Tag Archive: teenage addiction

  1. Signs Your Teen is Abusing Drugs

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    substance abuse

    If your teenager is using drugs or alcohol regularly, he or she may be causing tremendous harm to their body and brain. Some of the most common symptoms, like changes in eating and sleep habits, are easily mistaken as normal teenage behavior. For that reason, it’s always good to be concerned about these things, especially if your teen seems emotionally troubled.

    There’s no concrete line in which typical teenage behavior becomes a worthy cause for concern–only personal judgement. The key is practicing open conversation with your teen enough to know the difference should your teen ever actually wind up in this situation.

    Worsening of Health

    The most obvious changes can be seen in the face: baggy eyes, dry skin, chapped lips, cold sweats…

    Some additional health issues include:

    • Going in and out of sickness
    • Low energy
    • Hyperactivity
    • Strange eating habits
    • Burns, bruises, or track marks
    • Headaches
    • Injuries
    • Seizures
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Sweatiness
    • Flushed skin or rashes

    Academic Nosedive

    As we all know, addiction leads us to set aside, neglect, or forget our important obligations. If you notice your teen starting to slack in areas where they normally do well or thrive–again, don’t excuse it as a phase. You may get calls about them from teachers and administrators, so take those seriously. Same goes for jobs and hobbies. When somebody drops a passion suddenly, it’s unlikely that they simply lost interest: something is distracting them.

    Suspicious Behavior

    As substance abuse disorders grow, so does the space between the addict and their loved ones. Very quickly, new friends replace old news, lying becomes typical, and the occasional bratty attitude blows up into a constant misbehavior that cannot be ignored or excused.

     

    Everyday spent in active addiction is a risk, because overdoses and accidents happen unexpectedly. If you notice the warning signs–even if you’re doubtful as to what they mean–you should speak with a professional. Call today: 949-637-5499

  2. Addiction Recovery For Teenagers

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    Addiction Recovery For TeenagersIt’s not uncommon for teens to experiment with drugs and alcohol.  Our culture is steeped in the ideas of cultural rebellion and substance-infused parties. When casual use turns to abuse, that’s a problem. It’s far too easy for young bodies to develop dependencies and addictions to drugs and alcohol. Teenage addiction is widespread and affects whole families. Help is available for any young person who needs it.

    The following are some key components of a typical teenage addiction treatment program:

    • Behavior therapy
    • Family involvement
    • Healthcare services
    • Home visits
    • Peer-to-peer support
    • Psychiatric assessments
    • Positive reinforcement (rewards/incentives)
    • Recreational activities
    • Social interaction (volunteering, after school programs)

     

    Teenage Drug Addiction Treatment

    Although teenage addiction treatment programs differ from those geared toward adults, the same basic steps apply: assessment, detox, treatment, and aftercare.

    Before a teen can enter treatment, he or she must undergo professional evaluation by an addiction specialist. Once a diagnosis is decided, the teen is placed under medical supervision until all traces of drugs and alcohol have exited their system. (If needed, medication is administered to alleviate cravings and other withdrawal symptoms.) Then comes the extended psychological and pharmacological treatment process.

    Using a combination of therapy and the right medication, recovering adolescents learn to change their thought processes and behavioral tendencies in positive ways that will help steer them away from substance abuse. They experience the benefits of the change as it occurs, bit by bit, step by step, day after day.

    After rehab, to ensure that the teen does not return to old ways, he or she is expected to participate in some form of continued treatment—usually group therapy sessions—for the foreseeable future.  Several aftercare solutions are available through Sustain Recovery Services that encourage positive growth and development in addition to relapse prevention in addiction aftercare.

     

    Teenage Addiction Treatment Barriers

    Before being able to enroll in a treatment program, teenagers may have to overcome a number of obstacles. Some of these obstacles reflect the stigma against addiction and rehabilitation, while others reflect the pressure to use drugs and alcohol in the first place. These include:

    • Availability of drugs or alcohol in or near the home
    • Peer pressure
    • Shame and embarrassment
    • Unhealthy family situations
    • Unwillingness to admit to having a problem

     

    Take Action

    Teen addiction should be treated as early as possible. If left untreated, it leads to much more serious problems down the road. Addiction weighs heavy on the minds and spirits of friends and family as well, and teenagers must deal with the added stress of being in a confusing, and often scary, transitional period in their lives.

     

    Signs of adolescent substance abuse are often mistaken for mere experimentation–something most teens do, like it or not–or missed completely because the teen hides them so well. If your teenager is already caught up in the addiction cycle, call us to discuss treatment options: (949) 407-9052.

Sustain Recovery changed my life in a way I never considered remotely possible. I arrived in a place where I knew nobody. Sustain Recovery gave me tools so that I never had to be alone again. I learned how to live like an adult and have genuine relationships with other human beings. I gained a sense of self respect, love, and pride from the challenges I was given by staff. I was able to work through the recent loss of my father and I achieved my goal of not taking any psychiatric medication.
I learned that life is an endless balancing act. I have to continually work on myself and my relationships with the people in my life. The staff at Sustain Recovery are all incredibly experienced and spiritual. They were available to me whether I wanted their help or not. Through their efforts and experience, I experienced the inner workings of having an intimate, loving relationship with a loving creator.
Sustain Recovery is “home” for me. I discovered a loving, caring family that helped launch me to a place I would have never dreamed and, if I would have dreamed it, I would never have believed I would be able to accomplish it.

K.C.

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Certification Numbers & Expiration Dates:
300640AP 2/29/24
3060040BP 11/30/23
399640CP 1/31/2023
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(949) 407-9052
Sustain Recovery
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Irvine, CA 92602

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