Any family, regardless of income or makeup, can have a teen who abuses drugs. And when that teen abuses drugs or alcohol, the whole family feels it, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Basics
Teen drug abuse can easily destabilize a family. The teen can become easily irritated, angry, depressed, moody, lazy, unmotivated, aggressive and even violent toward other family members. These behaviors can cause family relationships to suffer. Parents and siblings might find it hard to be around a teen who is high. This can cause the drug-abusing teen to isolate himself and use more drugs as a way to cope with his feelings of rejection.
Considerations
When a teen abuses drugs, family members often deny the presence of a problem. Although it is natural to make excuses or try to hide the drug abuse, this will only make the situation worse and keep the teen from getting help, according to the website Help Guide. Family members should be open and transparent about the teen's drug abuse and avoid protecting the teen against negative consequences that are not life threatening, such as school failure or financial problems.
Sibling Consequences
Teenagers who abuse drugs or alcohol can set negative examples for their younger siblings, notes the Teen Drug Abuse website. When a teen abuses drugs she may influence her brother or sister to abuse drugs, as well. For a sibling who remains sober, the drug use becomes a wedge in a once-close relationship.
Significance
Teen drug abuse can take a significant toll on relationships within a family. Parents often blame themselves or each other for the drug use. This blaming can lead to problems with depression, which further strains the family. If the teen dies because of his drug use, the family may never recover.
Intervention
As a teen's drug abuse problem worsens, the need for intervention may become urgent. Specific interventions depend on the needs and desires of the teen and his family. The Teen Drug Abuse website reports that interventions can include specialized boarding schools, residential treatment facilities, outpatient treatment programs, hospitalization detoxification programs and support groups.
