Teen Addiction
Did you know that nine out of ten people with addiction began using these substances before they were 18? Or that people who began using addictive substances before the age of 15 are seven times more likely to become addicted than those who do not try drugs until they are 21 Teen Addiction
years of age or older?
While addiction has proven harmful in any regard, teen addiction can prove to have more detrimental short-term and long-term effects on the brain. Teenage brains are more susceptible to addiction and stress, as opposed to the adult brain.
Researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, Bita Moghaddam, explains that this is because, “the brain region that is very critical in planning your actions and in habit formation is directly tapped by reward in adolescents, which means the reward could have a stronger influence in their decision-making…as well as forming habits in adolescents.”
This proves even more harmful, due to the fact that the brain is still developing well into your twenties; therefore, any drug abuse not only stops the teenage brain from fully developing, but also makes them more vulnerable to addiction. Moghaddam further elaborates that the adolescent brain is, “more vulnerable to what goes on around them in the environment, to things that are expected to be rewarding, and could make the brain more vulnerable to addiction. Events or things in the environment could influence your next action more strongly in adolescents than in adults.”
Common red flags for teen addiction include:
- Changes in dress or grooming
- Changes in choice of friends
- Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
- Depressed mood or talk about depression or suicide
- Frequent arguments, sudden mood changes and unexplained violent actions
- Loss of interest in usual activities or hobbies
- Obvious intoxication, dizziness or other bizarre behavior
- Runaway or delinquent behavior
- School problems such as falling grades, poor attendance and recent discipline problems
- Sudden weight gain or loss
- Trauma or frequent injuries
If a loved one is suffering from teen addiction, call Treatment Alternatives today for a quality substance abuse treatment
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Four Best Ways to Stay Sober After Treatment
There’s no doubt about it, making the decision to enter into a Florida drug rehab in order to begin your recovery journey is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. On top of that, the day that you complete substance abuse treatment will be one of the greatest achievements that you will ever make.
However, the recovery journey does not stop there. On the contrary, this will begin a long life of important decision making that will prove invaluable to the success of maintaining your sobriety. When you first leave your Boca Raton drug rehab, chances are that you will find this to be one of the most challenging aspects of the whole recovery process. In order to ensure the continued success of your sobriety, take note of some of the four best ways to stay sober after treatment from Treatment Alternatives. After all, they have three decades worth of experience to share.
1. Stick to the recovery plan. Even though you may feel like you have your whole like under control, make sure to stick the recovery plan. This feeling just proves that your recovery plan is working, and the last thing you want to do is mess what’s responsible for your success in sobriety so far.
2. Put yourself first. Take care of your mind and body so that you do not put yourself in a position in which you want to make yourself feel better – and potentially relapse. Devote some extra time to yourself, considering how much your substance abuse put your mind and body through before.
3. Surround yourself with good people. A strong support system is one of the most effective ways to stay sober after treatment. Whether it is family, friends, or other people in recovery, make sure you surround yourself with good people who support your recovery.
4. Make sure you talk it out. One of the reasons why surrounding yourself with good people is so important is because you need people that you can talk to who will actually be able to help you. If you feel a potential relapse coming on, then it is vital that you talk it out with your support system. Your support system can include anyone from the friends you made at your Florida drug rehab, your therapist, your family, or anyone else that you trust to have your best interests at heart.
If you or a loved one are in need of quality Florida treatment for substance abuse,
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Treatment Center Must Haves
When taking the first steps needed for getting help for a substance abuse problem, you need to make sure that you find the right addiction treatment center that can help you get back on the right track.
But what do you need to look for in a quality Boca Raton drug rehab, anyways? Some of the main substance abuse treatment center must haves include:
Customized programs. Since not everyone has had the same journey, not every treatment program should be the same. Treatment centers with customized programs and a wide variety of treatment options available will help ensure that you are receiving the proper alcohol abuse treatment necessary to regain your life and sobriety.
Licensing. In order for Boca Raton addiction treatment center to be one you should consider, it needs to be certified and accredited by the state it’s in. For bonus points, the facility should also be certified by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). If an addiction treatment center has been certified by the JCAHO, it means that they have been inspected and approved the facility as established and trustworthy, and meets a certain set of standards regarding treatment quality, patient safety, human resources management, and more.
