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Why the Teenage Brain Is Susceptible to Addiction

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Despite what many people believe, addiction is not a disease that only affects adults. The seeds of addition are often found in adolescence, largely because of the nature of the teenage brain. For this reason, addressing addiction recovery with programs designed for teen drug and teen alcohol counseling near Fort Lauderdale is an important part of breaking the cycle.

Watch this video to learn about how teens’ brains put them at risk for addiction. Research has shown that the DNA in their brains is more open to the addictive nature of nearly any type of drug they use. People who begin drug abuse or alcohol abuse as teens without any intervention are much more likely to develop addictions than people who begin abusing drugs or alcohol as adults.

Setting Goals for Addiction Aftercare

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Aftercare is an essential part of addiction recovery. After the initial rehab process, aftercare supports people in recovery as they transition back to their normal lives while maintaining the progress they have made. Setting goals is an important part of aftercare services in Fort Lauderdale so that individuals get the appropriate support for their needs.

For teens recovering from addiction, aftercare goals involve the whole family. These goals may involve a plan for helping teens return to school without turning to drug abuse in times of stress or a strategy for coping with peer pressure, seeing old friends, or visiting old places that can trigger addiction symptoms. Other aftercare services may include goals for ongoing counseling for family members as they rebuild relationships or address issues that contributed to the substance abuse. Each aftercare plan is personalized based on individual needs, but the common goal each plan shares is helping people transition from rehab to normal life with the tools to avoid a relapse.

Helping Teens Overcome Peer Pressure to Drink

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For teens, the pressure to drink is everywhere, and it can be overwhelming. Even teens that are committed to staying sober are vulnerable without the right tools to help them overcome peer pressure and stand their ground when offered alcohol. If you are concerned about teen alcoholism in Fort Lauderdale, help is available to get your teen back on a healthier track. To fight addiction before it starts, help your teen face underage drinking peer pressure with these tips.

Plan Excuses

It’s nearly impossible for teens to go out and not be faced with an opportunity to drink at some point. Give your teens the confidence to deal with these situations by pre-planning a few excuses they can use to save face with their friends without taking a drink. Your teen could offer to be the designated driver, blame it on his or her need to get up early for a family event the next day, or say that you always check his or her breath after a night out. When your teen has a ready-made set of excuses that stop the peer pressure but not friendships, he or she will feel more comfortable about saying no.

Get Involved

Know who your teens’ friends are, and encourage your teens to host their friends at your house from time to time so you can develop relationships with them. It also helps to connect with their friends’ parents so you can have a network of support in managing behavior, and so you can identify the parents that may have laxer attitudes about drinking. Being engaged with your kids’ friends and letting them all know your behavior expectations can take some of the pressure of off your teen.

Share Your Stories

Tell your teens stories about when you had to deal with pressure to drink as a teen or maybe about how accepting a drink led to bad consequences. Showing your teens that alcohol abuse, addiction, and peer pressure are situations you also had to face will let them know that they’re not alone and will encourage open lines of communication.

The Real Story on Alcohol and Drugs

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Addiction is a deeply personal struggle. Individuals become dependent on drugs or alcohol for vastly different reasons. Sadly, teenagers who suffer from drug addiction or alcoholism near Fort Lauderdale and do not enter rehab are significantly more likely to deal with serious problems with their educations, careers, and relationships as adults. If your teen is struggling with alcohol or drug use, make sure you know how to deal with the problem to ensure a positive future. Keep reading to learn some key facts about alcohol and drugs.

Most Teens Do Not Use Drugs

While some parents mistakenly believe that drug use is a simply a rite of passage that all teens will experience and outgrow, the truth is more complicated. While nearly 45 percent of all 12 th graders have used marijuana, only 6 percent use it on a daily basis. By comparison, only 4 percent of all 12 th graders have used cocaine, and less than 1 percent have tried heroin. If your teen is one of the relative few who is using drugs, he or she is likely to be struggling with drug abuse.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Usually Has Psychological Roots

When teens use drugs or alcohol, they are usually trying to cope with uncomfortable internal feelings. Teens may feel isolated and rely on substances to deal with feelings of depression or anxiety. They may also feel insecure or suffer with low self-esteem. In that case, teens use drugs or alcohol to try to fit in. Unfortunately, addiction can quickly set in.

Rehab Can Help End Dependency Before It Becomes Addiction

Teen substance abuse does not disappear on its own. Only support from family and friends and a comprehensive rehab program that targets mental health issues can truly help end drug or alcohol dependency before it turns into dangerous addiction. If your teen’s drug or alcohol use has started to affect his or her grades, social life, and relationship with you, it is time to consider rehab.

Peer Pressure and Drug Use

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Drug addiction near Fort Lauderdale is often perpetuated by a group of people who indulge in the same bad habits. As you will learn in this video, peer pressure is an especially serious problem when it comes to drug abuse among teens.

Addiction can easily happen when drug abuse is encouraged by a teen’s close friends. Teens often begin experimenting with drugs or alcohol because their friends use substances to ease the discomfort of social situations—or simply to rebel. Without intervention at the right time, drug abuse can quickly spiral into addiction.

Recovering from an Addiction

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Parents looking for family counseling in Fort Lauderdale for their teen’s substance abuse treatment may be wondering what the process is for helping adolescents recover from an addiction. Our treatment model begins by helping the client understand that he has an addiction and that there are other ways to live and socialize. We prepare the teen with the skills that he needs to recover and connect him with community recovery support programs. We also provide aftercare services to help teens and adolescents avoid relapse and to encourage healthy behavior.

