Treatment should address the needs of the whole person, rather than just focusing on his or her drug use. The best approach to treatment includes supporting the adolescent’s larger life needs, such as those related to medical, psychological, and social well-being, as well as housing, school, transportation, and legal services.
Full Answer
What is the adolescent drug treatment approach?
Each approach is designed to address specific aspects of adolescent drug use and its consequences for the individual, family, and society. In order for any intervention to be effective, the clinician providing it needs to be trained and well-supervised to ensure that he or she adheres to the instructions and guidance described in treatment manuals.
What is the process of substance abuse treatment for teens?
Teen Substance Abuse Treatment Process. Substance abuse programs for youth are broken down into a few main categories: detox, withdrawal and medical treatment and therapy. The first step of substance abuse treatment is detox, or when the substance is cleared from the body.
What is a treatment plan?
A treatment plan is essentially your map to recovery. It outlines the therapies you will participate in and the actions you will take to achieve sobriety and to build a new life that is free from alcohol abuse. Your treatment plan will specify your strengths and areas where you struggle. This will help to identify where you need additional help.
What is the first step in addiction treatment?
This will be the first step of your treatment plan. Support staff will help you get through the withdrawal process safely and without relapse. Often, medications like benzodiazepines are prescribed to prevent seizures and other dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Medication.
How do you write a good treatment plan for substance abuse?
Treatment plans should consider how substance abuse impacts all aspects of your life, including your mental, physical, social, and financial health....Here are the main elements of a treatment plan.Diagnostic Summary. ... Problem List. ... Goals. ... Objectives. ... Interventions. ... Tracking and Evaluating Progress. ... Planning Long-Term Care.
What is usually the first step in treatment for drug abuse?
Detoxification is normally the first step in treatment. This involves clearing a substance from the body and limiting withdrawal reactions. In 80 percent of cases, a treatment clinic will use medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
What are the four components of the treatment plan?
There are four necessary steps to creating an appropriate substance abuse treatment plan: identifying the problem statements, creating goals, defining objectives to reach those goals, and establishing interventions.
What are 3 options for drug abuse treatment?
There are many options that have been successful in treating drug addiction, including:behavioral counseling.medication.medical devices and applications used to treat withdrawal symptoms or deliver skills training.evaluation and treatment for co-occurring mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.More items...•
What is the most effective intervention for substance abuse?
CBT is often rated as the most effective approach to treatment with a drug and alcohol population.
What is the most effective treatment for addiction?
According to American Addiction Centers, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a valuable treatment tool because it can be used for many different types of addiction including, but not limited to, food addiction, alcohol addiction, and prescription drug addiction.
How do you format a treatment plan?
Treatment plans usually follow a simple format and typically include the following information:The patient's personal information, psychological history and demographics.A diagnosis of the current mental health problem.High-priority treatment goals.Measurable objectives.A timeline for treatment progress.More items...•
What is a treatment plan example?
Examples include physical therapy, rehabilitation, speech therapy, crisis counseling, family or couples counseling, and the treatment of many mental health conditions, including: Depression. Anxiety. Mood disorders.
What should a treatment plan look like?
A treatment plan will include the patient or client's personal information, the diagnosis (or diagnoses, as is often the case with mental illness), a general outline of the treatment prescribed, and space to measure outcomes as the client progresses through treatment.
How can we prevent drug abuse in youth?
Consider other strategies to prevent teen drug abuse:Know your teen's activities. Pay attention to your teen's whereabouts. ... Establish rules and consequences. ... Know your teen's friends. ... Keep track of prescription drugs. ... Provide support. ... Set a good example.
What is a treatment model?
The model proposes that the manner in which an individual views, appraises, or perceives events around himself/ herself is what dictates their subsequent emotional responses and behavioral choices.
What are the 6 types of drug dependence?
Within the above categories are six types of drug dependency: alcohol dependence, opioid dependence, hypnotics/sedative dependence, cannabis dependence, hallucinogen dependence, and cocaine abuse. Some authorities may recognize seven categories of drug dependence.
What is the first step of treatment?
In the early stage of treatment, clients may be in the precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, or early action stage of change, depending on the nature of the group. Regardless of their stage in early recovery, clients tend to be ambivalent about ending substance use.
What are the 4 stages of drug abuse in order?
While there are many factors that contribute to drug and alcohol addiction, including genetic and environmental influences, socioeconomic status, and preexisting mental health conditions, most professionals within the field of addiction agree that there are four main stages of addiction: experimentation, regular use, ...
What is the first stage in the cycle of addiction?
The first step to addiction is trying the substance. It can be as fast as taking the first drink or smoking a cigarette. Or, people may have used drugs in the past without developing a dependency, but are now moving on to a more addictive substance.
What are the 4 steps to recovery?
Here are the four stages of recovery from addiction:Treatment Initiation. The first stage begins the moment you seek help for your drug or alcohol addiction. ... Early Abstinence. ... Maintaining Abstinence. ... Advanced Recovery.
Why do teens need pharmacotherapy?
