I keep running into the same problem with my teen’s anxiety and substance use. When the anxiety gets bad, they reach for something to calm down, but using seems to make the anxiety and irritability worse afterward. Trying to address only one side hasn’t worked very well.
One evening, I found a stash after my teen had spent most of the day shut in their room. We talked, but it quickly turned into an argument about trust and consequences. I left feeling like I had focused so much on the substance use that I’d missed how overwhelmed they were.
We’re looking into treatment that understands both issues instead of treating them separately. Has anyone found a teen program that handled anxiety and substance use together without making the child feel labeled or blamed?
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@Joseph_Brown, the part about the conversation turning into an argument over trust really hit home. I’ve found that once everyone is defensive, even a genuine concern can sound like an accusation.
One small thing that helped in my family was choosing a calm time later and asking what the substance was helping them get through before discussing rules. It didn’t solve everything, but it opened the door to talking about the anxiety without excusing the use. A program that includes family sessions seems worth prioritizing.
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@Andrew_Vaughan, asking what the substance was helping them get through seems like a really useful way to lower the temperature. It leaves room for the anxiety to be heard without pretending the substance use is harmless.
I’ve noticed that those conversations go better when I keep them short and don’t try to settle every rule or consequence in the same talk. Family sessions could help with that too, especially if someone can keep the discussion from turning into another standoff.