Teen Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease characterized by compulsive or uncontrollable drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain—in structure and function—and those brain changes can be long-lasting and lead to increased vulnerability to other addictions.
The way we talk about teen rehab has changed in our society. Treatment for teen substance use disorders has become the recognized phrase for what was once known as teen drug rehab. Teen rehab is not just for teen substance abuse issues anymore. Adolescents are going to rehab for a wide range of psychological and mental health issues. Although many teen rehab programs are still focused on adolescent drug abuse – mental health, behavioral issues and depression are often times the core reasons for why teenagers use drugs. This new understanding about drugs and addiction, has pushed society to critically think about two things:
- Understand addiction as a chronic relapsing disease
- and Destigmatize treatment for teen substance use disorders
The facts about drug addiction are scary! According to National Institute on Drug data, two-thirds of teens in the US drink alcohol before getting into their senior year of high school. More than half of the teenagers admitted using an illegal drug. A large number of teenagers also revealed that they had abused prescription drugs by using them recreationally.
A teenager addicted to drugs may engage in other forms of risky behavior, including drinking alcohol, binge eating, and unsafe sex. Adolescent drug abuse can profoundly impact academic performance, future career prospects, relationships with family members, peers, and overall quality of life. If you choose to send your adolescent to a treatment center be sure to look into the academic support they offer. Key Transitions offers academic support in all of our teen outpatient programs.
Those suffering from teen drug addiction, often know how to take advantage of parents’ naivety to exploit them, which prevents parents from taking action to help their struggling teens. One clear indicator of potential teen substance abuse is if your teenager stealing and lying. With the advent of social media, some drugs are becoming more normalized, and as a result, most teenagers often feel pressure to experiment with drugs earlier in their teens. During this stage, most teens start abusing alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or other prescription meds. As a parent, you should know what drugs are most frequently used by teenagers, encourage substance abuse education and open dialogue with your teenagers about these issues. It’s also important to know It’s important to know what to do if you find weed in your child’s room.
When your teenager is admitted into one of our adolescent treatment programs, we build custom therapy plan just for them, specific to their needs and your families issues. This begins a life-changing reconstruction process to gain sobriety. We help your teenager control over their mind through clinically based CBT therapy practices, and we promote the practice of a holistic lifestyle approach with yoga, mediation, and more.
The Key Transitions Los Angeles Outpatient Teen Drug Rehab program encompasses several different types of therapy. Your teenager is surrounded all day by clinical experts who understand the intricacies of how to help a struggling teen.
There are many different types of teen drug abuse treatment programs, including therapeutic boarding schools, RTC camps, intense family therapy sessions, and wilderness therapy. The teen drug addiction treatment program that is best for your child depends on the type of teen addiction problem he or she is experiencing. Contact us now.