Is My Child Using?

How Can I Tell if My Child is Using Alcohol or Other Drugs?

This can sometimes be a difficult question to answer, especially during early stages of alcohol or other drug use, when you may see little direct evidence your child is using. Some signs of alcohol or other drug use can often be confused with normal adolescent behavior or other health problems. Other signs, however, are very strong indicators. Although we urge you not to jump to conclusions or make your own diagnosis, each parent should be aware of the warning signs in their child’s behavior.

1.

___ Yes ___ No

Does your child seem especially interested in drug- or alcohol-related slogans, posters, music or clothes? Does your child dress in a way that is associated with drug use?

2.

___ Yes ___ No

Has your child lost interest in school, school activities or school athletics? Have grades dropped at all?

3.

___ Yes ___ No

Has your child stopped spending time with old friends and is now spending time with kids that worry you? Is your child secretive or evasive about his/her friends, where they go and what they do?

4.

___ Yes ___ No

Has your child lost interest in previously important hobbies, sports or other activities? Has your child lost motivation, enthusiasm and vitality?

5.

___ Yes ___ No

Has your child seemed sick, fatigued or grumpy (possibly hung over?) in the morning after drug or alcohol use was possible the night before?

6.

___ Yes ___ No

Has your child’s relationship with you or other family members deteriorated? Is your child less interested in siblings or does he/she now verbally (or even physically) abuse them?

7.

___ Yes ___ No

Have you suspected that money or other objects have been missing from around the house (money used for alcohol and drugs), or have you noticed that your child has more money than you would expect (from selling drugs)?

8.

___ Yes ___ No

Do you now question your child’s honesty? Do you feel you’re not getting straight answers about what your child is doing, whom he/she is with or where he/she is spending time? (The lying may also be about matters that are seemingly unrelated to alcohol or drugs.)

9.

___ Yes ___ No

Does your child get angry and defensive when you talk to him/her about alcohol and drugs or does your child refuse to discuss the topic at all? (People who are very defensive about alcohol and drugs are often hiding how much they use.)

10.

___ Yes ___ No

Has your child been in contact with the law and have alcohol or drugs been involved in any way? (You can be pretty sure that if this has happened, there have been other times- maybe a lot- when he/she was drinking or using but was not caught.)

11.

___ Yes ___ No

Are there physical signs of alcohol or drug use? Have you smelled alcohol on your child’s breath, or the odor of marijuana on clothing in his/her room? Slurred speech, unclear thinking, swaggering gait, bloodshot eyes, dilated pupils and imprecise eye movement may also be clues.

12.

___ Yes ___ No

Have you seen evidence of alcohol or drugs (a hidden beer bottle, beer can left in the car, marijuana seeds or cigarettes, rolling papers, drug paraphernalia, capsules or tablets?

13.

___ Yes ___ No

Has your child ever been caught with alcohol or drugs at school or school activities?

14.

___ Yes ___ No

Has your child's physical appearance changed? Does he/she appear unhealthy, lethargic, seem to be more forgetful or have a shorter attention span than before?

15.

___ Yes ___ No

Has your child’s personality changed markedly? Does he/she change moods quickly, seem sullen, withdrawn from the family, display sudden anger or depression, or spend hours alone is his/her room?