Should i drug test my teenager

When the signs and symptoms are there that the teen is engaging in substance abuse, do not delay to intervene. Parents may take the first step by visiting the family primary care provider. The doctor will conduct a physical exam and order blood tests that will include tests for drugs. The blood panel will also indicate any elevated liver enzymes that could have been due to alcohol abuse.

Once the blood test results are received, the doctor will advise the parents and refer them to a teen substance abuse treatment program. The teen rehab program s are offered in both outpatient and residential settings. If the teen exhibits withdrawal symptoms when attempting to stop using the substance, they may need a medical detox before beginning addiction treatment. Here are the typical treatment elements offered at a teen rehab program:. Detox and withdrawal : The process allows the body to rid itself of the toxins or remnants of the substance of abuse.

Psychotherapy: A therapist will guide the teen toward discovering underlying emotional issues, and also help them reshape the dysfunctional behavior patterns that have developed. Group therapy: These involve small gatherings of peers within the rehab community that will be encouraged to share with each other, and offer mutual support in recovery. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.

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I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Preventive Measures. Other Factors. Your Relationship. What Steps Should You Take? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Most standard urine and saliva kits test for marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines and PCP, while more sophisticated at-home tests will also detect barbiturates, benzodiazepines, methadone and certain prescription painkillers. Specialized, more expensive tests are necessary if you suspect your child is using LSD, mushrooms or inhalants. Kids are aware that a variety of options are available online, at any neighborhood head shop, or even at many all-night convenience stores. The long window of detection makes hair tests impractical for parents.

Similarly, saliva tests are easy and less invasive than urine tests, and many detect drugs before the substances are detectable in urine.

The problem is that a savvy young adult may find ways of generating more saliva to dilute the test, and smoking cigarettes may also skew the results. But how? Get the answers to how to approach your son or daughter about drug use in the Intervention eBook. In Dr. His father is the famous Dr.

Lester Grinspoon , a psychiatrist who wrote extensively about marijuana. Grinspoon later developed an opioid addiction, but does not connect this with his earlier marijuana use. And the access—he could write himself prescriptions—made it even easier. Grinspoon, who spent two years as an associate director for the Physician Health Service, part of the Massachusetts Medical Society, working with physicians who suffer from substance use disorders, knows all about how to beat drug tests.

This a reality that any drug-testing parent must contend with. Sheila P. Critically, demanding a drug test is a punishment in itself. Or will you be disappointed? Taking away hobbies, for example, can further isolate and harm the child. Critically, demanding a drug test — by demonstrating that the parent does not trust the child —is a punishment in itself. These reasons might include self-medication and a lack of alternative coping avenues, like a nonjudgmental adult to confide in.

This might include replacing marijuana with K2 or Spice, or other higher-risk synthetic substances. A good starting-point is to ask yourself, as a parent, about how to have a conversation with your child.

Conversely, going into their bedroom knocking first, of course and announcing that you want to have a talk about drugs may not be the best approach, notes Vakharia.