As a carer it is normal to worry about young people's safety, particularly when they become old enough to start going to parties, or to think about trying drugs. The good news is that you can help keep young people safe through their teenage years and beyond.
Being a teenager can be tough. It is a time of rapid change, for young people and for those caring for them. Young people are learning how to be independent. At the same time, they are trying new things with less supervision (like going to parties). This can be a time for young people to take risks. Using drugs may be a part of that.
In this Community Conversation we will:
Important notes:
When we say carer in this conversation, we mean parents, guardians and any other adult who cares about a young person.
When we say drugs in this conversation, we mean all kinds of drugs. This includes things like alcohol, cigarettes and prescription medicines, as well as other drugs like cannabis, ‘nangs’ or vapes.
Yes, you can! There are two ways that carers can make a big impact.
For those two things to work best, a strong and healthy relationship with your young person is important.
Spend lots of time with them. Give them your focused attention. Try to find shared interests that you both enjoy and do them together.
Let them know you are there for them and ready to talk and listen when they need you.
Show them how you would like them to act. Your own drug use and views around drugs matter. Young people often model the way they act on their parents choices. What you say is just as important as what you do when it comes to shaping their thoughts and actions.
Try to have lots of open and honest chats about drug use from an early age. Talking about drugs will help to prepare the young people for times when they come across them.
Try not to make the dangers of drugs sound worse than they are. Instead, be clear about the effects and the risks.
Set rules and expectations (boundaries). Discuss these together and talk about the consequences for breaking them. Boundary setting is an important part of helping young people gain independence, remain safe and make sound decisions.
Boundaries help to make sure you both know what is expected. By setting and agreeing on boundaries, you create a ‘contract’ that outlines both of your expectations. This can help to avoid arguments in future.
But remember, young people are very good at pushing boundaries. This is because they need space to grow beyond the family. You can think about how you can adapt or change rules to meet their needs. This will help them to grow into a responsible adult.
“We can be so worried about getting it right, perfectly right, that we end up saying nothing at all”.
-DEN Focus Group Participant, 2023
Some of the boundaries you might want to set could be:
You may have heard some people talk about using drugs as a way of fitting in or having dun, or as a way coping with boredom or difficult feelings. You can also talk with the young person to help them find other ways to cope.
Moving your body in a way you enjoy can make you feel good and keep you fit. You could suggest things like laser tag, going for a walk, bike riding, go karting or rollerblading.
Looking after yourself helps to make fun experiences even better. The things you eat, the way you move your body, and the medicines you take are important, but taking care of yourself can be fun too.
Pamper yourself with an at home spa night, get a fresh haircut, or try out a massage! Something as simple as a hot shower and nice meal can make a world of difference.
Try doing something that gives you a natural thrill. Things like scary movies can give you a ‘rush’.
Food can have a big impact on our mood. If you want to celebrate something special, you could try a new recipe. If you want to experiment, you could try something really spicy or sour!
Online apps and happiness hacks are also useful alternatives. There are loads of apps available to help manage stress and other challenges.
Mocktails (cocktails without alcohol) can be nice, fun to make and can make an event feel special. They also help people who can’t or don’t want to drink alcohol feel welcome and included.
Talk to them about the risks and make sure they understand them.
Learning about risks alone isn’t enough to keep young people safe. But it does help them know what to look out for and how to be prepared if something goes wrong.
Refusal skills can help someone say ‘no’ to taking part in risky behaviours. Carers can help young people practice saying no to drugs.
It might not always be easy to say no. How they say no may differ based on their age or stage of life. But, being prepared and knowing what to say will help them make their own decisions and stick to them.
Things for you to keep in mind:
Young people can have trouble making good choices in the moment. This can be harder if they are excited or if their friends are around them. You can help them by talking about the choices they might need to make ahead of time. You could also help them to practice ways to say no if they are offered drugs. Think of it like practicing your fire safety plan.
You could ask some questions to get them thinking about their decisions:
Talking about these things ahead of time will help them to make the right choice for them in the moment.
Taking steps to make something that could be harmful, as safe as you can, is called ‘harm minimisation’. It means that you are making it less likely that something bad or harmful will happen.
Give young people some general tips on staying safe:
In case of an emergency or overdose, you should always follow DRSABCD.
This acronym reminds people of what to do in an emergency. It stands for:
Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR, Defibrillation.
Do not delay seeking help because you are worried about getting into trouble. The paramedics are more concerned with keeping you safe and alive than getting you into trouble.
Do not wait. Call 000 for help as soon as you become aware of a problem.
Be aware of things that could cause further harm to you or the person. Look around for any things that could be a safety issue: like used needles, traffic, or water on the ground
Check for a response. Ask for the person's name. Squeeze their shoulders.
If the person is awake and can talk: ask them if they have taken a drug, how much they have taken, when and what substance.
If the person is unconscious: place them on their side and check if their airways are blocked. See if they are breathing and try to find a pulse.
Watch their vital signs. This is important to know so that you can pass it on to the ambulance or first responders.
Check for any broken bones or fractures. Keep any packets or containers that may have held substances that they have taken. Send these to the hospital with them or pass them on to first responders.
Send for help. If you are busy helping the person, ask someone else to call. Dial 000.
You can also call 112 on a mobile for a stronger signal.
Follow the advice of the 000 operator. They are trained to help you over the phone until the ambulance arrives. Stay calm and listen carefully. Advise the operator of any changes to the person as soon as they happen.
Check if their airways (nose and mouth) are blocked. Open their mouth and remove anything that could make it hard to breathe.
See if they are breathing: watch their chest, listen to their nose, try to feel their breath on your skin.
If the person is not breathing, it is time to start CPR. Push firmly down in the middle of the chest and then release. Every 20 pushes, if you are able, give two rescue breaths. Try to press the chest down at about 100 presses a minute.
If you have an automated external defibrillator or AED available, turn it on and follow the instructions.
‘Harm reduction’ steps are often taken by people who use drugs on a regular basis. But, steps can be taken to prevent harmful outcomes even when drugs are tried for the first time.
We need to think differently about young people using drugs. We should not compare the drug use of young people with the drug use of adults. The patterns of use are different, and young people may not seek help as quickly.
If we focus on preventing and reducing harms, we can:
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South Australia Health (n.d.). Dangers of mixing drugs,
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All illustrations are © Drug Education Network 2023. All rights reserved.
Any adaptations are credited below the image.
Authored by Clare T. Edited by Zoe K., Deni S., with contributions from many other DEN team members.
Special thanks to the focus groups of the Community Conversations project who helped shape these resources.
Many thanks for the reference photographs by artists at CC0 stock sites: Pixabay.com and Pexels.com
An infographic of the First Aid acronym DRSABCD. On the left are the large letters D R S A B C D. On the right are explanations for each step. The steps are: Danger: Check for danger - ensure scene is safe. Response: Check for response - ask name, squeeze shoulders. Send: Send for help - call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance, or ask a bystander to make the call. Airway: Open mouth - look for foreign material and maintain the airway. Breathing: Check for breathing - look, listen, feel. CPR: Start CPR - 30 compressions : 2 breaths. If unwilling or unable to perform breaths, perform chest compressions only (100/min). Defibrillation: Apply defibrillator (AED) as soon as available. Follow the voice prompts.
