How can I get help and support for teen substance use?

Note: NAMI volunteers are not medical or mental health professionals, and we cannot offer medical or mental health advice. The material outlined below is informational and we hope that it helps provide guidance toward getting support.

For Teens

If drugs and alcohol have negatively impacted your life, you are not alone. Substance use affects everyone differently, and it can cause more harm to some people than others. This is especially true if you live with a dually diagnosed mental health or physical health condition. Mixing drugs and alcohol with any medications you take for these conditions can make you feel worse and can even be dangerous in some cases. Certain life experiences - like family conflict, having a hard time in school, or seeing violence in your community – can put some teens at greater risk of developing a substance use disorder.

It’s important to know that any substance has the potential to cause harm, especially for teen brains that are still growing. Vaping nicotine and smoking marijuana are often talked about as if they’re not harmful, but they can be if they impact your physical health, mental health, learning, motivation, or safety.

It’s OK to stay away from drugs and alcohol if they negatively affect you or if you’re simply not interested in trying them. Don’t be afraid to be honest with friends and family that use substances; tell them that you’d prefer not to or choose to spend time with them when drugs and alcohol aren’t involved.

If you start feeling like you have to use substances to feel good, you make risky and unsafe choices because of substance use, or drugs and alcohol start negatively impacting your life in other ways, ask for help right away. Talk to your parent or guardian, schedule a session with your school counselor, talk to your primary care doctor, or confide in a trusted adult. It’s never too late to get help, but the earlier you reach out, the better.

For help starting the conversation and finding treatment, check out the links below. Additional treatment and support resources for teen substance use are listed in the “Resources” section of this article.

For Parents

If you’re worried your teen is engaging in harmful substance use, consider starting with a caring conversation. Approach the conversation without judgment so your teen is comfortable being honest. Let them know what you’ve observed and why you’re concerned, then ask how you can help.

For example: “I’ve noticed that you’re coming home late, missing dinner, and not spending time on things you used to enjoy – like basketball and choir. I’m worried that you’re not doing OK and that you’re missing out on fun and important things in life. How can I help?”

If your teen’s physical and mental health are negatively impacted by substance use, they engage in risky and unsafe behaviors, they are becoming dependent on a substance, or they are unable to fulfill responsibilities at home or school, then they may be experiencing symptoms of a substance use disorder. It’s important to consult with a primary care physician or a mental health provider for a formal diagnosis.

If your teen has a dual diagnosis and is already working with a therapist or psychiatrist, consider speaking with their treatment providers about ways to incorporate substance-related interventions into their existing treatment plan. They may suggest that your teen participate in a substance use or relapse prevention group. They may also refer your family to a skills-based group to learn together about strategies for staying well and avoiding substance use.

There are substance use disorder treatment programs for teens, but they are less commonly available than adult treatment programs. Your teen may benefit from residential substance use treatment if their use significantly impacts their safety and well-being, if they have a serious co-occurring mental health condition, or if they engage in behaviors that make it difficult for you or them to stay safe at home. Use the resources listed below to locate substance use and co-occurring treatment programs in your area.

Resources

SAMHSA Treatment Locator is a federal agency website that provides referrals for substance use disorder treatment facilities. SAMHSA is a good resource for locating low-cost/sliding scale mental health care, substance abuse and dual diagnosis facilities. SAMHSA’s Treatment Locator can narrow search by insurance, cost of treatment and type of treatment. Their website also includes programs like assertive community treatment and residential treatment. You can reach SAMHSA at (800) 662-4357; Spanish-language calls are accepted.
FindTreatment.gov offers a “Find a Treatment Facility Near You” locator function. Search by city or zip code; filter results by type of treatment, payment options, ages served, languages spoken, special programs (e.g. veterans, LGBT, services for deaf and hard of hearing), and more. Once you have identified a provider, contact your insurance company to verify coverage. 
Start Your Recovery offers information about signs and symptoms of substance use disorder, information about supporting a loved one and choosing and locating a treatment program. The website offers a search function to locate counseling, support groups and treatment facilities.
SMART Recovery offers a SMART Recovery Teen and Youth Support Program which is an alcohol and drug abuse program for teens and young adults. SMART Recovery provides tools and resources such as an online messageboard discussion groups, online teen and youth meetings, a recovery toolbox, and a handbook. Self-Management and Recovery Contact SMART Recovery at (440) 951-5357.
Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States. The website provides information on addiction basics, prevention, treatment, recovery, safety, and loss and features a “Find Help” locator function on their website.
Truth provides information and uses videos and social media to engage youth in taking action to quit smoking, vaping, and opioids. Has a program to help quit vaping called, "This is Quitting" which is confidential and designed to help you get started, or keep going, and navigate cravings, stress, and slips with just a quick text 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
The National Drug HelpLine, (844) 289-0879, is a free, confidential 24/7 hotline for information about substance use or misuse, including how to recognize drug use in a loved one and how to locate treatment options in your area.

Hours of operation Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. EST

Call: 800-950-NAMI (6264)

Text: 62640

Webchat: www.nami.org/help

Email: helpline@nami.org