Month: June 2009

Not My Johnny!

Recently I had to face the fact that my son lied. I have raised him to tell the truth no matter what. I have preached over and over again that it’s better to tell the truth up front than for me to find out later. I try to tell him the truth when he asks questions, because I’m a firm believer that you have to model the behavior that you expect from your kids. With that said, I have to say that I was shocked to find out that he lied to me. I went through all of the stages of grief; the denial, the bargaining, the anger, the depression, and finally acceptance.

He and his friend were online playing the video game World of Warcraft. Apparently, they encountered a “jerk” that was intruding on their game. Minor insults were flung back and forth. My son dared his friend to come up with the harshest verbal attack that he could create in his 12 year-old mind. Well, I was surprised when the World of Warcraft complaint came that quoted my son’s friend (It was offensive on many levels!). You see, in the cyber universe, everything you type is captured and recorded. After thorough investigation, I was convinced that there was a possibility that he was hacked, or that somehow mistakenly accused of a crime that he did not commit. I asked him to fess up, but he felt that he needed to lie in order to protect his friend.

He held onto this lie for a bout a week and I guess he just hoped it would go away. It didn’t though, and he finally cracked under the pressure. We assured him that the truth would come out and that the consequences would be worse if he didn’t come clean soon. I think he just couldn’t take the weight of anxiety anymore. I had hoped he would confess earlier, but the longer he waited, the harder it was for him to face up to his lie.

In a way, I’m glad this happened. It opened my eyes to the fact that human beings lie and my son is not exempt. At age 11, this is just the tip of the iceberg. As he gets older, there’ll be plenty of other things to hide, so I hope I’m better prepared for this reality. All parents hope that their kids will come to them when things go wrong (teen pregnancy, drugs, smoking, problems in school, legal issues, etc.). As parents, we need to promote honesty, but we need to be aware that secrets and lies are part of the teen experience. So how do you minimize the lies and how do you recognize when your kid is lying?

Here are some basic tips:

* Keep an open line of communication with your teen
* Don’t get too emotional if your kid lies to you, they usually don’t mean it
* If they are defensive, fidgety, avoid eye contact, pause when confronted, touch their face, change details of their story, they are probably lying

Be aware that “gaming” can be Habit forming and lead to a form of addiction. Adolescents that are lying about their gaming become powerless over this virtual world and their lives can become unmanageable. If you have a child that is lying or may be struggling with video game addiction please contact us so we can help find appropriate treatment.

Signs of Addiction or Addictive Behavior

Making the decision to send your teen to treatment can be a difficult one, but there are some signs and symptoms of addiction or addictive behaviors that should act as red flags:

Increased preoccupation with the substance or behavior, in which isolation and other negative consequences occur

Inability to meet responsibilities at school, work, or home. Drop in grades, missing work or school, behavior problems at home

She uses substance or engages in behavior even though it is dangerous, or in dangerous situations (ie: driving under the influence)

As preoccupation with substance or behavior increases, interest in activities that used to give them pleasure subsides

Tries to stop using and can’t, regardless of consequences. Engages in behavior even after consequences. Escalation of behavior problems may indicate loss of control

Life has become centered around using substance or behavior

A young person struggling with substance abuse or other addictive behaviors can feel completely out of control and hopeless. They may be resistant to treatment, or to the idea that they can change, which often leads to more negative behaviors. Addiction does not get better on its own. Adolescent treatment with gender specific groups for girls and boys provides a safe place for teens to begin the process of recovery. A sheltered environment allows for the child to work through difficult issues without the outside stresses of their often chaotic lives. Gender specific groups gives the teen time and space to heal, and better tools to deal with their emotions.

If you think your teen is struggling with substance abuse or other destructive addictive behaviors and would like a program with gender specific adolescent treatment groups and meetings please contact us today. Help exists.

Many teens exhibit rebellious behavior, or even occasionally make bad choices, but some engage in destructive behaviors that have seriously negative effects on their lives, their families, and their futures. Working with a troubled teen can be a very discouraging experience as a parent; the closer you try to get the more they pull away. Troubled teens may struggle with drug abuse, alcohol abuse, poor academics, behavioral problems, self injury, or adolescent and eating disordered behavior. It may feel like you are watching your teen self destruct without any way of stopping the nightmare. Fortunately, you don’t have to deal with it alone.

The most important solution is to seek professional help for your child. An intensive, therapeutic environment helps teens to restructure their lives, giving them new tools to deal with old behaviors. Professionals help guide teens through the breakthroughs necessary to help them craft a new healthy life for themselves. Equine therapy, art therapy, and specialized education programs provide gentle avenues to change. Individual counseling and group therapy in teen drug treatment addresses the root causes of self destructive behaviors head-on, and establishes a path to sobriety and healthy living. Family therapy and counseling can help to reestablish deteriorated lines of communication, helping families learn how to recover themselves, and to how to be as helpful as they can be to their changing teen. Sometimes teens need more help than parents alone can give them.

Visions adolescent drug treatment Center located outside of Scottsdale can be that extra help. Some parents feel like they are helpless in helping their teen. We are here to help. Contact us today for a consultation for your troubled teen. You and your teen are not alone.

Learning that your teen has a drug problem can be a very scary experience. Many parents in Dallas wonder what to do. An adolescent drug treatment program may be the solution. Treatment offers a safe and supportive environment for your Child to get off of drugs and to learn tools and gain the faith to stay off of drugs. Our staff- many of them recovering addicts themselves- work with your son or daughter to provide a compassionate and therapeutic environment conducive to recovery.

Many parents worry about sending their children away. One of the most important advantages of residential treatment for families from Dallas is that teens are put in a situation free of distraction- where recovery is their number one priority. Teens begin the difficult healing process in a safe place. Since everything we do is geared towards recovery, they will be offered opportunities for growth around every corner. Our clinical staff works with both teens and families to repair and strengthen relationships damaged by drug use, co-occuring behaviors and to help craft an exit plan for your child that will aid in continued sobriety. Deciding to send your teen treatment can be one of the most difficult decisions you have to make. You don’t have to do it alone.

Contact us today for more information about adolescent drug rehab

Opiate rehab is a solution for teens struggling with opiate dependence. Some commonly abused opiates include the street drugs heroin and opium, and prescription medications such as Oxycontin, Vicodin, Morphine, Percoset, Fentanyl, or Darvocet. Some opiate abusers also abuse synthetic opiates like Methadone and Buprenorphine. Opiates and their derivatives are highly addictive both physically and psychologically, often causing major physical and social problems for the user. They are extremely dangerous when abused and their use can easily result in accidental overdose.
Because of the highly addictive nature of opioids, opiate users often encounter great difficulty in successful withdrawal on their own. Adolescent opiate rehab addresses not only the teen’s physical detox from the drug, but works to address the underlying psychological and emotional issues that may have contributed to the teen’s drug abuse in the first place. Our therapeutic environment provides your teen with a safe place to detox, without the temptations they might encounter at home. After successfully detoxing from opiates, your Adolescent will work with our treatment staff both one-on-one and in group settings to address their addiction, and also any underlying emotional, psychological, or behavioral problems. Our scholastic academy in Los Angeles allows your teen to enter treatment without disrupting their education, and provides a safe learning environment. Aftercare programs like our outpatient program facility in Los Angeles provide a safe re-entry into the world following rehab. Our goal is to provide your teen with the tools necessary to not only successfully detox, but to achieve long-term sobriety.

If you think your adolescent is abusing opiates, or any other substance, please don’t hesitate to contact us today for adolescent opiate rehab in Los Angeles