Aftercare management. Whichever addiction treatment center you choose, it should have aftercare management with recovery resources to help keep their post-treatment schedule on track. Patients also need to be able to communicate with their therapists during times when they feel especially vulnerable. The facility should also have group therapy sessions available, where those in recovery can come and get support from other people going through the same situation they are. An added bonus: a treatment center that has an alumni group which allows those who have completed treatment to stay involved with the facility.
Getting family involved. For most who have suffered with a substance abuse problem, problems with family members have also come as a result. Because continued problems with family members can hinder the recovery process, making sure that the family is involved in the recovery process will enable the patient to reconnect with them and lean on them for support. This helps create a foundation with plenty of support to help continue healthy family relationships and prevent relapse.
Accurate medical record keeping. Treatment centers that keep accurate medical records is vital to the success of treatment. All addiction treatment centers should have full documentation of any examinations, diagnosis, and treatment done on a patient. This way, if documents are needed for disciplinary or peer review matters, medical records can prove the need for substance abuse treatment.
How to Tell if You Are in a Codependent Relationship
More often than not, the loved ones of those struggling with drug abuse will do anything to help them. However, there is a fine line between helping and enabling. Those who constantly make excuses for the addict’s behavior end up codependent, ultimately preventing their loved one from seeking help at a Boca Raton drug rehab.
What exactly is codependency, anyways? Codependent relationships are a type of dysfunctional relationship where one person supports or enables another person’s addiction, poor mental health, immaturity, or under-achievement. Usually, the codependent has the expectation that their help will be recognized and that the substance abuse related behavior of their loved one will change.
While the codependent may have the best intentions in mind, this eventually does more harm than good. By constantly being available and always wanting to please their addicted loved one, the codependent becomes the accidental enabler. This worsens the substance abuse problem by making it easier for the addict to control and manipulate the codependent, further allowing them to continue to not seek substance abuse treatment.
How do you know if you are codependent? If you feel like you rely so much on the feeling you get from helping a loved one who is suffering with an addiction problem, then you may be codependent. This type of attachment is its own form of addiction; by feeling like they are fixing things, their dopamine, also known as the reward center of the brain, gets stimulated. This may make the codependent feel less anxious, cover up underlying issues, and feel more secure. As a result, an attachment turns into codependency.
Unsure of whether or not you may be a codependent and preventing your loved one from getting help at a Boca Raton drug rehab? One surefire sign includes accepting full responsibility for other’s actions. By doing this, you allow the addict to not take responsibility for their drug abuse, further keeping him from getting help from one of the many treatment centers in South Florida. Other signs that you are codependent include: ‘people pleasing’ without considering your own needs, having an extreme fear of abandonment, and neglecting your own needs or responsibilities to help others.
By constantly being there to bail your loved one out of trouble due to their drug abuse, you prevent the addict from taking responsibility for their own actions. If they never have to take responsibility for their actions, then they can never recognize the true effects of their substance abuse problem, and they will never seek help from treatment centers in South Florida.
For those who think they may be codependent or enabling an addict, call Boca Raton’s leading drug rehab center Treatment Alternatives today, for quality Florida treatment.
Social Anxiety and Substance Abuse
While it has been widely known that social anxiety and substance abuse are commonly linked, researchers recently revealed that initial drug use has to do with having social anxiety in the first place. The discovery could ultimately form better treatment methods for those who are suffering with social anxiety.
One of the key points that researchers and psychologists have picked up on include the fact that aside from food, water, and shelter, people need love, social belonging, and acceptance from others. Unfortunately, if these basic needs are not met, then it could lead to subsequent drug use, as well as anxiety.
In an experiment conducted, “almost half of the teenagers in the study experienced some form of social anxiety.” The experiment focused mainly on kids who had problems with the idea of fitting in, ultimately resulting in them responding well to exercises that helped them lower their social anxiety. The study found that nearly 15 percent of the total participants experienced social anxiety disorder.
Moreover, the researchers found that participants who were abusing drugs or alcohol turned to either substance as a means to alleviate their anxiety, as well as to take their mind off of their worries. One of the most widely abused drugs for teenagers in the study was, unfortunately, heroin.
Lead author Maria Pagano, Ph. D., believes that this is because “a sense of belonging is important to live sober and to thrive, and 12-step service offers a venue for those impaired by social anxiety.”
