Substance Abuse 101
Here at the Teenline we have talked to literally hundreds of parents who
have been
concerned about their youth’s alcohol and other drug use. Many who contact
us
have either just discovered that their teen is using some type of substance
or know
that their child has been struggling with addiction and are looking for
options.
Some of the more common 'red flags' one would expect to see that would
indicate
a progression towards abuse usually can be found in all
aspects of a teen's life and
include the following:
Social Changes: There will
usually be a change in friends. Their social circle no longer includes those
they have been
friends with for a long time and they now ‘hang out’ with a different group
of people, people you may not even now or have really met. There are
reasons why you don’t know these people and if your teen is using alcohol
and other
drugs, chances are this new circle of friends is using as well.
Becoming more and more secretive and isolating
themselves to the point that you wouldn’t even know if they were home, let
alone know what’s going on in their life
is very common.
Emotional Changes: Certainly the
teenage years can be somewhat volatile and while teens are struggling for
independence and making their own decisions, their parents are often times
afraid of letting that happen. The two differences of opinion can cause
displays of defiance on both sides. But when a teen is abusing alcohol and
or other drugs and that has taken center stage in their world, use and
withdrawal symptoms such as mood swings and sudden changes in emotion are
enhanced. All of a sudden ‘small things’ that didn't seem to be that
big of a deal are now the focus of an emotional outburst. You're left
standing there thinking to yourself, ‘What is going on?’ If you try and
point out how irrational the situation seems to be, you may find out that
you are only provoking the already stressful situation.
Physical Changes: Your teen may be tired A
LOT and doesn’t seem to get enough
sleep anymore. They may have lost their appetite and you may be noticing
that
they have lost quite a bit of weight in a relatively short period of time.
They may
have started complaining about physical symptoms they are experiencing such
as headaches stomachaches, muscle or bone pain. Substance abuse is really
hard on the body both inside and out. Since a youth’s body is still growing
and
developing, having physical symptoms is quite common.
Intellectual Changes: So much can
change in a short period of time. When youth are abusing substances and this
has been made a priority in their life, a lot of interests, goals, and
passions tend to slip away. Things they were once
interesting in like school, sports, and other activities are no longer
important to them. You may notice that your
teen’s grades are slipping or perhaps have dropped dramatically.
Skipping classes or school entirely may have
started happening. They may have also been suspended for possessing alcohol
and other drugs or for being under
the influence while at school.
Other Changes: You may have been
doing laundry one day and discovered, ‘Hey, what’s this empty bottle of
alcohol
doing here?’ or ‘Hey, what’s this can of spray paint with the top missing
doing under the bed?’ or ‘Hey, what are all
these rolling papers doing in this drawer?’ or ‘Hey, where did they get this
baggie of pills from?’ These are all signs
that your teenager is more than likely using. I know some parents have heard
the, ‘Well it’s not really mine, it’s a
friend’s’ line before and honestly, if you are a substance abuser, you
wouldn’t be giving your drug of choice to a
friend to ‘hang on to’. It is highly unlikely that is the case.
So now what? This is your child
and despite what they say and how they act, they still need your help, love,
support and guidance. You’ve read through the previous ‘red flags’ or
‘warning signs’ and if you could identify with some or all of those signs,
you may be asking yourself, “What can I do?”. We certainly recommend
that you contact a local
outpatient chemical dependency treatment agency and schedule an alcohol and
drug assessment. Whether you have
private or state-funded insurance, the need for treatment must be
established before you can admit a youth into treatment services.
'An assessment is a thorough,
multidimensional, individualized interview performed by a Chemical
Dependency Professional to determine the diagnosis and recommendation for
the appropriate level of treatment. Most CDPs, at
outpatient youth agencies, are trained to work with adolescents, and use
screening and assessment tools that can
address resistance, denial, and other barriers to 'getting the true picture'
of what is going on with your child. It should be noted that youth,
when given a safe and supportive setting, are often very honest about
reporting their drug and alcohol use, as well as other problems associated
with the use. Interviews with parents are usually conducted as part of
the assessment.' As a result, youth may be assessed for any of the
following:
ADIS (Alcohol Drug Information
School): A type of early intervention, this level of care commonly
consists of an
8-hour class that discusses the physiological effects of drug use and
pharmacology of alcohol and other drugs. Some
outpatient programs will spread these hours out over several weeks. It’s
important to ask the agency how their ADIS
class is structured.
Outpatient Treatment: Usually
held in the afternoon once a week, this type of program works best for youth
who
have minimal problems with alcohol and other drugs but could benefit from
learning the physiological effects of
substance abuse, communication skills, life and refusal skills, and ways to
enjoy life being clean and sober. Random
urine analysis tests are also part of this level of treatment and if
substances are detected, a higher level of treatment may be necessary and
recommended.
Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOP):
Usually held in the afternoons three times a week. This program may be
broken down into multiple phases that would begin with attendance three
times a week and then slowly decrease
over a designated period of time. IOP is usually recommended for youth who
are chemically addicted to alcohol
and other drugs and need a more structured, intensive program. Random urine
analysis tests are also part of this
level of care and if substances are detected, a higher level of treatment
may be necessary and recommended.
Inpatient Treatment: Structured
with group and individual counseling, support group attendance, lectures and
assignments that are shared in group, and recreation time. Some school
credit may also be given for the
assignments and activities that are completed. Has a varied length of stay
depending on the level of treatment.
Level I Basic Residential treatment is typically around 28-35 days and
designed for youth who are dealing primarily
with substance addiction. Level II Secure Residential treatment can vary
anywhere between 30-120 days and is
designed to treat youth who are not only dealing with substance addiction,
but who may be dealing with mental
health and/or behavioral issues as well.
For more information regarding admitting a minor into treatment, please refer to:
A Guide for Parents
A Guide for
Parents (in Spanish)
Answers to frequently asked questions regarding
youth treatment.
