What I hear so often is that our teens and young adults lack confidence in themselves.
The dictionary defines confidence as having a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities.
Some of our kids have anxiety and depression, in part, due to our society’s obsession with social media and smartphones.
Others have trouble fitting in at school. They don’t like the way they look. Or they may feel they are not meeting their parents’ expectations. They struggle to be at peace with themselves.
With drugs and alcohol being so prevalent, numbing themselves is an easy out. They do not have to deal with the pain of feeling inadequate.
Your child may feel that drugs or alcohol increase their self-confidence. As you know, this is a temporary fix. Your child’s self-confidence will be in worse shape as they realize how far off track their life has become. It becomes a vicious cycle. The more they use, the less confidence they have. They use once again when those uncomfortable feelings reappear.
Substance use disorder is caused by many different factors, not just one. There may have been instances in your child’s life that were negative experiences. Family history, environment, as well as mental health issues can play a role.
Low self-confidence can wreak havoc in a person’s life. Yet, low self-confidence is not necessarily a risk factor for substance use. It seems, however, to be an issue with many people who turn to drugs or alcohol.
You can be a foundation for change. Here are three ways to help your child develop and increase their self-confidence.