How to Raise Drug-Free Kids in College and Beyond

Young adulthood is a challenging time. Teenagers are starting to discover the interests and hobbies that will follow them into adulthood, and they are also searching for new experiences. All these things help shape them into the person they will eventually become, but sometimes, pushing boundaries can create unsafe situations.

It’s common for college students to experiment with drugs and alcohol. When they start using these substances, they can quickly develop a dependence and discover they cannot quit on their own. Parental involvement can be incredibly influential in helping keep kids away from drugs and preventing the heartbreak of addiction.

Tips for Raising a Drug-Free Teen

Clear boundaries and open lines of communication are two excellent ways to keep young adults safe and healthy. Here are some suggestions for getting started.

1. Establish Rules and Consequences of Breaking Them

Defined rules around drug use can provide your teen with much-needed structure during a formative period in their life. At the same time, you need to create realistic consequences of what will happen if they stray from the path you’ve set, and stick to them. If your college-aged child knows you are a pushover when it comes to enforcing the rules, it’s likely they will test you.

2. Schedule a Conversation About Drug and Alcohol Use

Bringing up a heavy topic like drug and alcohol use seemingly out of the blue can put young adults on the defensive. It’s smart to give your child advance notice that you’d like to chat with them about drug use and drinking. Reassure them that you aren’t going to discipline them, but that you are trying to be proactive and make sure everyone is on the same page.

You can use this conversation as an opportunity to lay ground rules like:

• Avoid parties where alcohol or drugs might be present.
• Always use prescription drugs exactly as directed, and never take someone else’s prescription medication or share your prescriptions with others.
• Do not get in the car with a driver who is under the influence.
• If someone offers you alcohol or drugs, tell an adult authority figure about it.

3. Take an Active Role in Your Child’s Life

Though you may find your college-aged child begins to pull away from you as they establish greater and greater independence, spending time together is essential at this age. Meet their friends, and ask them what they are learning about in school. If they get involved in sports, attend their games.

Always be aware of what your teenager is up to. If they go out on the weekend, ask them which friends they’ll be spending time with and what they will be doing. You’re not being nosy if you do this — you’re expressing care for their well-being.

4. Help Your Teen Learn to Make Goals

Goal-setting is an essential part of college life. You should work with your college-aged child to teach them how to set realistic short- and long-term goals for things they hope to achieve, both in their academic and personal lives. Ask them to share their ambitions and aspirations with you. Then, make sure they understand how misusing alcohol and drugs can derail their hopes for the future.

If You Suspect a Problem, Confront It Immediately

If your college-aged child’s behavior has changed markedly, and you have reason to believe it is because of drug or alcohol abuse, don’t wait to intervene. Though some people outgrow this experimental phase, others continue down a self-destructive path and end up with an addiction. Don’t let this tragedy happen to your family. Contact us at Hope Academy to learn more about the difference we can make in your child’s life.

Study: Parental Approval Leads to More Drinking in College

"Parents who accept drinking as just a normal part of college may be encouraging their kids to drink more, according to a study published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.  

The researchers surveyed 687 Penn State students about their drinking habits and how much they believed their parents would approve of them drinking. The data was gathered at regular checkpoints across four years, from the last year of high school through the third year of college. 

To learn more about these patterns, the researchers arranged students into four groups, including students with parents who…

• Consistently didn't approve of drinking
• Consistently approved of high levels of drinking
• Began approving of higher levels of drinking around age 21 parents
• Began approving of higher levels of drinking when the students started college

The results: the more students believed their parents approved of them drinking, the more alcohol they tended to drink. Many parents didn't approve of drinking in high school, but when they went to college or got closer to turning 21, “the parents' attitudes relaxed and students' drinking increased,” said Brian Calhoun, graduate student in human development and family studies and first author of the paper.

The findings show that parents can still play a role in providing positive feedback and encouraging their children to make healthy lifestyle choices, especially during the college years when drug and alcohol use often peaks. "One part of this can be supporting safe choices about drinking alcohol,” said Jennifer Maggs, professor of human development and family studies, “and not reinforcing or making jokes about college being a crazy time when everyone takes risks without consequences." 

Conversation Goals During College
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, it's important for parents to keep the lines of communication open through all four (or more) years of college. This regular communication will also make it easier to spot any sign of alcohol abuse, including: 

• Binge drinking
• Declining grades
• Changes in appearance
• Decrease in extracurricular college activities
• Shifts in sleeping patterns
• Mood swings
• Reckless behavior
• Changes in social circles or hanging out with others who abuse alcohol or drugs

Sobriety College at Hope Academy

If you are or someone you love is a college student struggling with a mental illness and a substance use disorder, Hope Academy may be the ideal rehab program for you. Our peer-based program provides the safety and support you need to succeed in school and at sobriety. To learn more about our sobriety college, call today: 866-930-4673.