You know how hard things are going to be. You know recovery will be tough. So if you suspect your teen is suffering from substance abuse, here’s what you can do:
- Be sure. Confirm the addiction. There are a lot of different types of addiction that your teen could be suffering from. Drug Abuse says these can include:
- Alcohol
- Tobacco and e-cigarettes
- Drugs
- Marijuana
- Prescription and drugs sold over the counter
- Inhalants
Your teen might be suffering from one or two of these addictions so keep your eyes peeled for any signs. Look up the symptoms common to people with alcohol or drug dependency.
- Talk to them. TeenDrugAbuse.Org emphasizes the importance of talking to your teen and encouraging him to seek out help. If you’re in Los Angeles, teen substance abuse centers like Adolescent Growth offers services specifically designed to meet your teen’s needs.
- Find a treatment center. Helping your teen find the right treatment center is key. Not all treatment centers provide the same treatment plans. The best ones aren’t cookie-cutter programs. Instead, they’re uniquely designed to address the needs of a specific patient. So keep this in mind when you look for a treatment center for your teen. Pick one that provide custom treatment plans to give your child a better chance at recovery.
- Be there for them. Support from loved ones can make a huge difference in the recovery and treatment of a teen addict. And there’s going to be plenty of hard work in the future for your teen and everybody else in the family. But love, support, friendship and hope can do a lot to ease the transition, to improve healing and recovery for all concerned.
- Go to a family counseling. Drug addiction doesn’t just affect the addict, it also affects the entire family. It can be difficult for everyone to come to terms with the idea that someone they love is a drug addict. But talking it out with a professional present to act as a mediator and facilitator can do a lot to help everyone involved heal and recover from the experience.
- Encourage them to participate in aftercare programs. Post-treatment care is key in preventing a relapse from happening. So make sure your teen goes to his appointments regularly. Don’t let him skip a session, as much as possible.
These six steps give you a glimpse of what you’ll be dealing with up ahead. Through it all, remember one thing: recovery is possible.
Adolescent Growth offers adolescent health services. Get in touch with us!
