What is Addiction: For Kids
The South Australian Women and Childrens’ Health Network has created a kid-friendly site that clearly explains addiction and explores signs of addiction in simple and clear language. It also includes drawings by children. Below is an excerpt from the site. Please click through to visit the site.
Signs of Addiction:
If someone you care about is showing several of these signs, then they could be suffering from an addiction and need help…
- When someone uses drugs or alcohol to get away from problems or as a usual way to relax.
- When someone seems to ‘drop out’ of life among family and friends when someone loses interest in something that used to be a big interest.
- Avoiding school or work, or getting behind with workload.
- Avoiding friends, or hanging out with kids who use drugs
- Selling their stuff or stealing yours
- Being very moody and behaving in ways which are unlike their usual behavior.
- Getting upset, anxious or really depressed
- Having problems with sleeping or getting out of bed
- Being sick or shaky changes in eating – maybe too much or not enough, or eating at ‘different’ times
- Putting on weight or rapidly losing weight.
- checking their phone, messaging or talking on it even when they are with other people (rude too)
- Spending a lot of time playing games on their computer or tablet or phone (so they don’t get to be with ‘real people)
What Can You Do To Help?
You cannot really help someone who has an addiction. That person has to help himself or herself. All you can do is show that you care what happens to him or her, tell those adults you trust about your concerns, and be ready to praise every small step that he or she takes to stop the addiction.
