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Drugs and alcohol

On this page, we’ve got tips for talking to your child about alcohol and drugs. We also outline where you can find help if you’re worried about your child’s drinking or drug use.

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It’s normal for teenagers and young adults to experiment, test boundaries and take some risks. Drinking alcohol and trying drugs is one of the ways in which some young people do this. It is common for teenagers to drink alcohol at some point. A smaller number of young people will try illegal drugs, or smoke cigarettes or e-cigarettes (often called ‘vaping’).

A teenager or young adult might drink alcohol or take drugs for different reasons. They might do it because:

  • it makes them feel good in the moment
  • it’s a way of having fun or socialising
  • they are curious and want to test boundaries or try new things
  • they want to fit in with a social group or feel pressure to do it
  • it makes them feel more confident
  • they want to distract from difficult thoughts or feelings
Three young people sitting together in a park.

As a parent or carer, it’s important to talk to your child or young person about drugs and alcohol. By doing this, you can help them to understand the risks and support them to make safe and healthy choices. In this guide, you’ll find lots of tips to help you. You’ll also find information about where you can get help if you’re worried about your child’s alcohol or drug use.

Understanding the law and the risks

Some drugs, such as alcohol and nicotine, are legal for people who are 18 or older. Some drugs, such as cannabis and cocaine, are illegal for anyone of any age to have or use. You can find out more about the law around drugs and alcohol on the Government’s website:

When someone takes drugs, there is always risk involved. Using alcohol or drugs affects our judgement and decision-making. This can increase the risk of getting into dangerous situations. There is also always a risk of poisoning, having a bad reaction, or drinking or taking too much.

You can find more information about the risks around drinking alcohol, smoking, vaping and taking illegal drugs on the Frank website. Frank also has advice about staying safe from drink spiking.

Go to the Frank website

How can drugs and alcohol affect mental health?

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Drugs and alcohol can have different effects on a young person’s mental health. In the short-term, a young person’s mood might change while they’re drinking or taking drugs. They may feel happy, excited or relaxed. Or they may feel low, worried or on-edge. Afterwards, they might feel tired, anxious or a bit spaced-out.

Over the longer-term, misusing drugs or alcohol can lead to serious mental health issues. Teenagers and young adults may be at greater risk of this because their brains are still developing. For example, some research shows that young people who use cannabis may be at greater risk of developing psychosis. You can find more information about the mental health risks associated with specific drugs on the Frank website.

Drug and alcohol use can also be linked with mental health issues because:

  • It can make existing mental health issues feel worse.

    This is because our emotions often feel more intense when we’re drinking or taking drugs. We can also feel less able to cope in the hours or days afterwards. This can make issues like anxiety or depression harder to manage.

  • If someone is struggling, they may start to use drugs or alcohol to cope.

    Drinking or taking drugs can be a way of numbing or distracting from difficult feelings or thoughts. But while it might sometimes feel like this brings short-term relief, it can make the problem worse over the long-term.

  • Alcohol and drugs may affect them differently if they’re taking medication for their mental health.

    Taking drugs with certain medications comes with a risk of serious side effects. Encourage your young person to talk to the GP about this when their medication is prescribed, so they understand the risks. If you’re worried about this, you can speak to the GP yourself. You can also find more information on our medication pages.

How can I talk to my child about alcohol and drugs?

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How to start a conversation if you’re concerned

It’s important to look out for signs that your child’s drinking or drug use is affecting their mental health or wellbeing. You can find a list of common warning signs further down this page.

If you’re worried, start by gently checking in with them. It might help to do this while you’re out on a walk or doing an activity together. This can help to make it feel like less of a ‘big chat’ and encourage them to open up. Use an ‘I’ phrase like, ‘I’ve noticed that you’ve been drinking more when you go out with your friends, can we have a chat about it?’

Supporting your child to make safe and healthy decisions

When should I be worried about my child or young person?

A father and son sitting at a table smiling with hot drinks

It’s normal for teenagers to experiment. Some will drink alcohol or try drugs. But it is not normal for a teenager to:

  • drink or take drugs alone
  • get very drunk or take drugs frequently
  • feel like they ‘need’ alcohol or drugs to cope with social events or other situations

If you’re concerned that your child is using alcohol or drugs to cope, it’s important to get some help as soon as you can. Getting professional support can prevent things from getting worse. It can also support them to find healthier ways of coping. Speaking to a GP and looking into counselling and therapy are two good places to start.

Signs your child or young person is developing a more serious problem:

  • they are drinking alcohol or taking drugs frequently
  • their drug or alcohol use causes changes in their mood – for example by making them more irritable, tired, anxious, low or agitated
  • they are experiencing other mental health issues such as anxiety or low-mood
  • they are losing interest in the things they used to do, including hobbies or schoolwork
  • they have become secretive about what they’re doing, or money or alcohol is regularly going missing
  • they build up a tolerance, which means they need to have more and more to feel the effect
  • once they start drinking or taking a drug, they find it difficult to stop and often end up drinking or taking a lot
  • they feel like they ‘need’ to drink or take drugs to cope

If your child is experiencing these things, you need to get specialist help as soon as possible.

Where to get help for alcohol and drug problems

Each local area has their own drug and alcohol service. Each service offers different types of support and treatment. This often includes things like counselling, recovery plans and family support. If your child or young person is under 18, this service might be at their local NHS mental health team for young people (known as CAMHS).

The first step to accessing alcohol and drug services is usually to make an appointment with a GP. The GP can discuss what’s happening and refer your child or young person to the right place.

Depending on where you live, your child or young person may be able to refer themselves to CAMHS, or to their local drug and alcohol service. You can find out whether this is possible on the service’s website. They may also be able to join peer support groups. You can find details about support groups at the end of this page.

Looking after yourself

If your child is going through an alcohol or drug problem, it can be a scary and isolating situation to navigate. It’s important to recognise the ways in which it’s affecting you and make time for your own self-care. When your child or young person is struggling, it doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. Be kind to yourself. Keep in mind all you’re doing to help them. And remember, they can come out the other side and feel okay again.

If you need some support, you can:

  • talk to trusted friends and family members, and ask them for help
  • reach out to other parents who've been through this
  • speak to your GP about getting counselling support for yourself
  • call the Samaritans anytime on 116 123 if you need to talk
  • speak to any of the organisations listed below

Useful helplines and websites

While we take care to ensure that the organisations we signpost to provide high quality information and advice, we cannot take responsibility for any specific pieces of advice they may offer. We encourage parents and carers to always explore the website of a linked service or organisation to understand who they are and what support they offer before engaging with them.

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This page was reviewed in February 2024.

It was created with insights from parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with alcohol and drugs.

We will next review the page in 2027.

YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK – the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.

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