Addressing the Unique Treatment Needs of Younger People

Every adult can look back on their teens and early 20s with a mix of nostalgia and relief that they don’t have to go through that turbulent time again. However, today’s landscape is significantly more complex than what you might have faced during that time of your life. For one thing, readily available technology and 24/7 access to social media have put unique stresses on people, even those who grew up as digital natives.

If you feel like a gulf has developed between you and your child as they’ve reached these difficult years, how can you tell the difference between typical teen angst and signs of possibly risky behavior?

Challenges Facing Today’s Young Adults

None of us could have accurately predicted what the introduction of social media outlets would mean for society at large. Many people happily jumped on board with Facebook, for instance, willingly trading their privacy in exchange for being able to stay in touch with far-flung family and friends and participate in various online interest groups.

However, we now know Facebook did not have people’s best interests at heart. The company's executives were more than willing to provide detailed user information to political campaigns seeking to influence votes in the 2016 presidential election. What other “helpful” apps might be secretly harboring harmful intentions?

Ironically, though social media platforms were supposed to bring us all together, they have also served as a tool for cybercriminals and purveyors of discord and discrimination. For example, creators of “alternative news” have flocked to YouTube because it’s free to use and presents low barriers for entry. As a result, many teenagers – largely young men – have become dangerously radicalized into violent far-right ideologies that pull them away from the mainstream.

When to Seek Therapy or Help for Your Child

Sometimes, it can be challenging to tell when a teenager or college-aged child is struggling with substance abuse or other co-occurring mental health disorders. Is a son or daughter who seems withdrawn or sullen dealing with troubles like depression or cyberbullying, or is their isolation a simple form of teen rebellion? Here are some signs your child might benefit from counseling or professional help for their problems.

• Ignoring responsibilities at home or at school
• A lapse in personal hygiene
• Skipping classes or other, even riskier, behavior
• Sleeping too much or not nearly enough
• Erratic mood swings, hostility or anger
• Unwillingness to discuss any difficulties with you

How to Find the Right Program

If you and a medical professional determine your teenager or college-aged student needs help to overcome a mental health problem or dual diagnosis, it’s essential to find a treatment program that will meet the unique needs of their situation. Even the best-designed course of therapy will be less effective if your child is not willing to play an active role in their recovery.

Early intervention is also essential because it can help avoid the lifelong consequences of untreated substance use and mental health problems, which can disrupt your child’s promising future and set them on a rocky road to the financial, legal, emotional, psychological and physical issues associated with these issues.

At Hope Academy, we understand the challenges the younger generation faces, both in society at large and their lives in general. We are here to provide structure and support with customized programming that helps teach life, academic and job skills to clients ages 18 to 26. If you’re ready to learn more, contact us today.

Sending a Young Person to a Rehab Center

As a parent, you want your child to have all the best opportunities in life. It can be heartbreaking to discover your son or daughter is using drugs or alcohol, but you have options to get them into treatment and encourage them to make a full recovery.

Young adults often lack impulse control and good decision-making skills because their brains are not fully developed until the age of about 25. As a parent, the responsibility to make decisions on your child’s behalf rests with you. If your child is 17 or younger, you can legally have them enter a residential treatment facility without their consent. It may be one of the most difficult decisions you ever have to make, but if substance abuse is endangering your teen’s life, getting them into treatment is the right thing to do.

Is Your Child Addicted?

The first step to helping your child is making sure their problem is indeed addiction. Sending a young person to a rehab facility if they do not have a genuine drug or alcohol misuse disorder can put severe strain on the foundational trust of your relationship with your teenager.

If you suspect your child is abusing drugs or alcohol, make note of warning signs such as:

• Sudden disinterest in school, sports and other previously enjoyable activities
• Acting withdrawn and secretive
• Having a new group of friends
• Ignoring good grooming and hygiene habits
• Staying out late
• Sleeping too much or not at all

Some of these issues can be manifestations of mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety, while others are a normal part of going through adolescence for some teenagers. However, if you see several of these symptoms at the same time, your child may have a drug abuse problem. It can help to familiarize yourself with the abuse symptoms associated with different types of drugs.

When to Consider an Intervention

Though you can put an underage teen into rehab without their approval, it’s a much healthier approach to convince them to make that choice on their own. A family intervention can be a successful way to get loved ones into treatment if they show no inclination of pursuing the option themselves. If you’re worried an intervention may become too emotional, or that your teen will react with hostility, consider hiring a professional interventionist to help you manage the meeting and keep it on track.

Before staging an intervention, it’s essential to find an accredited facility first. You will need to notify the center ahead of time so the staff can be ready to admit your child immediately after they agree to treatment. That way, you minimize the chances that your teen will have a change of heart and refuse to get help. Taking the addicted person to rehab as soon as possible after the intervention is much more effective than waiting to find a treatment center afterward.

Your Family’s Healing Journey Starts Here

At Hope Academy, we provide a residential recovery program designed specifically for young adults who are struggling with drug and alcohol abuse. If you are looking for a qualified treatment center for your son or daughter, we are here to help. We have all the resources available to help people with substance misuse issues manage withdrawal symptoms safely and comfortably before transitioning into the next phases of drug and alcohol treatment. Contact us today to learn more about our California young adult rehab facility and learn if treatment is the right fit for your family.

Why Teen Brains Prone to Addiction

Teens experimenting with drugs and alcohol is certainly not news. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 36 percent of high school students say they have tried marijuana, more than 60 percent have used alcohol and 14 percent say they've misused prescription opioids.

Here’s the tricky part: Teens are quick learners. In fact, the same part of the brain that helps teenagers quickly pick up a foreign language also makes them more prone to addiction. 

The teenage brain is busy building synapses – pathways that connect portions of the brain and create circuits for memories, skills and rewards,Dr. Frances Jensen, chair of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, told PhillyVoice.com. It’s a process called synaptic plasticity.

If they’re constantly exposing their brain to drugs or alcohol instead of math problems or soccer, they’re brains quickly learn to accept that substance. “That's what addiction is,” said Dr. Jensen. It's creating a learned pathway in the reward system of your brain."

This is only part of the reason why it’s particularly dangerous for teens to experiment with addiction substances. What’s more, the brain doesn’t fully mature until age 30 – and this include the frontal lobe, which is the part of the brain linked to impulse control and decision-making. "There's this increased propensity to take risks and try substances – despite the fact that you might know it's really bad for you” Jensen said. 

It’s important for parents, guardians and teachers to know this information, so they can talk to teens and young adults about it, Jensen said. Since they are quick learners, they can also quickly understand the dangers of succumbing to peer pressure and engaging in risky behavior. 

And if you fear they’re developing a substance use disorder, the sooner you get help, the better: "If you can get them into rehab, you have better results in rehab," Jensen said. "You can undo the circuit. You still have a better ability to remold the circuit – if you can capture it."

Sobriety College at Hope Academy

If your loved one is a college student struggling with a substance use disorder, don't wait to get help. At Hope Academy, our peer-based program provides the safety and support young adults need to succeed in school and at sobriety. To learn more about our sobriety college, call today: 866-930-4673.