Addiction afflicts those of all cultures, backgrounds, ethnicity, and ages. Children in middle school are using drugs and alcohol with their friends and mostly without their parents knowledge. More and more teenagers and young adults are becoming addicted because of school performance, sports injuries, and peer pressure. There have been increased ads and promotions for parents to talk to their children about alcohol and drugs at younger and younger ages. However, what happens if you are the child and you are already addicted? How do you tell your parents that their baby is addicted? How do you ask your parents for help? The answer is simple but the action can be difficult.
From a young age we are told that drugs are bad and we shouldn’t use them or even try them, not even once. As we get older the pressure to perform well in school, sports, and even work grow. In order to keep up with the pressure or to even escape from it, many people including children turn to substances. Prescription drugs such as pain killers for sports injuries or even taking them from a parent’s medicine cabinet or adderall from a friend or classmate with ADHD. Some may use cocaine as a way to stay awake or alert so they can get more homework or work in general done. While others might use whatever they can get their hands on just to escape from the mundane or even their unfortunate circumstances. There are many reasons for starting drug use and the continuation of it. At first it may seem like it is no big deal, everyone else is doing it, you have it under control, it isn’t affecting your life, until it is.
Noticing Addiction & Withdrawal Symptoms
If you notice that you are craving the substance, needing more of the substance to feel the effects, spending a lot of time and energy looking for your next fix, or experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop using the substance abruptly, these are all signs of addiction.Once addicted, things can become difficult to hide and things will only get worse the more time goes on without treatment. The best thing is for you to get treatment as soon as possible. Addressing the addiction sooner rather than later can help with chances of recovery. If you have come to the conclusion that you are addicted either by your own deduction or with the acknowledgement of the issue from friends or coworkers, the next step is informing your parents and other family members. The fact that you have already noticed that you are addicted and admitted it to yourself is a big step. However, admitting it to your parents can be scary and difficult. You don’t want to disappoint them or anger them.
Help from Your Parents
Parents are always worrying about their children, even when they have grown into young adults and seem to be completely stable and well adjusted. Parents worry about their children even when they have grown up, got married, and had kids of their own. It is somewhere in the DNA of parents to worry about their children no matter what, to constantly be on the lookout for possible threats or dangers to their child. This will be the first feeling that comes to your parents when you tell them about your addiction. They will be concerned for your health and safety, following concern will be the your biggest support to get treatment. Your parents will want to help you do anything and everything to overcome the addiction and get you on the path to the healthy, long, successful life they always envisioned for you. Your parents would rather know and do everything they can to help than to get a call one day saying you’ve overdosed and they’ve lost their child for good. If you are worried about talking to them, having a friend, coworker, or teacher meet them with you can help break the ice or just give you more confidence in facing them. The sooner you let them know the sooner they can help you get the right treatment and start recovering. Many parents can tell that something is wrong already they just aren’t sure what exactly. Letting them know that you are addicted and want help already removes the step of confronting you in the form of an intervention and shows that you are ready to take responsibility and start your recovery. It may be difficult for you to hold yourself accountable in your recovery process alone and letting your parents know can bring you the added accountability and support you need to get started and complete treatment. Being open and honest with them about past use, past lies, past deceptions, and your current desire to stop, recover, and be a part of the family again may seem difficult but doing this will open up so many chances for you. This is your chance to start treatment, your chance to replace the lies with truths and trust, your chance to build a stronger relationship with your parents, your chance to save yourself.
It may seem scary to tell these things to your parents but there are far scarier things for you and your parents. Many young people do not have the money to afford these substances which often leads to small or large crimes such as stealing money, stealing drugs, pawning family or personal things for cash, or even robberies. These crimes do not go without notice and eventually the person committing them will get caught. You can ask your parents for help or go to jail. You can tell your parents or continue down this path and they will find out on their own eventually and usually when it is too late. You can tell your parents or expect for them to get a call one day saying you have overdosed and they need to come and identify your body. You can tell your parents or give up on all your hopes and dreams. It may seem scary to tell them now but it will be the best thing you ever do. You’ve already done the hard part, admitting to yourself that you have a problem and you need help. You’re parents will only try to help you get the help you need. They will support your recovery and it will help having their support throughout the process. They can make sure that you find a recovery center that will work for you and will actually help. Do not underestimate your parent’s care and devotion for you, be honest, and ask for the help you need and they will be understanding and there for you.
Getting Help for Addiction
Recovery Ways, the premier Salt Lake City drug rehab, has an exceptional family program that can integrate your family and loved ones in treatment. This will give them a better understanding of the disease of addiction and assist in your long-term recovery. If you are ready to make the change and life an addiction free life, please call our admissions coordinators at 1-888-986-7848.
