Kids of all ages are dying in record numbers as a result of widespread drug use. Prescription pill deaths have caused the CDC to release messages to doctors urging them to refrain from prescribing drugs like Oxycontin.
These substances are being abused so often, their medical benefits, which are many, are no longer useful enough to make the drugs available.
CHILDHOOD ADDICTION IS A COMMON SIGHT FOR PARENTS
Concerns that young teens are being exposed to heroin, crack, cocaine, and meth are warranted for some areas of the country, but many parents are dealing with kids addicted to prescribed medicines, such as Xanax, Vicodin, and the most dangerous of them all: Oxycontin.
Regardless of what a child is addicted to, these destructive dependencies set kids up to get into trouble immediately upon entering adulthood, often leaving them with criminal records from a past they spend years trying to fix, but never can.
Children transitioning from the younger stages of childhood into the preteen and teenage years are going through a lot of changes that can make it easy for them to rationalize the use of hard drugs.
Even Marijuana can become a huge setback, as many children do not know how to take on new challenges or exercise self-control, resulting in a destructive relationship regardless of the substance being taken.
There are ways that parents can help their kids if they are concerned that addiction has become a problem. If your preteen, teenage, or adult child is reaping the consequences of ongoing addiction, the following may help.
FIND A WAY TO CONNECT WITH YOUR CHILD
If you’re here, you’re willing to accept that your child needs help, and you want to know if there is anything you can do to help. The absolute best thing that you can do is to take all necessary steps to try and connect with your child and find out what it is that is causing them to use drugs.
Dig beneath the surface. You may think that you know your child, but if they have been trying to hide the addiction from you, it is likely that they’ve been lying to you about who they are and what types of things they do on a daily basis. Try making a commitment to find out who your child is, even if you think you know them. Give them a fresh slate and opportunity to show you who they are now and what motivates them on a daily basis. Try not to judge, since their problems may seem insignificant and dramatic compared to your adult worries and concerns.
BE SUPPORTIVE
If your child opens up to you about their problems, you need to be supportive. Drug addicts are in a fragile state in almost all stages of their addiction and may lash out as they are feeling a great deal of pain. Drug addicts are often in a frantic state as they try to run away from the various pains in their lives that they have not learned how to deal with in a productive way.
Trying to manipulate your children with hard-nosed pep talks, threats that they will lose your love, or any other outside-of-the-box thinking to force your child to move in the right direction is never a good idea. There is such thing as tough love and it can be good in some circumstances. If you want to execute tough love, work with a therapist, don’t just throw on a cowboy hat, and accidentally make things worse.
LEARN WITH THEM
Sit down and talk with your child about drug addiction, drugs, and everything that goes along with these issues. Talk about your concerns and why you have those concerns. Most child addicts think they know it all, but really have no idea what they are talking about, especially when it comes to the drugs they are using.
Every adult has been touched by knowing someone that has become addicted to drugs or alcohol. Share your story of that person and express your concerns that your child will end up as miserable as that person is.
Go on a YouTube journey with your child by viewing well-researched, trusted YouTube channels, and learn about things that you did not know. Chances are, you don’t know everything about drugs, and that’s OK. By spending the time to learn with your child while being open and honest you will both benefit.
HELP THEM AVOID JAIL AND PRISON
As a drug crime defense lawyer, I can tell you with experience that there is nothing worse for drug addicts than jail and/or prison. Now, I’m not saying that there isn’t a drug addict out there that says spending the night in jail was the reason that he quit drugs; I’m telling you that long-term success stories like this are not common, at all.
In the vast majority of cases, drug addicts that are sent to jail and/or prison continue getting in trouble for drug-related violations until they personally choose to stop using.
ACT FAST
When you see the signs of a drug-addicted child, or your child ends up getting in trouble with the law, acting fast is a necessity. Once drug addiction becomes a habit that occurs over a long period of time it is much more difficult to stop the behavior.
In fact, parents that are constantly taken advantage of and abused by a drug-addicted child should take the necessary steps to protect themselves until their child is more willing to receive help.
If your child has been arrested for drug use or sales, acting quickly and speaking with a legal professional will help to ensure your child does not provide authorities with evidence that can be used to convict them of a crime.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DRUG CRIME ASSISTANCE
If your child has been arrested for a drug offense, speaking with a drug crime defense attorney in your area can be of great assistance in helping to determine what the best course of action is to avoid consequences. An experienced drug attorney can identify holes in a prosecutor’s case.
A one-time mistake made by a drug-addicted young man or woman should not hold them back from future jobs or opportunities.
Those interested in obtaining a free consultation from the Law Offices of Randy Collins can call . Attorney Randy Collins was previously a District Attorney prosecutor and worked closely with the Narcotics Task Force. He knows in-depth information about what prosecutors need in these situations.