Adolescent Addiction

Adolescent Addiction

Who knew this would happen?

This is a story about a beautiful, bright and intelligent girl. She was the best player on her eighth grade basketball team and she appeared to have all of the requisite talent to excel in high school and perhaps earn an athletic scholarship.

But she never went out for the high school team. “Too much time commitment” was her reasoning and she never played again. Who new this was the beginning of drug addiction stories for her and her friends?

That might have raised a red flag for some parents, but mom and dad supported her decision to drop basketball, and there was no cause for alarm because her grades were exceptional. She was a gifted student and even as a toddler, she surprised everyone by speaking in complete sentences. Articulate and intelligent, she was always an amazing child. She graduated at the head of the class.

But something happened. There was something disconnected in her life. There were no major signs of something wrong, at least on the surface. All teens rebel, it’s a part of growing up, but with her there was an uncomfortable, underlying militancy. It’s like she never grew out of her teenage rebellion. She began to withdraw socially. Her circle of friends changed.

She went off to college. Mom and dad paid for everything. Some kids get homesick and have difficulty adjusting. Some love college life and they embrace the experience. She did neither. She got a job on campus, but did not enjoy campus life. She refused to allow her parents to see her grades at the end of the semester. She was a very bright student, so there should not have been any academic problems, so her parents allowed it. As it turned out, she was not going to class at all. She just took her parent’s money.

Her life became a series of bizarre events, too numerous to mention. All of the signs were there, but her family didn’t see it. They didn’t suspect drug use. They didn’t know what to look for. They didn’t believe it. Parents all over the country are in the same situation, they know there’s something not right, but they just can’t put their finger on it.

The days of “Leave It to Beaver” are over and parents need to be savvy, to recognize the signs of drug use. Yes, parents do have the right to pry into the lives of their children, especially if they have a concern they do not understand.

Be proactive and learn the warning signs of drug abuse. Your beautiful, bright and intelligent girl might be in trouble, and you won’t see it.

Drug addiction stories start early; sometimes when kids are still in grade school. Parents need to look for the signs and take action early to avoid unhappy ending!

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Summary of Adolescent Addiction:

Adolescent Addiction can be effectively treated but the treatment MUST be geared specifically for the teen addict.

If your child has an Adolescent Addiction consider sending them to TEEN Challenge. Teen Challenge is a Christian residential program that can REALLY help your child get over their addict and get in touch with their spiritual needs.