Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatments for Adolescents

In the past few decades, there has been a dramatic improvement in the effectiveness of drug and alcohol treatment programs for adults. This has led to a widely adopted philosophy and a generally accepted methodology for treatment of these addictions. Tens of thousands of adults have turned from alcoholism and drug addiction to sober, responsible living as a result of these new approaches to treatment.

Unfortunately, the treatment of juveniles has not followed the same upward path. During this same period drug abuse and alcoholism among teenagers has increased at an alarming rate. Consequently many adolescent drug treatment programs have been set up to deal with the problem. These programs have been established by the same people who have been successful in treating adults. All is not well, however. Adolescent drug and alcohol abusers differ significantly from their adult counterparts. The carefully developed philosophy and methods that are effective for adults do not produce the same high rate of success when they're applied to young people.

Adolescents are, after all, adolescents. Adolescence is a precarious, volatile time in the emotional and social development of young people in which significant experimentation takes place. Teenagers do strange things as they sort through their identity formation. Challenging adult authority is an important part of this process. Adolescence is a time of testing, pushing limits and separating from parents and other authorities. Anything that will make parents go up the wall has a certain appeal to adolescents for that very reason. Drugs and alcohol serve this purpose nicely. Teenagers therefore frequently use alcohol and drugs as a part of their rebellion. While certain adolescents clearly become addicted to chemicals in this process, others abuse them regularly without becoming addicted. It is not easy for parents or other observers to recognize the difference between abuse and addiction. Consequently, many adolescent drug abusers are lumped together with their drug dependent peers in treatment programs.

Patience and care are required by parents and counselors. Don't assume that your teenage son or daughter is an alcoholic if the child comes home drunk. Don't assume that your adolescents are addicts if you find pot in their rooms. These incidents should signal you that a frank discussion is in order, however, and this discussion should focus on listening and not on lecturing. Find out what they are doing, whom they are hanging around with, what they are thinking and feeling about themselves and their family.