Treating Teens for Alcohol abuse and Alcoholism Recovery

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Alcoholism Treatment professionals having only residential alcoholism treatment programs for adolescents cannot simply be scaled-down versions of adult programs. Adolescents are not simply "little adults."

Residential treatment is often the last stop for an out-of-control substance-abusing teenager. It offers a "time out" from situations that trigger self-destructive behavior, a chance to experience predictable and consistent consequences of behavior, an opportunity to participate in community, and for family bonds to be repaired.

Unlike their adult counterparts, adolescents in alcoholism treatment have more family difficulties, are more likely to have psychological alcohol damages, and are more likely to have attempted suicide. Their alcohol and drug-use patterns are also different. Teens tend to abuse multiple substances, while adults are more singular in their focus.

For adults, entry into alcoholism treatment is usually heralded by loss of hob and/or family, chronic medical problems, and/or encounters with the law.

For most teens, referral to alcoholism treatment is involuntary and is usually mandated by family, school, or the judicial system to free them from alcohol addiction. When asked in Intake what the problem is, the most common answers are "Don't know".

Once they finally get into alcohol treatment youth seek out and respond to different treatment modalities need to have their family included in treatment, and must have a school-based component if in inpatient or residential treatment.

Finally, most adult addiction treatment programs are not set up deal with the oppositional or acting-out behaviors characteristic of adolescent substance abusers. Fortunately, most residential facilities do not mix teen and adult alcohol recovery programs.

We hope the information here will help answer some of the questions and concerns of parents with adolescents who are in need of alcohol rehabilitation, alcohol treatment centers, substance abuse treatment, alcohol abuse treatment, alcohol abuse rehabilitation, and treatment for chemical dependency.