Unfortunately in many cases a teenager will use drugs and alcohol for quite some time before parents notice the signs of a problem. Often by the time a parent sees the obvious signs, the child has a problem that goes beyond occasional use of these substances. The child may now have developed an abusive pattern of use and may be addicted to drugs or alcohol. The best solution for such teens is to get them out of the immediate environment and away from the peer influences that are enabling their abuse of drugs or alcohol. Drug or alcohol rehab may be necessary to give the child a time period in which to get on his or her feet and begin a program of recovery from addiction. To learn more about alcohol and drug use, treatment, rehabs, and other residential treatment programs, please visit ASK, the Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base. .

Specific Signs of Addiction:

• Hidden stashes of alcohol
• Alcohol missing from your supply
• Hangovers
• Sick more often
• Money missing
• Valuables missing
• Child "disappears" for long periods
• Running Away
• Makes phone calls to beepers
• Secretive phone calls
• Unusual containers, wrappers
• Reports of intoxication at school
• Desperation/withdrawal
• Other drug-seeking behavior
• Prescription medicine missing