How to talk about peer pressure and drug use with your children

Drug use

Desmond White — Opening up a discussion about peer pressure and drug abuse with your children can seem challenging, but it is actually simpler than you might expect. By taking the time to talk about drug use and ways to handle peer pressure, you are reducing the risk that your child will abuse drugs in the future. Keeping that idea in mind will make it easier to take action before your children reach a worrisome age.

Start on a positive note

Instead of immediately breaking into the conversation with your concerns or the dangers of drug abuse, begin the topic by telling your child how much he or she is loved and how proud you are of certain accomplishments. The accomplishments will vary based on your child’s interests, hobbies, and the recent events that have occurred. For example, you might praise a child for winning a race at school or gaining a part in a play.

Move the conversation into peer pressure from that point. By starting on a positive note, you are eliminating the possibility of making your child feel accused, upset, or embarrassed.

Ask about your child’s experience with peer pressure

When you are ready to transition into the topic of peer pressure and drug use, ask a question. For example, after praising a child’s accomplishments in a karate class, ask whether he or she feels pressured by other students in the class to perform feats that are dangerous or your child has not yet learned. Talking about peer pressure does not automatically need to start from drug abuse; instead, you can transition into the topic by asking about different situations that might relate to pressure from peers.

Bring up the term peer pressure and ask your child his or her thoughts on the topic. Find out what your pre-teen or teen already knows about peer pressure. In most cases, your child is likely to bring up drug abuse during the answer due to lessons in school, commercials or similar sources.

Talk about drugs

After you have clarified your child’s experience with peer pressure and you’ve discussed ways to handle different situations, including subtle suggestions from peers, you can then discuss drug abuse and the dangers of different substances including prescription medications.

If you used drugs or abused alcohol in the past, then talk about your own experiences. Open up and explain the challenges of giving up substance abuse and the difficulties you faced as a result of drugs. If you did not use drugs, then give examples by talking about friends, relatives, or classmates you knew. The real life experience will help your child connect the dangers and information to a real face.

Explain the consequences of drug abuse. Do not focus solely on the health effects and possibility of death. Instead, focus on the loss of hobbies, lack of interest in favorite activities and the reduced confidence that will develop. Scare tactics do not always work, but talking about realistic consequences your teen or pre-teen can understand will have a powerful impact.

Pre-teens and teenagers can easily overlook the health dangers of drug abuse because it is assumed that it will not happen to them. By discussing the loss of friendships and hobbies, you are showing a different side to substance abuse than your child will expect.

Talking about peer pressure and drug use with a pre-teen child or teenager can seem difficult, but it is also a necessary part of preventing a tragic future. You do not need to try talking about everything at one time, but you should take the time to discuss the topics before your child reaches high school.



About the author

Desmond White is a writer that specializes in addiction treatment and his true passion is helping people find treatment for addiction.