Topic Overview

You may see changes in your teen's relationships with peers if he or she is drinking alcohol or using other drugs. Some questions for you to consider include:

• Has your teen changed friends recently? Has your teen started associating with an older group of teens or young adults?
• What do you know about your teen's friends?
• Do your teen's friends seem to have a negative attitude? What is their attitude toward substance use (cigarettes, alcohol, inhalants, and other drugs)?
• Have your teen's friends been in trouble with the law?
• Have you noticed that your teen has frequent short phone calls? Have you noticed that callers hang up when an adult answers the phone?
• Does your teen spend a lot of time alone? (Some teens prefer to use substances when they are alone.)