The early changes occur subtly and are often mistaken for normal and harmless. Be aware that any given young person would not be assumed to be using alcohol or other drugs simply because he or she exhibits one or two of these characteristics. However, as a parent, you know your child the best and can make a judgment accordingly.

• Personality changes, unreasonable, anger, temper outbursts, lying and cover ups, defiance, irritable, mood shifts, very depressed one day, very animated the next, agitation or nervousness.
• Shift in friendships - secretiveness - will not bring friends home, isolates self from family. Telephone conversations are whispered.
• Health issues - colds and upper respiratory infections frequently, change in appetite, sleep difficulties, nervousness, fatigue, depression. Irregular sleeping patterns such as insomnia.
• Change in clothing style - personal appearance is unkempt.
• Drop in school performance - lack of motivation, resentment of authority, no homework being done. Loss of interest in sports, clubs, and other vigorous and engaging activities.

• Discovery of hidden alcohol or marijuana or related paraphernalia - pipes, baggies, rolling papers, roach clips, Visine, lighters, small glass vials. Increasing demand for money - always "broke" or has more money that seems logical.
• The use of tobacco - addiction to nicotine and a gateway to other drug use.
• Receives many short telephone calls and/or visits from persons unfamiliar to parents; places and receives calls in the morning before school.
• Will defend the use of alcohol and other drugs when the subject is discussed.
• When parents are going out, will press to know what time parents are leaving and when they will be returning.
• May write stories, plays, poems, concerning use of alcohol and other drugs, or which display a depressed attitude toward life.
• Graffiti on books, notebooks and other papers - drawings of leafy plants, mushrooms, pipes, pills, other mysterious objects.
• When caught with "contraband" will almost invariably say it is being kept for a friend.