The Big Deal - Part 1C Of 5 - Solutions

HOW TO TELL IF A TEENAGER IS USING

Westfall Associates Inc. in Rochester, N.Y., uses this risk assessment with
parents and teenagers. These questions are designed to raise awareness and
get you thinking about various behaviors that may point to a risk of
illegal drug use. It is not a clinical assessment. Feel free to print it
out and answer the following questions.

Answer each question with a yes or no.

1. Has your child ever been arrested on an alcohol- or drug-related charge
or been at a party broken up by the police?

2. Has your child ever been suspended from school activities for using
alcohol or other drugs or for skipping classes? Does he have a poor
attitude about school and/or life? Has she dropped activities that used to
be important to her?

3. Is your child becoming less responsible around the house with regard to
regular chores or curfews? Have you ever caught your child sneaking out of
the house at night?

4. Do your child's friends smoke marijuana or drink?

5. Has your child ever experienced a hangover or a bad trip because of
alcohol or other drug use? Have you smelled alcohol or pot on her breath or
in her room?

6. Has your child lied to you about his activities and friends, or made
excuses about drinking and other behaviors (his own or that of his friends)?

7. Has your child exhibited any unexplainable mood changes or emotional ups
and downs that seem excessive to you?

8. Does your child question your values about drinking and other drug use?
Does she challenge or question the importance of family activities and
church or temple attendance?

9. Does your child volunteer to clean up after adult parties where alcohol
was served, even if he isn't being responsible about other chores around
the house?

10. Have you ever been embarrassed enough by these behaviors that you've
made excuses about your child to the court, the school, friends, or even
members of the family?

11. Has your child ever been arrested for shoplifting, vandalism, driving
while intoxicated (DWI), or possession of alcohol or other drugs? Have you
ever found empty beer, wine, or liquor bottles, drugs, or drug
paraphernalia (papers, pipes, or clips used for holding marijuana
cigarettes) in your child's room?

12. Has your child ever been suspended from school for possession of
alcohol or other drugs or for fighting? Have any of the following occurred
frequently: sleeping in school, falling grades, truancy, forging passes,
forging excuses from you about missed classes or days?

13. Are you missing money or objects from the house that could be sold for
money? Is your liquor supply down? Has there been more then the usual
amount of verbal fighting and arguing? Is your child being more secretive
or spending more time in her room with the door closed or locked? Has she
been staying out all night?

14. Has your child changed friends from those who don't use alcohol and
other drugs to those who do?

15. Has your child experienced a significant weight loss or gain,
unexplained injuries, respiratory problems, or overdoses? Has his
appearance become sloppy; does he seem less concerned with personal hygiene?

16. Has your child's attention span noticeably decreased? Does she have
less motivation than in previous times? Doe she blame others more
frequently? Has she had memory lapses -- time when she couldn't remember
going somewhere or doing something?

17. Has your child been depressed or voiced feelings of hopelessness and
worthlessness? Has he been making statements such as "I wish I were dead"
or "Life isn't worth living"?

18. Has your child argued with you about basic family, educational or
religious values? Has she stopped participation in church or family activities?

19. Does your child strongly defend his right to drink or use drugs?

20. Have you ever felt used or taken advantage of by you child --
especially at times when you ended up blaming the school, the court, or her
friend for her problems? 21. Has your child ever been arrested for robbery,
drug dealing, assault and battery, vandalism or prostitution?

22. Has your child been suspended from school more than once or expelled?
Has he been fired from a job?

23. Has your child ever gotten physically violent with you? Has she stayed
away from home for more than a weekend, or ever left home for good?

24. Hs your child gotten more violent with his friends, or started avoiding
them to the point where they have begun expressing some concern?

25. Have you noticed more weight loss or injuries in your child? What about
overdoses, tremors, dry heaves or chronic coughing?

26. Does your child blame you, her friends, and just about anybody else,
for her problems? Does she show a lot of anger? Are you aware of more times
when your child can't seem to remember things that she has said or done?

27. Has your child ever made suicide plans, left notes, or actually
attempted suicide? Have you noticed him exhibiting feelings of paranoia?

28. Does your child seem overwhelmed by despair, self-hatred, or hopelessness?

29. Does your child "turn off" to talks about alcohol and other drug abuse
or skip classes about them, dismissing them as "a bore" or "a drag?" When
confronted with evidence that you know about her alcohol or other drug use,
does she still deny having problems with using?

30. Are you afraid for your child's safety, or even your child's life,
because of any of the behaviors and consequences described in this
questionnaire?

If you have concerns about your child's behavior and feel he or she may be
using illegal drugs, there are a variety of community agencies available to
help, including the organization that published this assessment. The
telephone number for Westfall Associates is (716) 473-1500.