How to tell if your child is using drugs

It is every parent's dream to see their child grow up and make something of their life. One of the things that can ruin a lot of futures is the use of alcohol and drugs. 

Many teenagers have allowed themselves to experiment with things such as marijuana and other more hardcore drugs. 

Videos showing school children drinking alcohol and smoking all sorts of things have also been doing their rounds on social media. 

READ: What is ‘lean’ and why are teens using this drug?

Parents have a responsibility to teach their children the dangers of using drugs. 

However, if you suspect that your child is already on drugs, then we have highlighted some of the behaviours that can show you whether your suspicions are true. The signs come from Drug Free organisation's website. 

- Shifts in mood and personality such as when you notice that your child has developed anger issues, is becoming hostile and uncooperative. You might also notice that your child has lost interest in the hobbies he/ she used to love and is feeling demotivated or show signs of depression. 

- He/ she might also start to be secretive or deceitful or become withdrawn. Other signs might include being hyperactive or having periods of sleeplessness or loss of attention span. 

- Your child might also show behavioral changes such as wanting to be alone, avoiding eye contact, not taking up responsibility, but coming up with excuses, locking herself or himself in the room, sudden use of perfume of eating sweets or gum to cover up breath. She or he might also develop a habit of always asking for money from you, friends or loved ones. You might also notice things around the house going missing, this might be because of your child selling them to make money to support his addiction. 

- Your child might also start looking messier than usual and showing poor hygiene. She or he might also show frequently red or flushed cheeks or face and burns or soot on fingers or lips. She or he might also show track marks on arms or legs.

- When it comes to health issues, you might witness sudden, frequent sicknesses. There might be unusual tiredness, sudden and dramatic weight loss or gain. Other health challenges might be developing sores, or spots around mouth and seizures and/or vomiting. You might also notice frequent perspiration, nosebleeds and/or runny nose, not caused by allergies or a cold. 

If you notice any of these signs, it is important that you take your child for testing and seek professional help before it is too late. 

READ: Liam Payne on alcohol and drug abuse: " It was really, really, really severe" 

Image courtesy of iStock/ @Tinnakorn Jorruang