Normal Teen Behavior vs. Experimentation with Drugs

Raising a teenager may be one of the great challenges of your life. Many parents watch their adorable little girl or boy turn into a surly, argumentative, erratic, and downright mean teen. While much of this behavior is perfectly normal and can range from mild to extreme depending upon the child, as a parent you also need to be aware of signs that it indicates drug use. Your teen is exposed to more substances than you can imagine and peer pressure is a powerful force that can lead otherwise good kids down the wrong path. It can help to know the difference between normal teen behaviors and those that may be related to drug use. Keep in mind, that trying drugs as a teen does not necessarily lead to abuse and dependence, but the slope is slippery and experimentation should be taken seriously.

The Normal Teen

A perfectly normal teenager can be trying at the best of times. It can be tough to watch your child turn into this beast, but don’t jump on any odd behavior and insist that he is using drugs. There are plenty of difficult and annoying behaviors that are just a normal part of growing up.

• Arguing. This could possibly be the most irritating of all teen behaviors. As your child grows up, becomes more confident, more knowledgeable, and more independent, she will argue with you and become annoyingly defiant. She will think that she knows more than you and that you are unfair, mean, and horrible. It is perfectly typical for your teenager to pick fights, get upset, tell you that she hates you, and argue every last detail of a conversation.
• Distancing from family. More hurtful than anything else, you can expect your teen to distance himself from you and the rest of the family. His friends will become the most important people in his life and he will drag his feet at the chore of spending any time at family events. Being a teen means asserting independence, and this is a natural way to behave.
• Appearance changes. Watching your child become a teen can be like a whirlwind of styles, hair colors, and tastes in music, movies, and fashion. The teenage years are meant to be a time for healthful experimentation. She should be trying different looks, attitudes, and styles to see what fits her best.
• Changing emotions. Your teenage daughter may cry one minute and laugh the next. Your son may rage in anger and then quickly become calm and relaxed again. Having emotional ups and downs is another normal aspect of being a teenager and has a physical basis. Your teen is experiencing changes in hormones that can make him very moody. Combine that with the pressure of fitting in and becoming an adult and you have a very volatile emotional state.

The Abnormal Teen

• Anything that lies outside of the normal erratic behavior for teenagers could be cause for concern. It may be nothing, but it is worth investigating and questioning your teen if you suspect there is more going on than simple teen moodiness.
• Extremes. Watch out for extremes in the normal teen behaviors. You should be concerned if arguments get violent, last for days, or become more and more frequent. When forcing your teen to participate in family time results in heated and explosive arguments or when moodiness becomes extremely variable, you should be worried. Appearance changes that are extreme, especially if you see changes in weight, are cause for concern.
• Changing friends. Another reason to wonder if your teen is experimenting with drugs is a sudden change in friends. Some change in friends, such as leaving one behind or picking up a new one now and then, is not unusual. If your teen completely abandons her circle of friends for a new one, though, you need to have a talk with her and find out what is going on. Even if drug use is not to blame, something is not right.
• New problems at school. Drug use can cause sudden changes in behavior at school. Be aware of your teen’s grades and any discipline issues with teachers and administrators. A drastic change at school is worrying.
• Physical signs. Behaviors are not the only things to watch if you are worried about drug use. Drugs have very real, physical effects on the body and you can look out for them. Any new health problem should be investigated immediately, but more specifically, watch for red eyes, fatigue, changes in weight, chemical smells, changes in hygiene, a lingering cough, and scratches, cuts, abrasions, or bruises.