It is essential that parents of addicts realize that addiction is a disease, that even a child supported and nurtured may become an addict due to a combination of social and genetic factors. In many cases, parents can be unaware of a traumatic event that took place in a child's life which may have led to the substance or process addiction.

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The best way a parent can identify a child's need for professional support is by looking for symptoms. Below are some warning signs but it is important to remember that it may be difficult to recognize the signs, particularly if the addiction isn't yet severe. Seeing a Counsellor at Chabad Lifeline can help a family navigate the signs and symptoms.

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Symptoms

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• Personal hygiene negatively affected

• Activities and hobbies that used to excite them no longer hold their interest

• Spends more time alone

• Changes social group

• Picks fights

• No longer appears to care about anything

• Declining grades in school

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It's important to remember the three Cs

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• You can't control the addiction

• You didn't cause the addiction

• You can't cure the addiction

• There is a fourth C. You can contribute to their well-being

 

If you worry that your child may be an addict, reach out for help by email or by calling 514-738-7700. Our counsellors will help you navigate the signs and symptoms, and learn what is in your power to change and how you can best help your child, your family, and yourself.

 

Our family workshops and groups (contact us for more information) consist of individuals who all share the same experiences. Whether it be a child, spouse, sibling or parent, the chaos and inability to live in the status quo are what bring family members to the realization that their lives have become unmanageable, and what they are doing is not and has not been working. With other group members and a facilitator, we explore and gain understanding of what is in our control to change and what is not. 

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