Spotting Teen Drug Abuse of Cough Medicine: Tips for Parents

How would you know if your teen was abusing cough or cold medicines? Experts say the signs of teen drug abuse or misuse tend to be the same regardless of the type of drug being abused, whether legal or illegal. Here are some signs of teen drug abuse to look for.

• Grades. Have your teen’s grades or study habits dropped? Sometimes, drug abuse can send a straight A student to the verge of flunking out. Often, a sign of drug abuse is a slump that’s not quite so dramatic. A teenager might become less diligent about handing in assignments or forget to study for tests.
• Friends. Has your teen stopped hanging around with usual friends? Have new faces – including some that might make you uneasy -- suddenly started to appear?
• Mood. Have you noticed mood swings in your teen, suddenly furious for no apparent reason? Is your teen sometimes oddly manic or listless? Either can sometimes be a sign of drug abuse. 
• Appearance. Has your teen been wearing the same shirt for a few days? Or stopped showering regularly?
• Eating. Have you noticed any big changes in how your teen is eating, either more or less?
• Sleep. Has your teen’s sleep pattern changed? Depending on the drug, abuse could cause changes in how your teen sleeps. Your teenager might suddenly seem to sleep all day – or never seem to sleep at all.
• Secretiveness. Has your teen become excessively secretive about after-school activities, or strangely anxious if you get anywhere near his or her belongings?
• Sickness. Does your teen frequently ask for cough or cold medicine? Obviously, you don’t want to dismiss signs that your child is sick with a cold or respiratory infection. But if your teen is always demanding medicine for a cough, it could be a sign of drug abuse.
• Hidden Trash. Have you found empty bottles of medicine or empty packages in the trash? If your teen is buying cough medicine on his own, and using it without telling you, it could be a sign of drug abuse.

Are any of these irrefutable signs of OTC drug abuse? Of course not. Many can are common signs of just being an adolescent – the teenage years are a time of constant change, after all. But if you notice some of these warning signs of drug abuse, it may be a time for a talk. At the very least, you should start paying closer attention.

OTC Drug Abuse: Next Steps

If your teen has shown signs of abusing drugs, you need to talk. But lots of parents don’t have a clear idea of how to go about it. Here’s some guidance on what to do before you confront your son or daughter about OTC drug abuse.

• Don’t react impulsively. Don’t storm into your teen’s room and start yelling. If you take that approach, you may regret it in the long run. Instead, take some time to think about what you want to say.
• Gather evidence. No, you don’t need incontrovertible proof your child is abusing drugs; you don’t need to set up an elaborate sting. But you may feel more confident if you can point to some evidence backing up your accusation. That evidence could be an empty bottle of cough medicine you find in your teen’s room or in the medicine cabinet. But it might just include observations you’ve made that fit with OTC drug abuse, like odd behavior changes.
• Do some research. Learn the facts about teen drug abuse of cough and cold medicine. Know which drugs are being abused, and why they’re dangerous. You need to prove that you know what you’re talking about.  
• Be prepared to have a discussion. Your job now is not just to pass judgment, mete out punishment, and leave the room. You need to talk to your teen. It may take some work – and a few tries – but you need to explain why you’re so concerned about OTC drug abuse.
• Know what your policy is. Before you start the conversation, you need to have settled on a firm set of household rules concerning drug abuse. Spell them out clearly. You also need to know exactly what the punishment is for breaking them.
• Get support. You’ll feel more confident if you have backup. Obviously, you and your spouse should be on the same page. But you might also find it helpful to talk over the situation with others -- friends, a therapist, or a clergy member -- both before and after confronting your teen.
• Choose the right time. Don’t delve into this discussion abruptly, 10 minutes before the bus arrives, or when your teen is in the middle of playing a video game.  Do it when you’ll both have the time to hash it out. Certainly, don’t try to engage if your teen actually seems high.