Many young people do not even share the mundane details of their life with their parents, such as what they studied in math that day or who they sat with at lunch. Therefore, it can feel incredibly daunting when a teen or young adult needs to tell their parents about something extremely important: their addiction. There is no map for this discussion, but there are a number of things to remember to keep the conversation civil and productive. The aim when sharing this information should be showing honesty and nudging toward the path to recovery. It is important for parents to fully understand the situation in order to give the best advice and assistance. The first step is pre-discussion preparation. Talking Points for the Big Talk Chances are if a teen or young adult has been battling addiction, their home life is not perfect. Undoubtedly, everyone is feeling stress — the child is trying to hide the addiction; the parents are trying to figure out what is going on with the child, and family members are caught in the middle. Keep in mind these do’s and don’ts:
- Don’t accuse parents of being responsible for an addiction.
- Do take responsibility for the addiction.
- Don’t walk out, no matter how uncomfortable the talk gets.
- Do tell parents everything, even if it is unflattering.
- Why It Is Important to Ask for Help
No matter how old we are, we never want to disappoint our parents, and many young people are therefore reluctant to open up and tell their parents about their addiction. But while parents may be surprised, disappointed, or confused, they need to know. They want to do what is best for their child. And doing what is best for a child can take on many forms, and it is not always easy. It may mean putting strict limits on screen time or making sure homework gets done. The same concept applies to helping combat an addiction — it is just with a more serious issue. Parents will likely want to help their scared and uncertain child find the help needed to battle the addiction, no matter what it takes. How to Ask for Help It is never easy to ask anyone for help. But to overcome an addiction, teens and young people need professional intervention. Parents may help to find this assistance and make sure every need is being tended to. When asking for help: Be sincere Be appreciative Be ready to reveal your insecurities Be receptive to assistance Find Help Today at The Ranch PA Do you or someone close to you need to have the difficult conversation about addiction? Reach out to The Ranch PA today for help with these tough, but essential, conversations. Photo via
