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How to Do a Drug Intervention with Your Teenager

How to Do a Drug Intervention with Your Teenager

Description: Let’s discuss the dos and don’ts of how to do a drug intervention with your teen. Learn how to provide the support needed to address addiction issues.

Summary: Talking to your teen about drugs can be difficult. Staging a drug intervention is even harder. We will focus on the practical advice on how to approach the issue of drugs and addiction and help guide you and your teenager towards a path of long-term recovery.

Introduction: We often hear about how today’s teens aren’t staying out as late, getting into as much trouble, or even using drugs as often as the teens of yesteryear. But that doesn’t mean our kids aren’t at risk. Over one in ten high school students have used illicit or injection drugs, like cocaine, heroin, meth, or ecstasy. Over one in eight students have misused prescription opioids. 

Furthermore, today’s designer drugs and illicit opioids are more likely than ever before to cause overdoses and deaths, due a flood of fentanyl on the black market. Drug use among teens is also associated with a much higher risk of sexual violence, mental health issues, and suicidal ideation. 

If you’re worried that your teen might be taking drugs – whether it’s marijuana or a lab-made party drug – you’re not alone. If your teen’s behavior has been changing rapidly, accompanied by physical signs or symptoms of drug use, then you might be thinking about staging an intervention and getting them the help, they need. Here’s what you need to know first. 

Dos and Don’ts of How to Do a Drug Intervention 

Drug interventions don’t usually hinge on a single successful intervention, but starting things off on the right foot can make a big difference in the long-term. It’s important to reiterate and be consistent with your priorities. What are you accusing your teen of? What do you want them to do? How are you planning to help? 

  • DO talk to a professional. 
  • DON’T go into an intervention alone, or without discussing the specifics with your family members. 
  • DO be sure that your teen is struggling with an addiction to begin with. 
  • DON’T demonize or come across as judgmental. 
  • DO discuss your treatment ideas or wishes with your teen. 
  • DON’T tell them to get help alone, or else. 

Interventions often go wrong when parents or friends approach their loved one at the wrong time, with the wrong attitude, or mismatched and vague goals. Be sure everyone’s on the same page and pick the best time and place to have an adult, lucid conversation with your teen. 

Talk to a Professional

Coordinating an intervention can be difficult, especially without any prior experience. If it’s your first time, it helps to talk to a professional. They will guide you through making a checklist specific to you and your teen’s circumstances, and guide you through the process step-by-step. 

Coordinate with Friends and Family

If you’re approaching your teen as a group, discuss what you plan to say and ask beforehand. There should be no surprises as to what anyone’s going to say, or how they’re going to act. If there are differences of opinion on how to settle the matter, deal with those differences before the intervention starts, and make sure you’re on the same page. 

Be Sure It’s a Substance Use Issue

Evidence goes a long way. Addiction is a serious issue, but some of the telltale signs can also just be a sign of a different problem, such as depression, insomnia, or an eating disorder. 

Don’t Demonize or Judge

Even kids know that drugs are bad. Teens typically aren’t going to shy away from drug use solely out of moral reasons – and telling them something they already know won’t help, except to distance yourself from your teen and take the moral high ground. Be productive with your approach, focusing on getting your teen to agree to treatment.  

Discuss Treatment Options Together

At some point, it may be important to draw the line and tell your teen that you’re sending them to a treatment place for their own good. But until that point, include your teen in the process of selecting and talking about treatment. It helps when they feel that they’re actively taking steps to get better, rather than being told what to do. 

Emphasize Support and Family

Your teen should know that they’re never alone in all of this. Addiction can be crushingly lonely, even if you’re otherwise surrounded by friends and family in your day-to-day life. Emphasizing that you’ll be with them and in their corner throughout the treatment process can help, especially if you choose to get involved in treatments, such as through family therapy. 

Substance Abuse Treatment with Visions

Drug interventions are often the first step towards long-term teen addiction recovery – and the first step for a family or group of friends to begin their journey as a support network for their loved one. As such, many people often have questions about staging an intervention, and the steps that follow. At Visions, we hear many such questions. 

Many parents wonder what common mistakes to avoid during a drug intervention with a teen. An important one is not to treat it as an opportunity to lecture. Drug addiction may be a serious mistake, but it’s a mistake nonetheless, and not one that most people – especially teens – ever consciously choose to make. While it might feel good to get certain things off your chest, talking down to your teen can actively hurt your relationship during recovery, and undermine your ability to support them. 

Another big question is how to be sure that it’s an addiction problem. This one is tough to answer. A specialist will be better able to help you figure out what you might want to do, given your circumstances or specific information. General tips include taking notes of changes in behavior, keeping stock of potential substances in the house (such as prescription pills), and if you’re up for snooping around, looking for potential hiding places around the house. 

Finally, parents often wonder what comes next after a drug intervention. Most of the time, the initial intervention is basically a conversation – which is followed by another conversation, and another. The goals might change over time. For some parents, it’ll be to see noticeable improvements in their teen’s behavior and promises to stop using. Sometimes, drug use doesn’t automatically mean drug addiction. In other cases, however, treatment may be necessary if a teen needs help. The goal, then, would be to find a treatment center or clinic that they’re comfortable with, or are willing to go to. 