The Bougainvilla House is an outpatient counseling center designed to guide teens and adolescents away from alcoholism and drug addiction. Our center provides a safe place for your teen and our professional staff is committed to helping all of our clients make a successful recovery. At The Bougainvilla House, our policy is to continue treatment for adolescents and teens that struggle with recovery by adjusting and assessing their recovery plan to ensure their success.

The Risks of Teen Prescription Drug Abuse

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If your teen is undergoing substance abuse treatment near Fort Lauderdale, you may be wondering what risks teen substance abuse can cause for your child. Rehab is one part of helping your teen or adolescent recover from addiction, but prescription drug abuse can cause long-term difficulties for your child and your family.

Side Effects

Improper use of prescription drugs can cause both short- and long-term health problems. Stimulant abuse can cause feelings of paranoia, increased body temperature, and rapid heart rate. Opioids, such as codeine and oxycodone, can cause nausea, constipation, and sleepiness, and higher doses can trigger breathing difficulties. Using any prescription painkillers or stimulants can lead to addiction, and abuse of these substances can affect one’s judgement and lead to an overdose and even death. If your teenager is combining different medications and substances to use recreationally, they are increasing their risk for health problems. For example, mixing prescription painkillers with alcohol can aggravate breathing problems and can even be lethal.

Sexual Activity

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that teens who abused prescription drugs were more likely to be sexually active, have multiple sexual partners, use alcohol or drugs before sex, and not use a condom than teenagers who didn’t use prescription drugs recreationally. This study examined more than 29,000 high schoolers, and approximately one out of every five students reported using prescription painkillers, sedatives, or stimulants recreationally.

Later Abuse

Other research has shown that a teenager who is prescribed prescription painkillers may be more likely to abuse opioids later in life. For these teenagers, those that have no experience with recreational drugs may be at greater risk because their prescription medication is their first exposure to an addictive substance. Researchers theorize that the relief a teen finds in the prescribed medication is pleasurable and done safely, and having a good initial experience with drugs is thought to be an important factor in developing drug abuse habits.

Understanding Underage Drinking

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If your teen or adolescent is dealing with alcoholism, consider teen alcohol counseling and alcohol rehab near Fort Lauderdale. Alcohol is the substance most abused by adolescents in America. Teenagers are more like to try alcohol than cigarettes and other substances, and often drink excessively when alcohol is available.

The Appeal of Alcohol

When your child becomes a teenager, they are likely to begin taking risks, seeking independence, and rebelling against authority. They are also coping with changes in their body while trying to fit in socially with their peers. They might start drinking as a form of experimentation, but they may continue drinking if their home or family is unsettled or if they suffer from depression. Youths may also drink to adjust their image, to gain confidence, or to cope with social pressures, and can develop alcoholism as a result.

College Drinking

When your teenager goes to college, there are many situations where they may find themselves around alcohol and others who are drinking. Our culture is inundated with images and advertisements of young people consuming alcohol, and campus groups often hold parties where drinking is encouraged, which puts students in a situation where alcohol can seem appealing. Approximately four out of every five college students drink alcohol, and about half of those that do drink also binge drink. Students report that they will drink alcohol to lose their social inhibitions and enjoy themselves more. If a young person begins drinking alcohol, they are more likely to participate in unprotected sex and to try other substances. Adolescents or teens who begin drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to develop alcoholism later on than those who wait until age 21 to begin drinking.

Prevention

Keeping alcohol out of reach and out of sight in your home can help prevent your teenager or adolescent from developing an underage drinking habit by limiting its availability. Educating youths about the representation of alcohol in our culture can help them prepare for situations where they may end up drinking alcohol or being around people who are.

Why Do Teens Use Alcohol and Drugs?

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Teens are especially susceptible to alcoholism and drug addiction near Fort Lauderdale. Sadly, young adults who begin using alcohol and drugs early on are more likely to struggle with substance abuse for the rest of their lives. With early intervention and rehab, it is possible to make a full recovery and get on the path to a healthy, successful life. Teenagers use alcohol for many reasons, including social influences, self-medication, and natural insecurity. Keep reading to learn more.

Social Influences

Alcoholism and drug addiction are so prevalent in teens largely because they are more likely to be surrounded by a peer group that pressures them into substance abuse. Juveniles can begin using drugs as early as grade school. If they are frequently left unsupervised by parents or teachers, substance abuse can quickly turn into alcoholism or addiction. Teenagers frequently encounter drugs and alcohol at parties and social events. Often, their pressure to fit in leads them to make decisions that they would never otherwise make on their own.

Self-Medication

Teenagers can also turn to drug or alcohol abuse as a way to self-medicate feelings that they do not completely understand. Mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia tend to surface during the young adult years. Teens may find themselves battling insomnia, unexplainable sadness, or feelings of isolation. Drugs and alcohol offer many a way to temporarily escape these unpleasant feelings. Even mentally healthy teenagers feel naturally insecure and uncomfortable with their looks, athletic ability, or school performance. Drugs and alcohol offer a way to cope.

Simple Boredom

Many young adults crave excitement and constant stimulation, which makes drugs and alcohol so appealing. If your son or daughter has few extracurricular activities or does not appear to be engaged in schoolwork or sports, he or she may seek older friends outside of school. Teenagers are naturally rebellious, so enforcing too strict of a schedule upon teenagers can inspire them to act out.

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