It has been proven that those who attend a treatment center for substance abuse while receiving treatment for social anxiety have a 50 percent less chance of relapsing or ending up in jail six months after being released from therapy. Treatment centers such as Treatment Alternatives in Boca Raton, offer dual-diagnosis treatment for anxiety coupled with substance abuse.
Unsure of whether or not you suffer from a form of social anxiety? Social anxiety is typically defined as a person who has unreasonable fears when it comes to social situations. “The sufferer is terrified that others will be critical, feel unprepared for the simplest tasks, or may lack experience in social situations.” If left untreated, anxiety can develop into a panic attack and exasperate an already developed substance abuse problem.
In order to prevent a co-occurring disorder from worsening.
Drug and Alcohol Use During Pregnancy: Get the Facts
It has been said time and time again that the joys of having a baby are unparalleled. When a woman becomes a mother, she takes on the world’s most selfless role, providing her baby with a healthy, loving, and supportive environment. Whether you are currently pregnant or planning on it, every mother wants a healthy baby. Treatment Alternatives, a drug rehab center in Florida, knows that the love between a mother and her baby is unique, and wants you to learn how you can create the safest, healthiest environment for your child by avoiding drug and alcohol use during pregnancy.Just because a mother may not experience long-lasting effects of drug or alcohol use, the same cannot be said for your baby. Health issues caused by irresponsible behavior can be passed down to your unborn baby, causing drug or alcohol dependencies, heightened stress levels, and sometimes abnormalities and development issues.
Learn the facts of the harmful effects of drug and alcohol use during pregnancy from Treatment Alternatives:
Not only are illegal drugs and alcohol dangerous to an unborn baby, over-the-counter drugs may have harmful effects as well. Testing on pregnant women is unethical, but despite the lack of official scientific studies, doctors recommend pregnant women avoid any OTC medications during their pregnancy to avoid complications.
If you smoke, drink, or consume caffeine, your fetus does too.
Cocaine may lead an unborn fetus to have a stroke, which could cause death.
Mothers who smoke during their pregnancy are increasing the likelihood their baby has congenital heart defects. If these heart defects do not kill your child, they will put your child through a lifetime of health issues and disabilities.
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause your baby to develop Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Babies born with FAS experience abnormal facial features, development issues within their central nervous system, and growth deficiencies.
The effects of drug and alcohol use during pregnancy don’t stop while the fetus is in the womb; pregnant mothers are also more susceptible to experiencing birthing issues.
Using methamphetamines while pregnant increases the risk of a miscarriage.
Using drugs during pregnancy increases the chance of premature birth, underweight birth, and stillborn births.
Babies exposed to drugs experience withdrawal symptoms, such as excessive crying and trembling at birth.
The damage does not stop once the baby is born:
Drug and alcohol use during pregnancy can cause your baby to be irritable. You may experience excessive irritability and feeding difficulties.
Cocaine exposed babies are more likely to have heart issues and brain damage.
In early childhood, these babies born to mothers who used drugs and alcohol during pregnancy will experience issues in the development of their brain structure. As they grow older, they will face deficits in cognitive performance, information processing, and attentiveness. Drug and alcohol use of the mother will cause the child to suffer from damage to the development of memory.
These children are noted to have behavioral problems in early childhood.
Treatment Alternatives can help you get on the right path in order to ensure that you are creating the safest and most nurturing environment for your baby to develop. If you or a loved one is pregnant and has a substance abuse issue, contact our drug and alcohol rehab facility in Boca Raton to
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Should You Tell Your Parents About Your Addiction?
Addiction is increasingly common among teenagers and young adults, who often feel like they have no one to turn to for help. Unfortunately, almost anyone caught in the grip of addiction will come to a point where they’ll have to conceded to some higher level of authority -whether it be medical, spiritual, or familial -in order to reclaim control over their lives.
Those facing an addiction may be hesitant to discuss it with their parents, for fear of lectures, consequences, or punishment. Some might believe that their addiction is no one else’s business. While it might seem cliché, Treatment Alternatives Boca Raton drug rehab agrees it is true that the first step to treating the problem is first admitting there is a problem.
Talking to your parents about such a serious issue can seem like a loaded conversation, but your parents are the most likely to help you when you need them.
Why should you tell your parents about your addiction?
Support: First, being open about your struggle opens the doorway for others to help you. When it comes to an addiction, it is seemingly impossible to beat it entirely on your own. Knowing you are not alone in your addiction can make all the difference in your path to recovery. Asking your parents for help invites them to comfort you, and find you the proper resources you need to get sober.
