Residential Drug & Alcohol Abuse Treatment Center For Teenagers Las Vegas | Ignite

Co-Occurring Substance Use

When social circles and peer pressures come into play within environments such as high school, teenagers are bound to be curious and feeling more experimental. This stage of life, unfortunately, means that drug and alcohol addiction is rife with teenagers, along with issues such as online gaming addiction and other addictive behavior, which can impact their mental health as well as their physical health and lifestyle.

Drug and alcohol addiction can very quickly get out of control, especially if teenagers are struggling with separate mental health issues and are using drugs or alcohol as a way to deal with their problems. This is why psychiatric help for teens is absolutely vital when dealing with teenagers who suffer from addiction.

Addiction is notoriously difficult to break, even in adults. It’s for this reason why any teenager suffering from drug or alcohol addiction should not be expected to fight the battle alone. Often, it is the support from loved ones and from professional outpatient programs and treatment programs that can make the difference in a teenager finding the strength and willpower to overcome their addiction.

 

What Could Cause a Teenager to Become Dependent on Drugs or Alcohol?

 

Many parents may believe that their teen will never abuse drugs or alcohol, but unfortunately, it can happen to any teen, from any family background, regardless of upbringing. Those teenagers who usually display sensible and healthy behavior can still easily be led to experimenting with substances if social circles easily influence them.

  • Social anxiety. A teenager already struggling with social anxiety may feel an overwhelming pressure to fit in and be liked by their peers. This may mean that they are more easily influenced to accept offers of drugs or alcohol. Furthermore, these sorts of substances may actually serve to give the teenager more confidence and to feel calmer in social situations. This is also why it’s important to seek social anxiety treatment for a teen suffering with this, to be able to target the problem before the teen may turn to alcohol or drugs.
  • Peer pressure. Teenagers face an inordinate amount of pressure, especially from others who are of the same age. With the need to ‘fit in’ and to try what the other teens are trying, many teenagers may be pressured into trying drugs and alcohol, and subsequently pressured into continuing the consumption until they are addicted.
  • Trauma. Teenagers may turn to drugs and alcohol if they are experiencing the after-effects of a traumatic experience. When going through a stressful ordeal, teenagers may find that drugs or alcohol numb the high volume of emotions or pain which they feel as a result of the trauma, or may feel as though substances will dull the memory.
  • Issues with pain. Drug dependency may come from using medication or other drugs to numb physical pain in the body. This may be chronic pain issues, or perhaps pain issues in the body following an accident or physical injury. If the teen is always in pain, they may look to other methods to dull the physical pain, such as drugs and alcohol.

 

How You Can Tell Whether Your Teen is Struggling with Drug or Alcohol Abuse

 

Teenagers who have a drug or alcohol problem may not even realize that they have one, or they may not want to admit that they do. It’s likely that they may not think of seeking teen drug rehab themselves, which is why it’s even more essential that any parent watches out for the signs of substance addiction and can then reach out for outpatient drug rehab for teens like Ignite Teen Treatment.

If you need help recognizing the signs of substance addiction, let the following guidelines of symptoms help you.

  • Erratic behavior
  • A constant need for money
  • Excessive weight loss
  • Bad hygiene habits
  • Isolating themselves
  • A lack of interest in important areas of their life, such as education or employment
  • A lack of interest in hobbies or passions they used to have
  • Being secretive or acting suspiciously

Drug or alcohol abuse can very quickly spiral and have a detrimental effect on the rest of your teen’s life if not dealt with as soon as possible. It’s essential that you watch out for any of these symptoms if you suspect your teen of struggling with drug or alcohol addiction.

 

How to Discuss the Problem with Your Teen

 

Approaching the subject of substance addiction with your teen can be a challenging prospect. It’s easy to feel angry at your teen for allowing themselves to be influenced into taking drugs or alcohol if peer pressure was involved, as well as feeling angry that they are behaving so self-destructively and perhaps even endangering those around them.

Nevertheless, it’s essential to remain sensitive and supportive when discussing the issue with your teen. Those enduring drug and alcohol addiction may be very quick to anger or be put on the defensive if you begin to blame them for the situation. You may risk pushing them further into their addiction and refusing treatment.

Once you have discussed the situation with your teen in a supportive and loving way, you can work together to understand the best ways to overcome the issue.

 

Tips for Discussing Drugs and Alcohol with Your Teen

 

In early instances, you should always teach your child about the risks of drug and alcohol abuse so that they are educated and well informed. Even the best intentions cannot prevent your teen from experimenting with drugs or alcohol, however.

If you do need to approach the subject and have a conversation with your teen regarding substance abuse, the following may help you:

  • Choose the right time. It is best to avoid bringing up this subject impulsively or without planning. It can help to think ahead about what you want to say, and how best to say it, so you can be prepared and avoid upsetting or angering your teen.
  • Choose the right place. It is best to try and have the initial conversation in a safe and private space, so you do not have to worry about potentially being interrupted or other people hearing the conversation. Your teen may react more angrily or defensively if they do not feel secure in their environment and are worried about other people overhearing.
  • Listen as well as talk. Undoubtedly you’ll have a lot to say if you suspect your teen of substance abuse, but it’s crucial to give them a chance to explain. There may be reasons for it, and it’s vital that you get as much information from your teen as possible regarding their situation so that you can both seek teen help drugs related.

 

Treatment for Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Teens

 

If you are seeking drug addiction treatment California for your teen, then Ignite Treatment Centers are available to help. We understand the care and attention needed for those suffering from severe drug and alcohol addiction, and our rehab facilities are ready to provide help and treatment.

 

How Do Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers Work?

 

Our rehab centers work to treat both the physical and mental needs of any teen needing help. First, the treatment centers work to completely clear out the drugs and alcohol from the teen’s system in order to cleanse the body and restore it to a healthy state.

We then move on to the next step, which is working with your teen to treat their mental state in a way that helps them understand why they might have felt dependent on drugs or alcohol in the first place. Through understanding what pushed the teen to start with drug or alcohol abuse in the first place, we can work to ensure that your teen feels comfortable in being able to move on with their life and not return to old, bad habits. It simply isn’t enough to clear out the substance from the system; to ensure a happy and healthy life for your teen, they need to understand how it started, and how they can, therefore, avoid it happening again in the future.

At Ignite Treatment Centers and drug rehab facilities, we have a variety of therapy and treatment options on hand to find the best route for your teen in their substance abuse recovery. We can provide help for drug addiction Vegas.

 

Call 866-604-7273 or fill out the form below to contact us.

Contact teen treatment professionals at Ignite for Teen Mental Health and Addiction assessments, admissions, verification of insurance benefits, questions, PR, employment opportunities, networking, and anything else we can help with!

Latest from our blog