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Talking to Teens About Drugs and Alcohol Addiction

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Silver Sands Recovery

The thought that your teens might fall into a drug or alcohol addiction isn’t easy to accept. More than anything else, there’s the worry that your kids might be put at risk. You want yours to be loved, safe, and protected from harm. Knowing how to talk to your teens about addiction is a good start. After all, you can’t protect them forever. By talking to them about these things, by not shying away from that conversation, you can help them protect themselves.


Getting Help is Okay


It’s never too early to start talking to your kids about drug or alcohol addiction. Letting them know the dangers of these harmful behaviors can help them protect themselves. It’s also a chance for you to influence their mindset. Make them understand the value of reaching out and asking for help. It’s important that they think: it’s okay to ask for help.


Bring It Up a Few Times


Conversations about addiction don’t need to be done in one big go. Look for chances that you can use to help them understand the idea better. Talk about what trustworthy drug rehab in Tucson, AZ, can do, for instance. Make them understand that it’s a place where people get help. That’s a good follow-up to the first suggestion. 


Keep Conversations Light


One way to put your kids at ease about the topic is to keep the conversation light. That’s a good approach. Use terms that they’ll understand. Remember that your kids will take their cue from you, though, so if you talk about addiction in terms of guilt and blame, they will take after you. Be careful that you don’t have any biases that could affect your children’s perception of addiction.


Understanding of Right and Wrong


They must recognize that using drugs is the wrong behavior. But if you do struggle with drugs, finding help is the right one. It can be a bit tricky, so answer them as honestly as possible without any judgment.


Don’t Criticize


Don’t make your kids feel stupid or ashamed for asking questions, even what you think might be obvious ones. That’s why you’re there. That’s why you’re bringing that topic out in the open. If you initiate the conversation only to criticize your kids when they ask questions, it will only hurt their trust in you. It will also make them warier of going to you for help if they find themselves struggling with substance addiction someday. Keep that in mind, so you don’t make the mistake of alienating your teens.


Build Trust


By using the right approach when you talk to your kids, you can build your children’s trust in you. Kids who trust their parents are more likely to open up about their emotions and that can prevent them from resorting to drugs or alcohol in the future. Many people use drug or alcohol because of their inability to manage their emotions. Your support can make a difference for your kids, so they don’t go down that path. 

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