Opioids are potent substances that doctors often use to treat pain. However, opioids are also incredibly addictive, leaving users vulnerable and struggling with substance use disorder. The CDC reports that more than 564,000 people have died of opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2020. While the CDC does not share data specifically on teen opioid-related overdoses, survey results have shown that 2.8% of young adults between the ages of 12 and 17 have abused opioids. If your teen is using opioids, a southern California residential treatment center will help them realize that they have the power to live life without using substances as coping mechanisms.
What Are Opioids?
Opioids are pain medications that support acute pain. Physicians often prescribe them to a person with acute pain associated with broken bones or surgery. Examples of prescribed opioids include:
- Morphine
- Oxycontin
- Fentanyl
When people use opioids in a low dosage, they make them feel sleepy and numb to the pain. However, when used at a higher dosage, their breathing and heart rate will slow, potentially leading to an overdose. Heroin, which is illegal, is also classified as an opioid. Like prescribed opioids, heroin has the power to make users feel calm, relaxed, and able to escape the pressure of their lives. When teens begin attending pill parties or stealing prescription medication to get high, it is time to seek treatment. An inpatient opioid program will support teens in learning how to live life with drugs.
5 Benefits of Residential Opioid Treatment
A teen using opioids for recreational purposes has a looming problem. Developing a substance use disorder often begins with a teen feeling totally in control of their situation and ends with them struggling to have access to opioids. A residential opioid treatment benefits teens because they will receive the detox, rehabilitation, and further support needed to remain sober. Below are five ways that teens will benefit from treatment.
Focus On Recovery
One of the most outstanding residential opioid treatment benefits is the ability to live without any distractions. In a residential program, teens can focus on each stage of their recovery without thinking about emotional triggers or peer pressure that would present them with challenges.
Access to Medical Support for Withdrawal
Deciding to stop using opioids is the first step. The second, remaining drug-free, is often tricky. Teens with an opioid use disorder will experience painful withdrawal symptoms that often make them feel vulnerable to begin using again. These withdrawal symptoms can last for a long period and include:
- Abdominal cramping
- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Headaches
- Sweating
- Vomiting
In a residential program, teens will participate in detox, which will rid their bodies of the toxins from abusing opioids. With medical supervision, teens can flush their bodies of drugs with much less pain. Medical practitioners will be available to administer medications that will make the detox process much less painful.
Therapy Options
Believe it or not, when a teen enters a residential treatment center, their substance use disorder will reveal underlying emotional challenges that need healing. At a residential opioid treatment program, teens will attend various types of therapy as part of their rehabilitation. The types of therapy teens will participate in include:
- One-on-one therapy supports teens in understanding their challenges and finding effective coping mechanisms.
- Group sessions allow teens to realize that they are not alone and have the support of their peers.
- Activity-based therapies such as music, art, dance, and photography so that teens can begin exploring their creativity.
- Family sessions will help teens repair and restore relationships that have become fractured as a result of their opioid use.
Professional Support
In an inpatient opioid center, teens will receive professional support from physicians and nurses who will help them navigate the pain associated with withdrawal symptoms. These practitioners will also help them heal their bodies and use medication to support their recovery. Therapists will also be present to help teens learn the best coping mechanisms to deal with the emotional triggers that made them want to begin using.
Peer Support
Finally, peer support found in a residential program is essential to recovery. Teens who are also experiencing the journey from active substance use disorder to living a sober life understand each other’s challenges. Through group therapy and therapy activity sessions, teens learn to support each other and deal with their difficulties. Peer support also offers the opportunity to hold each other accountable for achieving specific goals.
Get Help Through Destinations for Teens Inpatient Opioid Center
If your teen is actively using opioids, understand that this is a sincere cry for help. Teens using opioids often feel vulnerable and need to numb their pain.
- A residential opioid treatment benefits teens in so many ways. They will be able to:
- Undergo the detoxification process, making it easier for them to withstand withdrawal symptoms.
- Participate in rehabilitation therapy programs that will introduce them to new ways of expressing their emotions and dealing with their triggers
- Maintain outpatient support.
When a teen is actively involved in their treatment process, they will begin to see the purpose of the recovery journey. The Destination for Teens residential opioid treatment program is the first step in helping teens live life without substances. Contact us at 877.466.0620 and begin today.