Teenage Drug Abuse, how to tell when someone is using.

Teenage Drug Abuse or Adult Drug Use, how to tell when someone is using.

Ok, so here’s the deal. I get emails all the time, from parents, kids, friends of friends, heck, I think I even got one once from a chimpanzee; it was probably just my brother Rock Star though. Tough to tell. Anyway, many of them seem to ask the same question: How will I know if someone might be abusing drugs and or alcohol?

Hers the ugly truth! You can’t always tell right away (that is unless you can convince them to pee in a cup.) But you could always ask! However if you do, expect to hear what you want to hear most of the time. The honest truth is, we lie the majority of the time when confronted with this dreaded question. Remember, we are manipulative and deceiving when using. Anything you want to hear we will tell you. Trust me; we addicts have that figured out, especially when our use is threatened. The answer is No, No No!

So here are Super Star’s top 5 signs that someone you love may be abusing drugs. They might be a little more authentic than your used to, but I hope this helps you help them, if they want your help that is, food for thought for the next blog..…..By the way, they are in no particular order.

1. Mood swings. If I had a dollar for every time I was right about someone abusing drugs using this old mood swing theory as an indicator, well then I’d have a lot of money!

2. Money. Don’t you find it odd that when someone comes to you and asks for another $20 for gas week after week when you know that there is no way they have put that many miles on their car?? Or how about another $20 this week to buy some food, again? Or what about the $3.00 missing from the counter this morning? You know I saw it there! Or the $10 that you just know you had in your wallet but now mysteriously is missing? Again… Take off the blinders; ask the difficult questions now, missing money means big trouble.


3. Evidence. The reality is, drug abuse is ugly, and so is the evidence. Recently I had a mother email me about the small fragments of glass she found on the floor of her son’s room. After taking them to the police station, they were in fact found to be broken pieces from a crack pipe. This may be a little dramatic, but I bet its happening in someone else’s house as your reading this. Evidence of drug abuse can be anywhere and anything. Those needles from Walgreens that you were just told are for your daughter’s best friend’s diabetic condition are probably not. The obvious excessive amount of Old Milwaukee beer in the garage? How about finding lighters scattered in all corners of your house or in your son or daughters car? These are not your typical text book examples because these are the real life ones. Look for things out of the ordinary, they are there. No addict is perfect, we can’t hide everything.

4. Disappearing acts. Late night departures to go fill up the gas tank? To go get an ice cream bar, night after night? Maybe. Or how about while you’re out to eat, ever think your date might be getting up to go to the bathroom just a little too often? Perhaps. Pay attention, are they acting differently when they return? I’ve done a lot of cocaine in those restaurant bathrooms and the truth is, I wasn’t the only one. Might also want to try staying in plain sight of that bar if you suspect someone you’re with has a problem. And finally, phone off? Again? I used to turn my phone off a lot while getting high, just a thought. If your gut is telling you something, it’s for a reason. Don’t be naive.

5. Motivation. Always remember, the most important thing to any of us addicts is our drug use. We love the drug, at times, more than you. That’s more than you Mom, more than you Dad, Sister, Brother, Uncle, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, whoever, it’s just the way that we become. Because of this, our own responsibilities are ignored, personal goals are obsolete, and interest is gone in any other activities that don't revolve around us getting our fix. These things are no longer significant to us, they are forgotten and any interest in moving forward with our life is gone.

So there they are. There are tons more examples of course and you can always email me for them through my website at http://www.superstarsuperstar.com/ . The important thing to know is, you’re not alone. Always follow your gut instinct and never be afraid to ask those difficult questions! If you think someone might be using, well than they just might be. You just may save a life by speaking up now.

If you think this can help someone, pass it on! And also, pick up a copy of Serenity, it’s the first ever music CD recommended by Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors. Good stuff, great message, and might help provide you that opportunity at home to engage your child in the conversation that eventuality; you will need to have concerning drugs. With current and past members from bands like Trans Siberian Orchestra, Kiss, Heart, and the Goo Goo Dolls, you really cannot go wrong! Order here, http://www.rsssworldwide.com/ or download via iTunes