Prescribing medications during substance abuse treatment may help your teen reduce cravings, restore their normal health, or address any underlying psychiatric disorders (which is also known as a dual diagnosis ). Pharmacotherapy, as it’s called, is far more common in adult treatment patients.
How many teens use substances?
Around 75% of high schoolers have used addictive substances at least once, and nearly half of them — more than 6 million kids in the US — currently use.
How does recreational therapy help a recovering addict?
Recreational therapy (also called Therapeutic Recreation or TR) engages teen rehab patients in active leisure activities (e.g. sports, arts and crafts, games). Healthy leisure can benefit a recovering addict in several ways, and TR has an emphasis on treating the “whole person,” not just the mind. In the worst of a substance addiction, a teenager can easily forget how to enjoy life outside of drugs or alcohol. Recreational therapy encourages them to loosen up throughout the treatment process and helps them rediscover the positive traits of their personality. It also allows them to bond with other recovering addicts, and relearn how to interact with others in a healthy way. Along the way they may learn new skills, improve their physical health and feel a boost to their self-esteem and self-worth.
What happens if a teenager has a substance use disorder?
If your teen has a substance use disorder, the consequences can spread like wildfire into all aspects of their life. Some people who experiment with substances believe it “won’t happen to them.”.
What is substance use disorder?
The term “substance use disorder” is applied to people with destructive and unmanageable substance problems. Over the years, the medical community has updated the terminology as the treatment and diagnosis for these cases has evolved. An individual may “abuse” substances — overindulging in drugs or alcohol from time to time — or develop an ...
What are the best medications for substance abuse?
Medications prescribed in substance abuse treatment may include: 1 Opioids – drugs like Vicodin and Percocet that help numb patients to pain 2 Stimulants – drugs like Adderall and Ritalin that increase mental functions like alertness and energy 3 Mood stabilizers – drugs like Lithium that reduce the appearance of emotional swings
How long does it take for a child to detox from alcohol?
The human body will do this naturally, and it can take a couple days or a couple weeks — depending on the patient’s situation. Detoxing under the care of professionals ensures that it’s done safely out of reach from harmful substances. Your teen may experience withdrawal symptoms as well — physical or mental anguish from not feeding their addiction. By undergoing detox with medical supervision, doctors can aid them through any withdrawal pains (potentially with the help of medication).
What to do when you tried drugs as a teenager?
Don’t fall for it. If you tried drugs as a teen, be honest, but keep the conversation about what’s happening now and what needs to change.
What does it mean when a teenager abuses drugs?
Teens who abuse drugs do further damage to this portion of the brain, making it even less likely that they’ll be able to see the rewards of living a sober lifestyle.
What happens if a teen walks out of a rehab program?
As soon as the teen agrees to this idea, the intervention is over. If the teen walks out of the intervention and does not come back, the intervention is also over, but it might be rescheduled for another day.
What is intervention therapy for teens?
Interventions are deeply structured conversations that come after a significant amount of practice and are designed to help break through a teen’s denial and get him into treatment.
What to say to a teenager struggling with addiction?
It’s common for teens to shout out hurtful phrases like, “I don’t care what you think!” or “Who are you to tell me what to do?” Often, underneath the bluster, is a child who desperately wants and needs the help that loving parents can provide. No matter what your teen might say in the heat of the moment, she does listen to you. Parents are still the biggest influencers in their children’s lives when it comes to alcohol and drug use. 3
Why is addiction a problem in adolescence?
According to the National Institutes of Health, portions of the brain that regulate impulse control and decision-making are still in development until age 25. This means that teens are simply unable to make decisions based on long-term consequences, rather than immediate rewards. 2
Where do kids hide drugs?
Common hiding places for drugs include dresser drawers, between clothes, desk drawers, small boxes, backpacks/duffle bags, and under the bed.
Why Is Your Child Using Drugs?
Adolescents can start taking drugs for a number of reasons, depending on the person. Some are having trouble dealing with depression or other disorders, or with painful experiences that happened to them, and they use drugs as a way to cope or escape.
Underlying Causes of Teen Drug Use
As you can see, there can be many underlying reasons for using the drug. The problem isn’t entirely about the drug use itself, but about the feelings or problems that the adolescent is facing that cause them to seek out drugs as a solution.
Choosing a Holistic Treatment Program
A quality treatment program provides a variety of solutions that focus on the entire person instead of one or two facets. It needs to target different areas of the person’s life and parts of the addiction, and be tailored to each person through an individualized approach 2
Achieving Recovery Goals
Your teen can achieve recovery goals through different types of therapy, including:
What to do if your child is taking prescription drugs?
If you suspect your child is taking prescription drugs from your home, lock your medicine cabinet and dispose of pills you are no longer taking. . Search for drugs and paraphernalia. Some parents are against snooping, while others believe they have the right to look through their children’s things.
What is drug talk?
The “drug talk” is actually not one talk – it’s a series of conversations. Chances are, your first intervention will not resolve all problems – and that’s okay. But if you set a goal before you start talking — even a small one — you will know where you want your conversation to ultimately lead. Would you like your teen to see a therapist? Stop binge drinking at parties? Obey curfew? Come up with a specific purpose for your intervention, and then work toward achieving it.
