The addiction treatment program in California has included parental counseling as an effective means to bring down the instances of drug and alcohol abuse in teenagers. It is observed that most cases of teen drug and alcohol abuse in California occur because parents are not able to identify the onset of the condition in their children. Parents often misinterpret what are definitely signs and symptoms of abuse in their children. That is why the treatment program in California has begun counseling parents on understanding these signs and also guiding them into getting their children into treatment centers as soon as they can realize the abuse problem.

Parents are trained to recognize the following signs as possibilities of an abuse in their children:-

• Poor performance in studies
• Lack of interest in activities that earlier held their children’s interest, such as sports
• Taking up new habits or joining new groups, which could be only an excuse
• Making new friends
• Staying out of home at odd hours
• Preferring to stay locked in their rooms or spending more time in the bathroom
• Acting irritable or grouchy
• Not wanting to participate in family events, gatherings and outings
• Erratic habits pertaining to food and sleep
• Being evasive and even lying, especially about whereabouts

Such conditions could indicate an abuse. Parents are emphatically counseled by counselors for alcoholism and substance abuse in California that these could be indications of an impending addiction. Such counselors can be found in most healthcare centers and you can even find their contacts online. If you suspect your child is showing some disturbing behavioral patterns, then you must get advice from such a counselor to understand how to cope with the situation.