Book Review: A Parent ’ s Guide to Teen Addiction

It’s true in this country that we do have a war on drugs. But for many parents, that war is waging in their own home with their own teenagers. According to Laurence Westreich, MD, who is an addiction expert, father, and author of A Parent’s Guide to Teen Addiction: Professional Advice on Signs, Symptoms, What to Say, and How to Help, defeating an enemy that is larger and more powerful than us will require unconventional tactics. The first step is to know who the enemy is. “Always remember that substance abuse – NOT your teenager – is the enemy,” writes Westreich. What teenagers need is parents to react quickly and decisively, often long before they hit bottom. “It may also be necessary to abandon other priorities, such as her education, athletic ambitions, social relationships, and appearance, all in the service of fighting her substance abuse,” Westreich writes. The process can be alienating and some teenagers will rebel. They may also lie, downplay the effects of their abuse, or blame it on someone or something else. Yet if parents suspect their teen is using, the best thing for parents to do is to start talking about it with them. “Some teenagers may argue that addiction is just a social construct: One person’s addiction is just another’s “partying” and you have no right to judge their behavior. He thinks that if drinking alcohol or using drugs doesn’t cause problems for a kid, it’s just fun, not addiction. You may have to teach your ki...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Addictions Book Reviews Caregivers Children and Teens Family Parenting Self-Help Substance Abuse child addiction get help for addiction parenting guide Teen Addiction teenager addiction Source Type: news