Peer relationships and teen substance abuse
You may see changes in your teen's relationships with peers if he or she is drinking alcohol or using other drugs. Some questions for you to consider include:
- Has your teen changed friends recently? Has your teen started associating with an older group of teens or young adults?
- What do you know about your teen's friends?
- Do your teen's friends seem to have a negative attitude? What is their attitude toward substance use (cigarettes, alcohol, inhalants, and other drugs)?
- Have your teen's friends been in trouble with the law?
- Have you noticed that your teen has frequent short phone calls? Have you noticed that callers hang up when an adult answers the phone?
- Does your teen spend a lot of time alone? (Some teens prefer to use substances when they are alone.)
| Author | Sabra L. Katz-Wise |
| Author | Ralph Poore |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Yifrah Kaminer, MD - Child and Adolescent Psychiatry |
| Last Updated | September 13, 2006 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Last Updated:
September 13, 2006
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor.
Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this
information.
@ 1995-2007, Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.