You must have heard about teen drug abuse and drug addiction. A person can abuse drugs or get addicted to them, especially at a very young age. It is noted that drug addictions usually start during adolescence – a time when the teenage brain is still developing. There’s a slight different between drug abuse and addiction which needs to be explained. Most of the teens experiment with drugs by getting influenced by their peers, but they do not get addicted. This is drug abuse. On the other hand, drug addiction leads them to develop the habit and become addicted to drugs. The risk of addiction ultimately increases when teens get hooked on drugs whilst using them at an early stage of their lives. Teen drug abuse can severely affect the behavioral and cognitive abilities of an adolescent.

The signs and symptoms of teen drug abuse can be identified if parents take proactive measures to find out if their teen is using drugs. If a teen starts behaving differently for no apparent reason, it could be a sign he or she is involved in drugs. But, the question is, what are the common signs and symptoms of teen drug abuse? Let’s find out!

Poor Academic Performance

If your teen is not performing well in academics, not paying attention to homework, or skipping classes, he or she will eventually not be able to score well in exams. Consequently, they will get bad grades. One of the causes leading to their poor academic performance can be drug abuse. Parents need to find out the actual reason before it’s too late.

Bloodshot Eyes

It is said that eyes are the gateway to the soul. Parents can easily know if their teen has used drugs or not by simply looking into his or her eyes. The excessive use of drugs can cause the white of their eye to appear bloodshot, hence giving a straight clue to the parents. Teens will also try to avoid having direct eye-contact with their parents due to the same reason.

Mood Swings

Seemingly, mood swings can be normal in teenagers, but they may also be signs of drug abuse. Teens involved in drug abuse may have dramatic and frenetic mood swings and laugh for no apparent reason. When you, as a parent, notice mood swings that seem to be about more than just normal teen hormones, try to find out what is going wrong with them.  

Loss of Interest in Activities

Teens who become addicted to drugs lose interest in extracurricular activities and stay away from their social circle. They become secluded, putting their friends at a distance and prefer living in solitary environment.

Poor Hygiene

Drug addiction makes adolescents live in poor hygienic conditions. They no longer care about their physical appearance but prefer displaying messy and careless appearance all the time. Their clothes reek of smoke and their breath is full of unusual smells. If you notice any significant change in your teen’s personal habits or their hygienic conditions, perhaps they are using drugs.

Frequent Hunger

Teens abusing drugs may have an increased appetite. They frequently become hungry and crave for more food. There’s a considerable increase in the consumption of munchies. A sudden shift in their eating habits can be a warning sign for parents to identify if their teen is involved in something as dangerous as drugs.  

Secretive Behavior

Teens tend to keep a low profile from everyone around them when they are into drug abuse. They keep things from their parents and become secretive about their activities. They may even lie to their parents to cover up drug use. Now parents have to be extremely careful in this regard and find out what makes their teen behave so peculiarly.  

Unusual Fatigue

Drug abuse can cause unusual tiredness and extreme fatigue in your teen. They would find themselves getting weary and short on energy too soon and become lethargic. If these symptoms are evident in your teen, then never delay in evaluating the underlying cause.