Inpatient Rehab for Teens

Adolescence is a time for firsts: first dates, first kisses, first car, and, for many teens, first time getting high. Unfortunately, the first can become the first of many.

The following traits have been identified by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University as being risk factors for addiction:

• Genetic predisposition
• Certain brain characteristics that can make someone more vulnerable to addictive substances than the average person
• Psychological factors (e.g., stress, personality traits like high impulsivity or sensation seeking, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, personality and other psychiatric disorders)
• Environmental influences (e.g., exposure to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse or trauma, substance use or addiction in the family or among peers, access to an addictive substance; exposure to popular culture references that encourage substance use)
• Starting alcohol, nicotine or other drug use at an early age

It is important to acknowledge that starting to use substances at an early age puts one at greater risk of developing an addiction. If you couple that with genetics, brain make-up, psychology, and/or environment, you have a teen drawn very quickly into addiction.

Teenagers naturally push against boundaries, attempting to live independently on one hand and depending upon their families just as much on the other. Because of this instability, the teen years are often a breeding ground for experimentation. Even a brief expedition into drug use can, especially for a pre-disposed teen, be the fast track for addiction.

Addiction

Teens with little to no motivation to quit abusing substances should be placed in inpatient rehab instead of outpatient.

Addiction is marked by the inability to stop abusing substances even when a person desperately wants to. In fact, the National Institute on Drug Abuse states: “Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain; they change its structure and how it works. These brain changes can be long lasting and can lead to many harmful, often self-destructive, behaviors.”

The teen years are marked by a desire to be in control, so having yet another thing outside of your power can be crushing. Giving back control is the aim of inpatient rehab. If you believe your child is battling addiction, don’t let them do it alone. Contact InpatientDrugRehabCenters.com at 800-430-1407Who Answers? to be connected to the resources you need to help your child.

Less Chance for Relapse

Many teens backslide if given the opportunity. Inpatient treatment is great at preventing this, as the process keeps the teen in treatment without giving the chance for reverting to substance abuse. The first step of drug treatment is detoxification, removing active drugs from the body. After that, inpatient care immediately builds on that achievement by beginning rehabilitation—often at the same facility—immediately.

Better Able to Deal with Low Motivation

Inpatient care is definitely the best choice when dealing with a teen that both has a long history with addiction and an indifference to succeeding in rehab. These teens are typically well versed in maintaining their addictions by hiding them from their family. These teens are often able to continue using during outpatient care. Inpatient care provides the oversight needed to ensure sobriety, which will keep them invested in therapy long enough to develop the tools needed to stay sober.

Should I Choose Outpatient or inpatient Rehab for My Son?

Comorbid Disorders

“Comorbid” disorders refers to two or more disorders that occur in the same person. These disorders may happen at the same time or one after the other. Comorbidity also implies connections between the illnesses that can worsen the course of both. Inpatient treatment is able to address all the present disorders in a substance abusing teens, allowing your adolescent to control any mental or behavioral problems, increasing their success at recovering from addiction. It is nearly impossible to achieve that level of care at home.

When searching for an inpatient facility, look for those specifically geared toward teens. If you need help, contact InpatientDrugRehabCenters.com at 800-430-1407Who Answers? to learn more about an inpatient rehab that fits your needs.