Be patient. You have worked very hard to get to this point. You won’t have everything figured out in a day.
Give them time
If you had a good, honest talk with your child, give them time to think about it. Let your child know you are there for support, whatever they decide. This doesn’t mean you’ll help your child to keep using substances.
Talk to a counsellor
If your child sees their substance use is a problem or that it’s becoming a problem, suggest they talk to a counsellor. Alberta Health Services’ Addiction and Mental Health Services are confidential. This means the information your child shares won’t be shared with anyone else.
You can offer to go with your child, but respect their decision if they prefer to go alone. Remember, you can talk to a counsellor about your child’s substance use even they don’t want to go to counselling with you.
More information
Alberta Health Services offers many addiction and mental health services to help you, your child, and your family, including:
- information and prevention programs
- group and family counseling
- outpatient and residential treatment
- the Protection of Children Abusing Drugs Program (PChAD)
For more information or to find services near you, call Health Link at 811.
