If you have a prescription for pain medication and you have a teenager within your home that you suspect may have taken some of your pills themselves, you will most likely want to find out if they are indeed abusing this medication. Dealing with a teenager with a pain pill addiction can be a dicey prospect if it is not handled efficiently. Here are some tips to use when you suspect your child is taking prescription pain medication.
Be Alert To Your Child's Behavior
As soon as you find pills missing from your medication bottle, make it a priority to keep a watchful eye on your teen's actions. Teenagers often keep their feelings to themselves, making it difficult to pinpoint a drug problem without constant evaluation of the way they act. Keep track of the names of your child's friends and make sure to ask them where they intend on going when they leave your home. If your child starts hanging out with a new crowd, if they seem to not care about their appearance as they used to, or if they are no longer involved in activities or getting good grades in school, drug use can be the reason.
Ask Your Child Outright If They Took Medication
Many parents are in denial when they suspect their child is doing drugs. Even if you cannot fathom your teen would resort to this behavior, it is best to ask them to answer you honestly whether they have taken your pills. If they admit to the act, take further steps in getting them help for any potential addition that may arise.
Consider Seeing A Doctor For Verification
If your child denies pain medication usage and you suspect they are lying, take a trip to your child's physician to have a drug screening done. Alert the physician over the phone of your intentions. Your child may open up to their doctor if they believe a blood test will come up positive for drug usage. Calling their doctor ahead will indicate your concern so the doctor can take appropriate steps in getting help for your child if necessary.
Get Your Child Additional Help For Recovery
If you do find out your child has been using medication, a trip to a counselor may be helpful in starting a recovery process. Your child would be able to discuss their drug usage without you being present, allowing them to gain help without embarrassment. The counselor may recommend going to a substance abuse treatment center if they have difficulty stopping drug usage. Make sure you lock up any pain medication you have within your home so it cannot be accessed anymore.
Share1 July 2016
My name is Katie Langer. For a long time, I was bed ridden and I felt like I had no control over my life. I simply went along with what was instructed by my doctor and I didn't ask questions. It wasn't that my doctor wasn't willing to work with me, but I preferred to simply not think about the illness I was suffering from. I didn't realize that some of the symptoms I was suffering from were side effects of my medication and were not normal. After communicating more with my doctor, I was able to alleviate my symptoms. Since then, I've taken an interest in patient-doctor relationships and how to improve them.
