Substance abuse does not discriminate. It can affect anyone. It does not matter your age or your gender, you can develop an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Teens are very delicate individuals who are still developing mentally. This makes them curious about many things, including drugs and alcohol. Parents should talk to their teens about substance abuse, but approaching this topic can be difficult. Some parents may lack the skills to approach the issue in the best way possible. Destinations for Teens can help parents learn the best ways to talk to their children about teen substance abuse. We also offer substance abuse treatment programs for teens struggling with addiction.
Talking To Teens About Substance Abuse
Teenagers are in the process of growing up and figuring out their identities and individuality. This often leads to teens testing the limits of parental controls. When teens push boundaries and experiment with drugs or alcohol, it can be very dangerous. If they experiment for an extended period of time, they may develop an addiction and require drug addiction treatment services at a very young age. Talking to teens about substance abuse early on can help them understand the dangers associated with drugs and alcohol. How you talk to your teen about substance abuse is very important. Teens have a tendency to rebel when they are told what to do. For this reason, parents should not impose “rules” on their teens. It will only breed resistance and strengthen the teenager’s desire to break them. Consider these strategies when you are preparing to talk to your teen about substance abuse:
- Explain The Reason Why: Parents often tell teens what to do without explaining the reasons behind their orders. When talking to teens about drugs and alcohol, explain why they should not abuse these substances. Explain why drugs are dangerous. Help them understand the consequences of abusing substances.
- Let Your Teenager Speak: Give your teenager a chance to express their opinion. This will help them feel like a part of the conversation, instead of making them feel like they are being scolded or punished. Allowing your teen to speak allows them to ask questions you may not know they had. If your teen is starting to use drugs, this conversation is an opportunity for you to intervene before they develop a full-blown addiction. If your teen admits to abusing drugs or alcohol, tell them help is available through teen substance abuse treatment programs.
- Maintain The Conversation: Talking to your teen about substance abuse should not be a single event. These conversations should happen often. Let your teenager know that you will be having these discussions on a regular basis. You should also let them know that it is an open-ended conversation and they have the freedom to approach you and discuss the topic with you. Keeping the conversation going reinforces your message.
Substance Abuse Treatment at Destinations for Teens
Destinations for Teens offers a variety of treatment programs for adolescents struggling with addiction or mental health. Our team of caregivers is sensitive to the plight of teenage victims. They will tend to their needs in the best possible way. Some of our teen treatment programs include:
- Residential treatment program: This level of care involves your teen living at our facility full-time. This gives them the opportunity to focus on their recovery. However, your teen will not fall behind in school. Destinations for Teens works directly with schools to advocate for your teen’s positive re-entry.
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP): While enrolled in our PHP program, your teen will attend various therapy sessions during the day, then return home in the evenings. Like our residential program, there is a strong academic component to this level of care.
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP): Teens enrolled in our intensive outpatient program will visit our facility for part of the day, participate in individual, group, or family therapy, then return home. Your teen will also meet with one of our pediatric psychiatrists approximately once a month.
Learn More About Teen Substance Abuse at Destinations for Teens
Drug addiction can ruin the life of a teenager and parents can play a role in preventing this. The first step is to talk to your teen about the dangers of substance abuse. If your teenager is already battling addiction, you can always enroll them in one of our substance abuse treatment programs for teens. Destinations for Teens can help you learn how to talk to your teen about drug abuse. To learn more about our programs, contact Destinations for Teens at 877.466.0620 today.