Accountability: Allowing your parents in on your recovery plan can help them to hold you accountable for your actions. Knowing that your loved ones are involved, concerned, and care about your recovery can help you keep fighting each day to reclaim your life. They can help you set your goals, and together you can help to work toward a new positive and sober life.
How Should You Tell Your Parents?
Our treatment professionals recommend clear and concise language. Ask to speak to your family in a private setting, and open with a request; you need help, patience, and compassion, and judgements and lectures will not be helpful. Be open with the facts of the situation. Make it clear to them that you are struggling with an addiction, you are reaching out for help, and would like to join a drug treatment program.
Keeping this in mind, the addiction treatment professionals at Treatment Alternatives Boca Raton Drug rehab can help you learn how to effectively communicate with your loved ones about your addiction. Contact us today for help.
Articles
What is an Intervention?
Teen Addiction
Social Anxiety and Substance Abuse
How to Tell if You Are in a Codependent Relationship
Four Signs You Need to Check into a Florida Drug Rehab
Four Best Ways to Stay Sober After Treatment
Treatment Center Must Haves
Commonly Abused Drugs in Florida
Top Things You Neglect Until You Choose Recovery
History of Methamphetamine Addiction
Are ADHD Children at Higher Risk for Addiction?
Is Your Teen at High Risk to Become a Drug Addict?
Why You Should Choose Outpatient Treatment
Everything You Need to Know about Marijuana Rehab
How to Tell If a Loved One Needs Help from a Boca Raton Drug Rehab
Open Communication Tips for Drug Treatment
For someone dealing with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, being able to communicate with friends, family, and counselors is an important part of recovery. In fact, talking through some of the things that may be affecting a person is a good way to prevent substance abuse before it gets to the point of addiction. No one uses with the intention of being strung out and alienated from everything and everyone they love. People often resort to drug and alcohol usage to escape the troubles that come up in their lives. Drugs provide them with what they believe to be is a way out. Unfortunately, the behavior that they exhibit and the resulting consequences of those actions is what leads them to the doors of the Treatment Alternatives Boca Raton rehab center.
Why is Communication So Effective in Drug Treatment?
Think about this for a moment: Have you ever had a bad day and just needed to vent to someone? Did it help? Although substance abuse is a bit more complicated than that, it’s important to understand that drug addicts have had many bad days and their outlet is the very thing that’s fueling their problem. At the Treatment Alternatives Boca Raton rehab center, we believe in open communication throughout drug treatment. As an institution that doesn’t discriminate against or condemn its residents for their mistakes, we pride ourselves on the trust that our patients have built with the staff.
For someone living with the burden of bottled up emotions and regrets, being able to express their daily struggles is a relief. Sober living is a goal that is difficult to obtain for someone battling serious addiction. It requires a willingness and desire to be free of any form of substance abuse and an ability to persevere through the stress of withdraw. Open communication allows the addict to remain mentally focused and much more receptive to treatment. We encourage communication with counselors and family members throughout the process.
What Open Communication Methods Can Be Used Before Drug Treatment?
Developing communication doesn’t necessarily have to begin at the Treatment Alternatives drug rehab center. Friends and loved ones of an addict can start at home with the following open communication tips for drug treatment:
- Begin a dialogue by sharing stories of regrets that they themselves have made and how it not only affects them personally, but people around them as well.
- Approach them from a place of love, forgiveness and acceptance. Addicts, especially those who have committed crimes, are judged enough. They don’t need anyone to contribute to the disdain and malice they are shown from everyone else.
- Address the elephant in the room. As much as it is important to not throw their addiction in their face with a judgmental disposition, it’s especially important to not patronize them and skate around the fact that they are using drugs.
- Talk to them with the intent to do just that. Don’t attempt to force them into a Boca Raton rehab center right away. While it’s obviously important that they seek help with their substance abuse, they may not be in a state of mind where rehab will be successful.
Everything You Need to Know about Marijuana Rehab
Did you know that marijuana causes a psychological addiction in about 11% of users?
Despite the common notion that marijuana is a “safe” drug and not easy to get addicted to, plenty of users end up needing the help of a Boca Raton drug rehab. In fact, marijuana addiction causes a number of problems, some of which include relationship, health, financial, work, legal, and family issues.
