Your Teen is Drinking. What Should You do?

Parents from Palm Springs to the East Coast have a few nightmare scenarios that run through their minds, but few know how to react when one actually plays out. What should you do when you discover your teen has a drinking problem?  What should you say? At what point should you consider alcohol rehab centers? 

Getting these questions wrong can have a lasting negative effect on your teen and your relationship with your child. Fortunately, being prepared and reacting correctly can make a successful intervention far more likely.

Keeping a Cool Head

It's heartbreaking to find that your child has an alcohol problem. Parents often feel anger, fear, even a sense of betrayal. This is normal, but be careful. Accusing, shaming, and lashing out with arbitrary punishments in a moment of anger won't make anything better. Be patient and thoughtful. Wait until you're both calm and sober, then have a meaningful conversation.

The Talk

Every situation is different. A teen in Palm Springs might have very different problems from one on the East Coast, but there are a few core things that should always be said. Remind your teen how much you love him. Talk to him about the dangers of alcohol abuse. It may be appropriate to assign some sort of punishment, but remember that you want him to trust you. Work with your teen to develop a plan going forward and help him stay sober. Many resources exist to help parents through these conversations. Consult trusted friends, school counselors, or alcohol rehab centers for more information.  

Follow up

Once the initial discovery has been made, parents sometimes hesitate to bring the subject up again, but the days and weeks after speaking to your child are pivotal in helping him ultimately overcome the problem. Speak with him often. Remind him that you still care.  If your teen’s condition worsens, consider outside help. Alcohol rehab centers make a difference for teens every year, not just in Palm Springs.

Tanner Wadsworth is a health writer reporter for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Miramar Recovery Center.