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The Story Of Youth Addiction
Adults who are addicted to drugs or alcohol started off experimenting, liked the way the substance made them feel and gradually progressed to the point where they can no longer function without it.
The journey from experimentation to dependency doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, 85% of adults who are addicted started their lifestyle of abuse before the age of 18.
Perhaps one of the reasons these adults are still “using” is because they experimented at a young age, when the brain is still developing. Two areas of the brain are particularly important during the growth stage: the limbic system, which governs emotions and is responsible for the need for stimulation; and the prefrontal cortex, which helps to control impulses and make decisions.
Lacking inhibitions and fully developed reasoning abilities, the teen is a prime candidate for becoming addicted.
To compound matters, science has proven it takes up to the age of 23 for the brain to develop and mature. This means that experimenting with drugs or alcohol can do great harm to the brain’s developing circuitry. In other words, the more addicted a teen becomes, the more damage there is to the brain. If this dependency is not resolved during puberty, it is highly likely the teen will battle substance abuse for the rest of his or her life.
This is why it is so important to address teen substance abuse right away, and the best way to do this is through residential treatment — where the teen is removed from bad influences, placed in a 24/7 facility for at least three months and given the help he or she needs to shake the dependency.
The case for residential treatment
Many teens who become dependent on alcohol or drugs come from non-supportive family environments (even highly dysfunctional), as well as low-income or single-parent homes. But children from affluent backgrounds are also developing substance abuse disorders, mainly because they have the financial means to buy alcohol and illegal drugs.
Teens with prolonged addiction issues are also heavy users of the health care system (emergency department, public health, mental health and addiction treatment) and social services, including social assistance and police.
It is vital that teens be separated from their home and school environments, where exposure to peers, high-risk situations and other negative influences can cause them to relapse.
To be effective, a residential youth treatment program must:
- At a minimum cover a three-month period
- Connect with the teen (individual therapy based on the teen’s needs) and develop an appropriate clinical treatment plan using behaviour modification techniques
- Provide a transitional environment where everyone is focused on preparing the teen for the difficult weeks and months after discharge
- Include the family in the recovery process (rebuilding relationships and educating the parents)
- Provide a continuing care program for three to four months after the teen has been discharged, involving weekly meetings and regular phone contact with community volunteers who will act as mentors or role models and provide a direct link to the clinical staff
