Teen Vicodin Rehab


Although recent studies have found that overall drug addiction levels among teens and adolescents are down across the United States, there are some drugs experiencing a surge in use among young people.   The prescription painkiller Vicodin is one such drug.   The need for qualified teen Vicodin rehab programs is at an all time high, as more and more kids are finding themselves addicted to this potentially dangerous drug.

Teens and Vicodin Addiction

How exactly do young people obtain prescription medications such as Vicodin?  In addition to the work of predatory drug dealers, there are a number of channels for obtaining Vicodin that have made the drug one of the easiest to get, including:

  • The family medicine cabinet. This is where far too many teen Vicodin addictions begin. Parents who do not throw away unused medication - or fail to keep them safe from children often find that the first experience with Vicodin comes within the home.
  • Friends and family members. Many kids who become addicted to Vicodin will steal the pills from the medicine cabinet of any home they visit - even trusted friends or loved ones.
  • The Internet. There are currently hundreds of illicit pharmacies operating online - many of which will sell Vicodin and other addictive prescription drugs to anyone with a credit card and a mailing address. Tech-savvy young people have put themselves at great risk working with these off-shore companies, as much of what they supply tends to be fake, expired or most dangerously, tampered with in some way.

Outpatient vs. Residential Teen Vicodin Rehabilitation

There are two main types of teen Vicodin rehab that every family who is struggling with addiction should know: outpatient and residential.   While both these forms of rehab are dedicated to the goal of long term sobriety for the individual, the manner in which they go about it can be quite different.

Residential teen Vicodin rehab programs are immersive options where the young person moves into the facility full-time so that they can focus entirely on their recovery from addiction.   These programs are designed to help teens who are experiencing problems because of their environment

Outpatient teen Vicodin treatment takes place during the day and has the individual staying in their home in the evening.   These programs are better suited for those who have less serious addiction problems, or can benefit from being home with their support structure during treatment.

What Happens During Teen Vicodin Rehab?

Most teen Vicodin addiction treatment programs can three distinct elements of care:  detox, counseling and aftercare.   Detox helps address the physical addiction to Vicodin.   During this time, the teen stops the intake of the drug so that their body has a chance to rid itself of harmful opiate toxins.   Counseling represents the "meat" of teen Vicodin rehab and helps address the powerful psychological hold the drug can have over the individual.    Individual, group and family counseling all help the individual understand the root causes of their addiction - and learn how to cope with things such as peer pressure, self-image issues and other teen-specific concerns in the healthiest manner possible.  Finally, aftercare programs help the teen readjust to daily life once drug rehab is over - and insure that the individual adheres to the lessons found in treatment in the weeks and months following its completion.