When you have a teenage son or daughter in trouble, you want to help. As a parent, it’s the natural feeling to want to step in and help them. Other times, you know it’s best to let them learn from their own mistakes when they reject your suggestions. However, the challenge with our children facing addiction issues such as alcohol or drugs is that if we wait too long to provide assistance or get them the help they so desperately need, it could be too late.

Identifying When There’s a Real Problem

Parents are often in conflict with their teenage offspring. Their son or daughter has naturally pulled away from them in a fight for independence. Sometimes, they’ve rebelled against parental influence or suggestions, getting their cues from social media or wayward friends instead. The results are starting to be worrisome or are long past that stage already.

In terms of alcohol, coming back home many nights having imbibed so much booze that they can barely stand up or be readily understood is a sign that they have a problem. The underage drinking could also get them into trouble too. With narcotics, there’s the legal side and the ever-present danger to contend with. A reasonable litmus test is when the parent feels their teenager is out of control, it’s time to act.

Laying Down the Law

There is the option for a parent of a teenager living in the family home to be given greater responsibility to keep them better occupied. Another option is a tighter curfew for when they have to return. However, with children who have poorly managed addictions, it’s unlikely that they will pay any attention to a curfew (most older addicts get to a stage where they’re no longer able to hold down a job because of the extent of their troubles).

Another approach is to demand that they stop the illegal activity, but doing so could drive a wedge between the parent and the teenager, who is likely naturally rebellious already. Generally, attempts to restrain or fight fire with fire simply don’t work in this situation. The son or daughter will need professional help if they’re unable to quit of their own volition.

Getting Help

Seek out a suitable San Diego alcohol rehab facility. They will have a program that has worked for other young addicts with different types of addiction problems. While as a parent, you may have personally never experienced this situation, the addiction counselors who work there, have. Often, these facilities make all the difference to help a beloved son or daughter get their life back on track. They can then look ahead to what opportunities lie in the future for them once they’re ready.

Accepting that your teenage son or daughter has an addiction problem is a tough thing for a parent to swallow. However, it’s best to accept the reality of this sooner rather than later. Addictions tend to only worsen and become harder to resolve the longer they continue. Also, don’t think that you can handle it yourself as a family matter if you have no experience in the rehab field; this is a situation where professional help is hugely beneficial and quite necessary.