Month: April 2016

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.

Talking to Your Teen About Drugs and Alcohol

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If you are looking for parent support groups near Fort Lauderdale that focus on teen substance abuse or addiction, you are probably wondering how you can talk to your teen about drugs and alcoholism. With a few simple questions, you can begin to understand how much your teen knows about these substances.

Watch this video to learn one approach to speaking to your teen about drugs and alcohol addiction. By learning what your teen knows about alcohol and recreational drugs, you can gain insight about what they have been exposed to and how familiar they are with these substances. Try asking your teen what they know about specific drugs, and if they’ve seen drugs or alcohol on their school campus. Ask them if any of their close friends or people they know use drugs or alcohol.

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.

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