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For the parents of a drug or alcohol addicted teenager, knowledge is vital. Understanding their child's condition helps them better assess their needs and cope more effectively as a family unit.

At the end of the day, parents need good, trustworthy information about teen addiction.

With that in mind, Newport Academy believes strongly in educating families so that they can more effectively help their children. The information below represents key knowledge about teen addiction issues - including what you can do to prevent problems and how you can help treat them.

We hope this information provides a window into the life of your child, what they are currently experiencing and how you can best help them achieve and maintain sobriety for the rest of their lives.

Teen Drug Rehab

Although mainstream drug rehab facilities have the best interest of all their patients in mind, teenagers who are struggling with drug addiction need specialized care to achieve recovery. Teen and adolescent drug rehab provide a safe, productive environment that speaks to the unique needs of young people by addressing issues of peer pressure, depression, family struggles and other serious concerns that often lead to substance abuse and addiction. The following are some of the rehabilitation programs teenagers attend:

  • Cocaine RehabTeen Cocaine Rehab:  A recent 2008 studies show that 15% of Americans have tried cocaine and 6% or those have tried it before the 12th grade 1.  It’s a highly addictive drug and long-term use can reduce the amount of dopamine receptors in the brain. When a user stops, the lack of dopamine in their brain will make them sad and leave them craving more cocaine 2 (See also: Teen Crack Cocaine Rehabs).

  • Alcohol RehabAlcohol Rehab for Teens: Alcohol is the leading substance being abused by teens in the United States. Youths 12 to 20 make up 12% of all alcohol consumed in the US and 90% of that involved binge drinking 3.  When a teen’s drinking negatively affects his or her school or home life and also continue to drink even after several attempts to make them quit, rehab might be in order.

  • Heroin RehabAdolescent Heroin Rehab: Heroin is one of the most addictive drugs being abused and it’s one that user can build a dependence for.  When an addict with a tolerance for heroin tries to quit, that addict will likely suffer from serious withdrawal symptoms. In these cases, they would greatly benefit from detox and rehab. (See also: Opiate Rehabilitation for Teens).

  • Crystal Meth RehabTeenage Crystal Meth Rehab:  In 2009, 1.2 million Americans over the age of 12 had tried methamphetamines 4.  There are many street names for methamphetamines including: crystal meth, speed, ice, crystal and several more.  No mater the name or form, they all can increase a user’s heart rate and blood pressure as well as many other harmful effects.

  • Marijuana RehabMarijuana Rehab for Teens: Marijuana is a popular drug used by teens. Over the past few years, it has grown in popularity among teens. In 2009 6% of 12th graders reported using it on a daily basis .  While marijuana might not be as addictive as other drugs, it can take over a teen’s life and negatively affect their school and home life.

1. http://www.nida.nih.gov/researchreports/cocaine/cocaine.html
2. http://teens.drugabuse.gov/mom/mom_stim1.php
3. http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/underage-drinking.htm
4. http://drugabuse.gov/drugpages/methamphetamine.html
5. http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_mj1.php

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Teenager Drug Abuse

Rich or poor, in the city or in rural areas, the children of American continue to use drugs at an alarming rate. What makes teen drug abuse such a serious problem? In addition to the social impact of the problem, scientific studies have found that the pre-frontal cortex of the brain - the area that controls good decision making - does not become fully developed until an individual is well into their twenties. As a result, teenagers are not fully equipped to make good decisions regarding drugs and literally find the pre-frontal cortex of their brain overwhelmed by these substances.

Teen substance abuse is widespread across a whole range of drugs. These involve both highly addictive drugs as well as certain legal substances including but not limited to:

  • You might be able to spot a teen that abuses cocaine if you observer any noticeable weight loss, frequent bloody or runny noses and a hoarseness in their voice that’s not related to any common illness.
  • Teens abusing heroin can do great harm to their bodies. By injecting this highly addictive drug, they are at risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS or hepatitis; not to mention possible infections in their heart, liver and kidneys.
  • Teenager inhalant abuse or “huffing” is a serious problem since most of these abused substances involve common household products. These can include volatile solvents (paint thinner), aerosols (spray paint), gasses (whipped cream) and nitrates (video head cleaner).
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Teen Drug Treatment

There are certain elements of teen drug treatment that are unique to the age group. For example, there may be more of an emphasis on peer group counseling or family counseling with teen addiction treatment or even teen alcohol treatment - as friends and loved ones play such an important role in the individual's life at this age. Also, teen drug treatment tends to address addiction to the drugs most commonly used by young people such as crystal meth, prescription drugs, marijuana and other substances.

