I have just discovered my 17yr old is using drugs. How do I convince him its the wrong road to go down? Help?

Answer 1

I suggest a calm chat with him. Maybe take him out for a pint and just have a natter. Talk about friends, what they do, what he wants to do etc. If he can start to see you as a mate rather than mom/dad he may start to feel like more of an adult himself and therefore want to act more adult around you.

Is there something he wants to do for a career? You may be able to get him more interested in something which will get him away from the crowd that are encouraging this?

All you can really do is talk to him. He is 17, he is no longer a child and you should try to remember that. As a parent, your influence is less strong than the media at this age so maybe see if he can identify with a celebrity who is clean living - a sports person perhaps?

Encourage him to bring his mates over so that you get to meet them. Make them all welcome - no matter what, and most kids will respect that.

Good luck with it. Its hard, but coming down on him risks sending him off to these mates hating you and wanting to teach you a lesson!

He needs to know the damage it could do, but in a non judgemental way. Many kids dabble in drugs, but most dont become addicts. Its just a phase they have to go through.

Answer 2

You're not going to like this answer but you can't convince him its the wrong road to go down. He has to decide that himself.
You can tell him that what he's doing is making you unhappy and that you're worried about him because you love him.

You can arm yourself with as much information as you can about the drugs he is using and you can possibly pass information onto him, so that if he is using, he is doing so as safely as possible.

You could possibly contact a support group as these can be helpful.

You don't say what drugs he's on. This is a UK statistic from 2004. In the UK in 2004 111,110 people died as a result of tobacco. 33,300 died as a result of alcohol abuse. 400 died as a result of heroin.

Answer 3

It will probably be detrimental to try and convince him that it is the wrong road to go down.

I would suggest you try and find out why he is taking them. Is it just for fun, because of peer pressure or is there a deeper reason or problem that is causing him to resort to taking drugs?

Then take it from there.

What type of drugs is he using?

Good luck...

Answer 4

Maybe your son is looking for your attention... Sit with him, without fighting or screaming. Just talk to him. Look at him and tell him how much you love him. Ask him the reason why is he using drugs. If he is just starting, you are still on time to help him quit. Communication and Love are the key to solve your problem. But remind him of how much you care about him. Good luck!

Answer 5

Talk to frank.

Just collect loadsa leaflets on all/any drug from the Doctors or whereeever they are available, Read them yourself, Get some pictures of Drug abusers printed off.( Make sure you get some real nasty ones.

Leave the leaflets and Pictures on his bed. Leave a note saying, We need to talk Son.

Explain that all Users start on the small stuff and end up on the big stuff.

Say what you think, ask him why hes using them, explain what youve learned, tell him to read.

Tell him Drugs make or Break families.

My friends uncle had a wife and kid, got hooked on smack , lost his family and also lost his arm from grit mixed in with the smack that he injected.

Answer 6

I work in a rehab centre and even if you try to convince him it is him that has to admit that he has a problem. Without that he will not try and stop. He needs to go to NA meetings and if things get out of control it is difficult for a parent to do this but sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind you might have to tell him to leave your house. Sometimes when they hit rock bottom its when they ask for help. Good Luck! and do not give up.

Answer 7

It realy depends what the drug is - is he smoking canabus or what?? If he is experimenting than you can point out how addictive it is but the fact is he may come back with its my body my choice thing. You should be careful that you dont osterize him and that he will just be beligerant and just deal with his friends. Explian at a quiet time maybe dinner table that you are very worried and that you love him and hope he understands that you only want the best for him. Good luck

Answer 8

My friend's cousin is having the same problem. My advice is to try to calmly talk to him. The reason we get "mad" is because we care. If you can't talk it out try to get some friends together and prove that people out there really care about him. He probably is just going through a tough stage of teen angst and maybe he just need to find his place. He's could also be testing his limits. It is probably a combination of a lot of things.

Answer 9

I think depending on what drugs he is using you will know the urgency of your actions...all you can do is inform him of the dangers...let him know that you love him and will support him...suggest he begins by cutting down...try to get information on who his friends are...

If it gets really bad..i know of a lady who arranged for her son to get a warning from the police as she was so concerned...this may work but it may not so be careful and remember that he is toying with his life so you have to be more concerned with his welfare than how he will react to whatever you do...

Answer 10

Show your son information about the effects of drugs with newspaper articles,internet,books etc...also show him tragic articles involving death,overdose,addictons, jail..i think this sort of info will scare him into realising that its a bad road to go down ! try it....