If you find yourself craving weed on a regular basis, neglecting important areas of your life, and continuing to use despite the negative impact it has on your life, then you are a candidate for a Boca Raton drug rehab. In order to better understand what to expect throughout an addiction program, check out this guide from Treatment Alternatives of everything you need to know about marijuana rehab.
Initial Assessment
When you first check into a Boca Raton drug rehab, the first thing they do is an initial assessment; the main things they are looking for are the causes of addiction, the severity of the drug abuse, and any underlying emotional or mental illnesses. Based upon the findings, a custom treatment plan will be created for each person.
Medical Detox
The initial assessment will be able to determine if a medical detox is necessary or not; if it is, then addiction physicians will be able to help you navigate through the marijuana withdrawal symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, cravings, headaches, insomnia, mood changes, nausea, and sleeplessness. If an underlying emotional or mental illness is diagnosed, then medications such as antidepressants may be prescribed as part of the marijuana rehab treatment plan.
Psychological Treatment
When it comes to marijuana rehab, science has proven that behavioral therapies are the most effective treatment for an addiction. Treatment Alternatives has a long list of therapies designed to put you on the path to recovery; some of our treatment methods include individual and group counseling, as well as alternatives and holistic therapies. Your Boca Raton drug rehab will help you address unhealthy behaviors, and in turn teach you how to manifest positive coping skills.
Marijuana Education
For those checking into marijuana rehab, understanding the addiction is one of the most important components to a successful recovery. Educational sessions will help users understand how marijuana affects their central nervous system, their mental health, and their decision making; by providing education on the effects of abusing marijuana, your Boca Raton drug rehab will help you make more informed decisions in the future.
If you have any additional questions regarding marijuana rehab, don’t hesitate to call Treatment Alternatives today for more information.
How to Tell If a Loved One Needs Help?
Addiction is a disease that can strike someone you love without you ever being cognizant of it. Whether the cause is a genetic disposition, a negative life event, or any combination of the two, the onset of a drug habit may become present in your household without you knowing it. If you are concerned that a loved one in your family may be suffering from addiction, then you should review these following signs that your loved one needs help from a Boca Raton drug rehab.
Secretive behavior. It is common for an addict to go to great lengths to hide their addictive tendencies from the family. Sometimes this is because the person does not want to worry the family, or the person is fearful that a member may intervene. Often, an addict is in denial that he or she truly has an issue and needs
Tendencies to lie. Someone hooked on a substance is consumed with the desire to continue the drug habit he or she has sustained. Therefore, lying becomes an easy task. If your loved one is lying frequently, then this should be a red flag that something is wrong. Pay close attention to the kind of lies you are told. If you notice that the person feels the need to lie about small details that are inconsequential, then that should tell you that the person is willing to lie about more prominent issues as well.
Personality changes. If your family member is a reserved person, and suddenly he or she is acting boisterous and rather aggressive, then this is cause for suspicion. On the other hand, if the person is outgoing and has transitioned into an introvert, this too should strike you as odd. Often, a person takes up a drug habit that counteracts his or her predominant personality qualities as a means of balancing out an overpowering trait.
Stealing. A person with a serious drug habit will go to any lengths to get his or her fix. Therefore, the person’s morals go out the window in exchange for values of using an addictive substance. If you notice this starting to happen, then this is a clear sign that the help of a Boca Raton drug rehab is needed.
Appearance and lifestyle changes. The change in one’s appearance may include an involuntary alteration, such as fluctuations in weight. However, the person may engage in some intentional changes also, such as style of dress, demeanor, and general attitude. The person’s frame of mind is likely being tampered with by a substance, and in turn it may cause the person’s perspectives about life to shift with it.
Memory loss. If a group is reminiscing about a past event that your loved one is part of, and he/she is not participating in the conversation, pay close attention to this fact. Memory loss is a common phenomenon with drug users. The substance is affecting the inner workings of one’s mind, and you can notice it when one’s memory becomes foggy. If you notice that this starts to happen with your loved one, then Treatment Alternatives is here to help.Loss of interest in other activities. Drug use is a consuming activity, and it takes up a large portion of one’s time. If you notice that a loved one has lost interest in activities he or she used to love, then this may mean the person is spending time elsewhere, forming negative habits. If this is the case, then help them get the treatment
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