• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Teen Drug & Alcohol Treatment

January 25, 2011 by ds_5462 Leave a Comment

Adolescent drug and alcohol use is a continuing issue in the United States. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that in recent years an average of 300 teenagers entered drug and alcohol treatment programs each day across the nation. From 2005 to 2010, one in 10 teens used prescription medications illegally. Teen drug and alcohol treatment is important to the future of teens who use.

Significance

Sixty-four percent of adult substance abusers started using drugs or alcohol as teenagers, according to Dr. Elinor F. Mcance-Katz of the Common Wealth of Virginia University. A human brain does not finish development until a person is about 24 years old. Brains of adolescents are immature and associated with impulsiveness, bad judgment and not being able to understand the consequences of actions. These factors place teenagers at increased risk to experiment with drugs and alcohol and to become addicted.

Addiction

Addiction to drugs or alcohol produces cravings for the substance. Such cravings can become overwhelming and at times uncontrollable, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The craving triggers a compulsive need to seek drugs or alcohol for the purpose of satisfying the craving. Drug use begins voluntarily, but for some, an addiction begins, and use is no longer about feeling high but about avoiding withdrawal symptoms. Addicts often commit crimes such as shoplifting merchandise to sell for the purpose of funding their growing addiction costs.

Risks

Risks associated with drug and alcohol abuse include legal problems, loss of trust by family members and friends, medical problems and even death, and mental health problems. Illegal drug use or excessive use of alcohol typically interferes with the ability to maintain obligations to family, friends, work and school.

As the addiction progresses, the addict becomes more withdrawn, which reduces his self-esteem. Feeling worse about himself makes him want to get high, and the vicious cycle gets a foothold. These and other factors reinforce the teen’s desire to maintain drugs or alcohol use to avoid such consequences.

Treatment

Several forms of drug and alcohol treatment are available, according to the NIDA. Residential treatment requires the adolescent to live at the facility for 28 to 365 days and undergo an intensive treatment regime.

Intensive out-patient programs require attendance in group therapy five to seven days a week. During the sessions, usually led by a certified counselor, members discuss life issues, coping skills and addiction. Regular out-patient programs require less-frequent attendance.

Twelve-step programs meet in thousands of locations throughout the nation. Such concentrate on accepting powerlessness over drugs and alcohol, and turning to a higher power.

Benefits

Successful treatment of teenage drug and alcohol abuse provides many benefits. Once the adolescent becomes clear-headed and sober, she can again move forward in life with school, college or work plans and learning to build valuable relationships. Treating addicted teens helps to protect society from injury/fatal wrecks, burglaries, thefts and other crimes.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Parenting

About ds_5462

Candace Webb has been writing professionally since 1989. She has worked as a full-time journalist as well as contributed to metropolitan newspapers including the "Tennessean." She has also worked on staff as an associate editor at the "Nashville Parent" magazine. Webb holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism with a minor in business from San Jose State University.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

Brooke Burke: My Slim Down Secrets

Everywhere I look, I hear about a new fitness fad, a quick … [Read More...] about Brooke Burke: My Slim Down Secrets

Must Have

ToniBox

Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

If you are looking for something to occupy your children … [Read More...] about Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

Did you know?

toddlers and frequent urination

Toddlers and Frequent Urination

Coconut Oil

Why Coconut Oil Is So Good For Pregnant & Nursing Mothers

Tell If You Are Pregnant While Breastfeeding

How to Tell If You Are Pregnant While Breastfeeding

Calories Burned Sitting in a Steam Sauna

The Calories Burned Sitting in a Steam Sauna for 15 Minutes

fade hair color quickly

How to Fade Hair Color Quickly

Upper Abdominal Pain in Pregnancy

Upper Abdominal Pain in Pregnancy

what type of vitamins help fertility

What Type of Vitamins Help Fertility?

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2021 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.