It has been estimated in a recent past year that upwards of 20.8 million teens who needed adolescent addiction treatment never received any 1. This might have been due to many factors including denial and avoidance on both the teen and his or her parents or simply that they didn't think they could afford treatment. Sometimes teen drug use is more than just a stage. It's important for parents to seek help when help is needed. There are several levels of treatment and as many options to help pay for it.

1. http://oas.samhsa.gov/nsduhLatest.htm

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Prescription Drug Rehab for TeensPrescription Drug Rehab

Teen prescription drug abuse and addiction is on the rise.  Prescription drugs are now considered the new gateway drug surpassing that of marijuana. By the numbers, prescription pills are the second most abused drugs by teens, marijuana being number one. These commonly abused pills include prescriptions for anxiety, attention deficit, pain-relieve or other medical conditions. Of those, painkillers are them most abused 1. It’s thought that 20% of the population has at one time used prescription drugs for non-medical use 2. Recently, 6.3 million Americans reported using these pills for non-medical uses, 4.7 million of those individuals took painkillers 3.

Newport Academy can help your teen break his or her prescription drug problem whether it be for opiods, depresents or stimulants. Here is a list of some of the common rehabs teens attend:

Prescription Painkiller Addiction TreatmentOver 50% of individual who used prescription pills for non-medical use got their pills from friends or family 1. No matter where they got them, if they are doctor prescribed or obtained illegally for recreational use, dependence for these drugs can occur. Once dependence sets in, a painkiller rehab for teens might be the best option to help break their habit.

1. http://oas.samhsa.gov/nsduhlatest.htm
2. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prescriptiondrugabuse.html
3. http://drugabuse.gov/DrugPages/PrescripDrugsChart.html

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Teen Detoxification

Detoxification is the first step in treatment for a substance abuse problem. One cannot begin the recovery process until the drugs and or alcohol are eliminated from the body. When an addict with dependence for drugs or alcohol quits, he or she will experience withdrawal symptoms. Depending on the substance and the level of physical dependence, these withdrawal symptoms can be mild to severe. At a teen drug detox facility, those that experience painful side effects while trying to quit can really benefit from medically assisted detox. This involves being prescribed other non-habit forming drugs to help ease the pain.  In addition to drug detox, there are teen alcohol detoxification programs for alcoholics.

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Eating Disorder TreatmentTeen Eating Disorder Treatment

Surrounded by unrealistic images of beauty, and often struggling with depression and anxiety at home, many young people develop eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia. In addition to the psychological damage these conditions can cause, they are also often life threatening - and can cause a number of serious health issues and even death. Programs such as teen anorexia treatment and teen bulimia treatment are all about rebuilding self-esteem and teaching the right life habits required to live a long, healthy life.

On the opposite spectrum of anorexia is the disorder of binge eating. While it’s not nearly as widespread or well known as anorexia and bulimia, more than 4 million Americans are thought to suffer from this disorder. Binge eating may be caused by depression or as a way of coping with anger, stress or boredom 1.  If the process of binging on food becomes a health problem or leads to a substance abuse issue, teenage binge eating treatment might be a reasonable option for recovery.

1. http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/binge-eating-disorder.cfm

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Mental Health TreatmentMental Health Treatment for Teens

Young people who suffer from mental illnesses such as depression, ADHD or anxiety are in many ways at a greater risk than adults because their brain functions are still developing and there ‘s a constant fear that they will develop an alcohol or drug addiction as a result of their condition.

78% of individual with mental illness believe treatment would positively affect their lives. However, 25% of individuals with mental illness feel society thinks negatively about people with mental illnesses and as a possible result, they don’t seek treatment 1. Denial is not a long-term solution and the benefits of rehabilitation often outweigh any uncomfortable feelings about what others might think.

Newport Academy can help your teen if they have mental health issue and or a substance abuse problem. Here are a few types of dual diagnosis treatments that teens come to Newport Academy for:

These speak to the root causes unique to teenagers and helps them cope with their condition in such a way that they can succeed at school and enjoy a healthier relationship with their family.

1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5920a3.htm

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Teen Drug AddictionTeenage Drug Addiction

Drug addictions can occur at any age and appear in all types of economic and cultural backgrounds. Impressionable teens are one of these groups. Teen drug addiction can become a serious problem when the warning signs of abuse are not dealt with early on. Many teenagers do a good job of hiding their drug use until it becomes a full blown addiction and begins to negatively effects their home, school and work lives. There are even legal ways for teens to get high that you might not currently know about. Parents should become aware of these trends and understand that it's never too soon to get help for an adolescent that displays any signs of addiction. Here is a list of possible teen drug addictions:

1. http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs6/6025/index.htm#Who%20uses
2. http://www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/methamph/methamph.html

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