Helping your teen get off alcohol use

Alcohol attracts kids and teens from their high school days, as evident from most of them experimenting with the drink while in the higher classes. Despite the legal age of drinking being 21 years in the US, drinking during schooldays is quite prevalent. Though not legal and even unsafe, the experimentation introduces kids and teens to alcohol much to the dislike of their parents and exposes them to the risk of substance abuse. 

The consequences of teens abusing alcohol in their formative years can have severe health and legal implications. Exposure to alcohol at a young age can be risky as it can result in the person struggling with too much alcohol use and becomes dependent on it, which can have devastating effects on their lives. Heavy drinking can lead to severe ailments by increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke and liver disease, mood disorders, and some cancer. Kids are most prone to deaths and injuries from drinking. Moreover, those who start drinking as early as 15 years may be at risk of developing other substance abuse problems.

Your kid might need specialized treatment

To help your teen get rid of the deadly addiction of alcohol, you must be sent him or her to the right California alcohol treatment centers. Addiction among adults is quite disturbing, and when it affects kids and teens, the worries and stress arising from the struggle to control addiction can be quite devastating. If your kid is facing the problem, you need to arrange for specialized treatment that works.  The rehab centers that treat alcohol addiction among teens are entirely aware of what the patient needs and can create an individualized treatment plan that addresses the particular issues which need specialized treatment. However, before you decide to send your kid to a rehab center, you must be sure that treatment is necessary by looking for some definite alcohol addiction signs.  

Signs of teen substance abuse

Closely monitoring the behavior of your child will help to understand if there is some problem. Sudden and drastic changes in the child’s behavior that might turn reclusive and start distancing from the loved ones or hanging out with new friends are some signs of trouble. Moreover, suppose you observe that your child is experiencing setbacks in studies, abandoning their hobbies, and neglecting their health and appearance. In that case, you must be alert as your child might often be drinking. Significant changes in eating habits like eating too much or too less, change in sleeping habits, and constant conflict with other family members or showing aggression are also due to the influence of alcohol.

Either with the help of these signs or by gathering some evidence about your child’s alcohol use, it is time to help your child in the best possible manner by sending to one of the detox centers in California that treat kids and teens for substance abuse. 

Know where to begin

Before you start searching for a rehab center for your child by suspecting that your child has a problem with substance abuse, follow the guidelines of NIDA (The National Institute of Drug Abuse) that ask parents to seek help from your child’s doctor, a school counselor or even addiction treatment provider. Going through this round will help to assess if your child has a problem with alcohol or drugs. In the next step, a medical professional specialized in addiction treatment can gauge the severity of the problem. This should help to develop an appropriate treatment plan based on the individual needs of the child. The treatment will be specific for your child and may not be effective for others. 

Inpatient rehab or outpatient treatment

The assessment of the child’s level of addiction and its severity, and the duration of the problem will help decide whether inpatient rehab or outpatient treatment would be effective to help the child regain sobriety.  For milder cases, outpatient therapy may be useful, which might entail some higher level of care for outpatients like an intensive outpatient program or partial hospitalization. 

When sending your child for inpatient rehab programs, the duration of treatment can vary between 30 days and 90 days or more, depending on the patient’s specific needs. According to NIDA, longer programs of more than 90 days show a better outcome. The inpatient rehab program exposes the child to a structured and controlled environment conducive to leading a life free from alcohol. It will help to reduce cravings and the absence of provocateurs like friends who use drugs or alcohol will create a favorable environment that facilitates the treatment for better results.

 While in rehabilitation, the teen will learn about addiction the negative beliefs that drive people towards it. They will also understand the issues that drove them towards alcohol and will acquire the skills necessary to cope with addiction and move toward sobriety.