It is not as easy to detect drug addiction in teenagers as you might think. Teenagers are becoming more and more intelligent today in hiding their faults. That is the reason it is extremely important for their parents to understand the warning signs and signals that indicate a case of substance abuse.

The following are five key factors that can give these indications.

1. Plummeting Academic Performance

Since most drugs have a direct effect on the central nervous system (which includes the brain and the nervous system), drug abusing teenagers will develop several mental shortcomings. Their memory will become poor, they will have poor mental retention capacity, they will not be able to concentrate and they will lose their power of rationalizing things. All this will take a toll on their academic appearance.

2. Dwindling Health

The child will seem to be listless and uninterested in the surroundings. Even in things that he or she used to like doing, interest will begin waning.

3. Sudden Demands for Money

To fund the drug abuse, there will be sudden and uncharacteristic demands for money. The child will begin making excuses to get money, and you may even find money missing from the house.

4. Changes in Appearance

Due to the overbearing drug habit, the child may lose interest in keeping up with personal appearance. Unkempt hair, disheveled face, shoddy or mismatching clothes… you will see all these on your child, but he or she will not be much worried about that.

5. Changes in Behavior

You will find a sudden defensive behavior coming up in the child. He or she will want to remain locked in the room and get very worked up if you disturb them there. He or she may also develop friends you did not know of, and be out of the home