatever house rules you have regarding alcohol use and the consequences if those rules are broken.
If the situation has moved beyond occasional use and you fear that your child is headed towards alcoholism, it's best to seek the advice of a professional. While your child won't readily cooperate with going to see a counselor or even a member of the clergy, you can make your teenager's physician aware of your concerns. During a routine physical your teenager's doctor can have a candid discussion with your child and make them aware of the dangers they face by continuing to use alcohol.
If that doesn't help, you may want to consider taking your child to an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting. These meetings have strict rules and while you might hope that having your teenager see how alcohol has affected other people's lives will be enough to knock some sense into them, that might not always be the case.
No one at an AA meeting is there to save your child. They are simply there to share their experiences in the hopes that they can enlighten someone who is facing the same struggle with alcohol that they have had; and in turn give encouragement to help someone dealing with alcohol abuse to help themselves.
It doesn't end there. There are also support groups for family members who are dealing with a person who has an alcohol problem. Al-Anon and Alateen are support groups very much like their counterpart Alcoholics Anonymous. These groups provide a support system for people who are affected by alcoholics in their life.
It is hard to sit back and watch a person that you care about become self-destructive through the use of alcohol. Many times a parent or sibling or friend will blame themselves for not doing enough to help the person who has the problem. They will experience feelings of anger, fear, disappointment and confusion as to why the person has continued to behave the way they have. Al-Anon and Alateen give a nonjudgmental forum through closed meetings for people to share their experiences with other people who are going through the same problem.
Many times a family member or friend will think that they are the only one going through this problem. Only by sharing the problems that they are facing with others who are also going through similar experiences can they begin to understand how to deal with their feelings of guilt and fear as their family struggles through the crisis.
Members of Al-anon and Alateen help each other and their family members by living the Twelve Step program that was established by Alcoholics Anonymous.
No comments:
Post a Comment