Unfortunately, not all cases of drug addiction in adolescents are easy to solve and there are cases in which children refuse to start treatment of any kind. One of the main reasons is that teenagers are very revolutionary and resilient due to their adolescence. Whatever happens, they will always think they are right and adults are wrong. So when it comes to the problem of drug abuse and your child refuses to start striving for improvement, you must become a more persistent parent to take the right action.
Some teens know they are in trouble and agree to treatment when presented with this option. But many will not receive treatment until parents take steps to persuade them to do so. Listed below are some strategies that can help you get your child treated. They are presented in order from least aggressive to most extreme. It all depends on the severity of the problem and how hard your child tries to resist treatment.
1. Get another teen to talk.
Being a good parent is not an easy task, and if your child doubts your intentions, it might be a good idea to engage your best friend in conversation. Also, try to locate a teenager who has benefited from being in a treatment program. A real and visible life story and a proven method of life changes could help you convince your child to start treatment as soon as possible.
2. Take away the privileges of teenagers.
This strategy is based on focusing on the things that your child likes best. No matter how hard you love your child, sometimes you have to “play hard” to convince him that you are not kidding. Try to identify what things, activities, and hobbies you enjoy the most, and let your child know that you won’t allow them anymore. You can stop paying for sports or activities, take off smartphones and computers, block Internet or TV access, and take away the use of a car. The list of advantages that a parent has is endless, but you must know what things are more important to the adolescent than drugs today.
3. Give your teen a choice in this regard.
No matter how strict you are with your child, it is important to let them know that their opinion is still important, and when it comes to treatment, let your child help you decide which program to go to. For example, your child may prefer to stay closer to his family and choose a nature therapy program rather than a therapeutic internship. But it is also important to make clear that if the adolescent does not fully participate in the chosen program, they may be transferred to a different program.
4. Ask your teen’s school for help.
School culture or society has a great influence on children, and teachers are often seen as great advisers. This fact can be very helpful in motivating your child’s treatment. First of all, the school teachers will not refuse to help your child fight the drug or alcohol problem, because they will feel somewhat responsible for his health. Additionally, if you are in control of your child at home, school officials may confront your adolescent on suspicion of drug use, requiring them to participate in an evaluation in which treatment recommendations must be completed.
5. Arrange for the intervention.
For whatever reason, parents and family members refuse to believe that interventions can be helpful in solving drug abuse problems. Probably this false belief is based on stereotypical conclusions that if a talk at home did not work, the interventions will not work either. But if you want your child to be drug free, all methods are good as long as you keep your child safe. Furthermore, the interventions do not refer only to close relatives; friends, clergy, employers, teachers, and anyone else who is concerned about the problem can and should be part of an intervention. During an intervention, the adolescent is confronted with how his problems are negatively affecting him in particular, and also affecting the people who care about him and his future. There are professional intervention specialists who can help with this process, but sometimes close friends and family can have a stronger impact on the adolescent by making a difficult decision, such as choosing a treatment center.
6. Consider having your teen be accompanied.
It is not a pleasant thing to do, but you might consider having a service with trained professionals accompany your child to treatment. But this should be taken into account only in the most difficult situations, or your child may try to run away. You can use this strategy as a powerful motivator to help your child change his mind. Sometimes letting a teenager know that this option is available will persuade them to start treatment on their own.
7. Involve the judicial system.
You can always contact the police and ask them to intervene, but this could cause some serious and irreversible changes in your relationships. You can expect the judge to order the teen into court-ordered treatment, but things can also get quite serious and your teen could end up in jail for being a minor. Before making this difficult decision, make sure that nothing else can be done.
Finding out that your child is using drugs can lead to fear, confusion, and anger in parents. It is important to remain calm when confronting your teenager and only do so when everyone is sober. Explain your concerns and make it clear that your concern comes from a place of love. It is important that your teen feels supportive.
Of course, private therapy can help and should be considered whenever there is an emotional or behavioral problem with your child. However, remember that addiction is rarely helped or “cured” by going to therapy. Therapy can address the underlying problems of depression, anxiety, trauma, or low self-esteem, but a specialized inpatient or outpatient program will provide the tools and education to combat this “disease.”
