Hyderabad: An increasing number of parents are approaching both police and drug rehabilitation experts and psychologists, especially after the recent busting of a racket that supplied narcotics to even film stars in the city. While the children of some have been found to have indulged in drugs, others are approaching police asking them to keep a tab on their children, often because their schools have come up on a rumoured list of drug hotspots.
Senior consultant psychologist Dr Naresh Vadlamani says many parents are panicking unnecessarily. He said some 20 teens had been brought to him over the last six months, 15 of them after the recent drug bust. Of them, four had tested positive. Parents have begun to suspect their children even if they saw the slightest behavioural change in them. Just being late home from school or spending more time on smart phones are enough these days to trigger parents’ suspicion.
“Parents should not panic and come to conclusion simply after observing children for two or three days. Even if they observe behavioural changes, they must first talk to the kids, make them feel comfortable confiding in them, and only then take the next step. Instead, by making their suspicions obvious to the children, they risk pushing them into depression. The mere act of parents spending more time with children would make a big difference,” he says.