Is it a sign of drug use in teens?
Note changes in your teen’s usual behavior, appearance, personal habits, health and school work. The teenage years are a physical and emotional rollercoaster, so no one change is a definite indication of drug or alcohol use. However, if your child has ditched their friends for a new crowd, let their good grades slip or stopped caring about their looks, these are warning signs that may be cause for concern.
Can a teenager be addicted to alcohol?
However, if there is a history of addiction in your family, your child is much more likely than other kids to become addicted.
What is the AACAP recommendation for mental health?
14 The AACAP also recommended that psychiatrists consider co-occurring mental health disorders, since the majority of adolescents with substance use problems present with a co-occurring mental health diagnosis. Recommendations made in the 2005 PP were limited by a relative lack of rigorous trials at the time.
What is integrated treatment?
Integrated treatment: a treatment approach that combines an intervention for substance use and an intervention for a co-occurring mental health disorder. Motivational interviewing/motivational enhancement therapy: a therapy approach that focuses on building the adolescent's motivation to reduce his/her substance use.
What is family system therapy?
Family systems therapy: a family-focused therapy approach that attempts to restructure problematic family interaction patterns associated with the adolescent's substance use. Functional family therapy: a family-focused therapy approach that integrates principles of both systems and behavioral approaches.
What is cognitive behavioral therapy?
Cognitive behavioral therapy: a therapy approach that aims to modify cognitive processes, beliefs, individual behaviors, or environmental reinforcers associated with the adolescent's substance use. Variants of this approach include cognitive therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and the adolescent community reinforcement approach.
What is urine drug test?
Urine drug test results (from substance identified on admission to treatment, abstinence from all substances, duration of abstinence) Quantity, frequency, or severity of use (of primary substance identified on entry to treatment and other substances) Days of use/abstinence over specified time period.
Which model of therapy has the most supporting evidence?
For behavioral treatments, AACAP concluded that family therapy models "have the most supporting evidence" and "individual approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, both alone and with motivational enhancement therapy, have been shown to be efficacious.".
What is considered a limited (or experimental) substance use that has not been deemed to be at least "problem
Sedatives, hypnotics, or anxiolytics (e.g., benzodiazepines, carbamates, barbiturates, methaqualone) Exclude limited (or experimental) substance use that has not been deemed to be at least "problematic". Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, other internalizing and externalizing disorders.
What is a treatment plan?
A treatment plan is essentially your map to recovery. It outlines the therapies you will participate in and the actions you will take to achieve sobriety and to build a new life that is free from alcohol abuse. Your treatment plan will specify your strengths and areas where you struggle. This will help to identify where you need additional help. ...
What is the goal of alcohol abuse treatment?
A good alcohol abuse treatment plan is based on identifiable goals. While the ultimate goal is to build a balanced life in sobriety and to quit abusing alcohol, this can be broken down into smaller goals. These smaller goals can be used to measure progress in treatment. Get specific with these goals.
What is the best medication for alcohol withdrawal?
Medication. In some instances, medications may be recommended to reduce cravings for alcohol. Antabuse (disulfiram), naltrexone, and Campral (acamprosate) are all FDA-approved to treat alcohol abuse.
What is group therapy for alcohol abuse?
Group therapy will allow you to learn from others who have also struggled with alcohol abuse. This form of therapy is still led by a professional therapist. Virtually all alcohol abuse treatment plans include both individual and group therapy. Complementary therapies.
What is aftercare in addiction?
Aftercare. The work is not done once you have exited a formal addiction treatment program. Reintegrating back into everyday life is a critical transition, and this is a vulnerable time in recovery. A solid aftercare plan can help to prevent relapse.
What are the goals of a therapist?
Specific goals related to therapy may include the following: Identify triggers that make you want to drink. Devise strategies to avoid or manage these triggers. Develop a support system where you can turn when you are tempted to drink. At the outset of treatment, you might not have a clear idea of what your goals are.
Can you use other medications for alcohol addiction?
Other medications are sometimes used off-label to address alcohol addiction. Your supervising physician will assess whether the use of medications is right for you. If it is, this will be part of your treatment plan. Traditional therapy. The majority of your work in addiction recovery will take place in therapy.
Addiction and The Teen Brain
Teen Addiction and The Family
- If your teen is struggling with addiction, she may try and push you away. It’s common for teens to shout out hurtful phrases like, “I don’t care what you think!” or “Who are you to tell me what to do?” Often, underneath the bluster, is a child who desperately wants and needs the help that loving parents can provide. No matter what your teen might say in the heat of the moment, she does lis…
The Need For Intervention
- Parents who hold short conversations about addiction and still see no change in the teen’s behavior may need to employ a more dramatic approach and schedule a formal intervention with the help of an interventionist. Interventions are deeply structured conversations that come after a significant amount of practice and are designed to help break thro...
Finding Help For Intervention
- As mentioned, at the end of an intervention the teen needs to enter a formal treatment program for addiction. A professional interventionist can help the family to find the right program. If you’d like help staging an interventionfor your teen family member, contact us. Our admissions coordinators are available 24 hours a day to take your call. Sources 1 National Institute on Drug …