You don’t always need to ask your teens to go to rehab. In many cases, an outpatient program can provide enough support for your teen to successfully recover from addiction. To find out more, check out our intensive outpatient program for adolescents at Visions. 

Conclusion

Whether it’s the initial intervention or a subsequent intervention after a relapse, it’s important to set goals and keep an eye out for potential treatment programs for teens. Setting up an initial intervention can be daunting, and it’s normal to be worried about adverse outcomes or negative reactions. It helps to work with a professional through every step of the way, and to have a clear goal in mind – such as an outpatient treatment program. If you want to learn more about planning and setting up a drug intervention for your teen, contact us at Visions. 

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Mental Health

How Does Social Media Affect Teens Mental Health

Teens today are as social online as they are offline, if not more so – but how does social media affect teens’ mental health? 

There is no question as to the importance of the Internet in our modern world. Especially with the dawn of the smartphone – effectively a handheld computer – most Americans have become reachable at virtually any point, through a variety of channels. Yet few people fully appreciate the degree to which the digital world has successfully integrated itself into our social lives, to the point that, for many children and teens, it often replaces other classic social surroundings such as libraries, cafes, bookstores, and parks. 

In fact, researchers state that even certain markers for civic engagement are on the decline. People seem less involved with their local communities than perhaps ever before. 

It’s not all bad, though. The Internet has enabled smaller, fragmented communities to reach out to one another across state and national borders. Never has communication between individuals been so seamless, or so widespread. For teens today, that means meeting people from different cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds, and having unique and enriching experiences via social media, and other forms of online communication. When used properly, social media platforms can and do enable teens to have healthy social interactions with people from all walks of life. 

But how does the ability to connect to nearly everyone and everything – and view a nearly endless stream of media and information in the process – impact mental health? 

How Does Social Media Affect Teens Mental Health?

Teens today are reporting higher rates of depression, anxiety, and ADHD, among other mental health issues that are steadily increasing. More than 4 in 10 students expressed that they felt persistently hopeless in 2021, and up to 1 in 5 students seriously considered attempting suicide. Some researchers have been calling it a mental health crisis, or a teen mental health epidemic for years. 

Are teens today more willing to admit to mental health issues than previous generations? Probably. Just as rates of mental health problems have been on the rise, so too has the public’s understanding and awareness of issues like depression and anxiety, and the general public’s willingness to recognize a depressive disorder or anxiety disorder as a medical condition, rather than a personal fault. 

Yet destigmatization isn’t the only reason that teens today seem more affected by mental health issues. Increases in suicide and suicidal ideation cannot be explained by a greater willingness to discuss mental health issues. While social, economic, and academic pressures for today’s teens are notable, previous generations had their fair share of economic and social issues as well, and studies show that teens today spend on average less time studying and doing schoolwork than in the 1990s.  

The most common outlier, then, is modern technology. Does that mean the smartphone, the Internet, or social media specifically are causing an epidemic in teen mental health issues? Not necessarily – but research does suggest that excessive use of social media platforms can be an exacerbating risk factor for teens who were already at risk of conditions like depression or anxiety. 

Is Your Teen Using Social Media Responsibly? 

Social media platforms are built to show us what we want – or at least, what we are most likely to engage with. This content is not always positive, and for many teens at a particularly vulnerable stage in their personal development, it can be formative in a negative way. 

Even social media giants like Meta silently acknowledged the potential impact of their algorithms on teen mental health, such as negatively affecting young girls’ self-esteem and even contributing to rates of eating disorders and depression as a result of how platforms like Instagram recommend potentially harmful or triggering content to teens. 

In the same way a slew of advertisements, Hollywood movies, and beauty magazines might promote a single beauty standard that not all teens can relate to, social media can promote harmful trends through its content algorithm, which prioritizes popularity and contentiousness (i.e., user engagement) over the quality or potential harm and impact of the content on the end user. 

Some researchers have also found a link between the amount of time teens spend on social media, and the impact it might have on them. But that doesn’t mean that there is a definitive amount of screen time that every teen should or must limit themselves to for a positive or healthy self-image. 

Is Social Media Harmful to Teens?

It’s important to temper these findings with the understanding that not all teens are negatively affected by social media. While a staggering 95 percent of teens have spent some time on YouTube, only about one in five teens say that they use the YouTube app “constantly”. TikTok, which has seen massive growth in recent years, has been visited by at least 67 percent of teens, but only 16 percent visit the app every day. 

There’s no research that specifically asks whether teens who use these platforms every day are also at an increased risk of developing mental health issues, nor does the correlation mean that platforms like YouTube and TikTok are causing mental health problems. In many cases, it’s important to consider other risk factors, or look at the individual context. 

At what point does spending time on a social media platform stop being conducive towards personal development and quenching a natural curiosity, and become indicative of something more pathological? The line is probably drawn somewhere else for every person. Consider what your teen does with their time, and whether they seem fulfilled, or happy. Social media offers teens the opportunity to spend time with their friends or meet new people virtually – as well as consume content produced all over the world. 

Are these teens spending more time online than their peers because of social anxiety issues? Are they uncomfortable with meeting people outside, or do they view platforms like YouTube as a virtual escape? 

Conclusion

If you’re worried about your teen’s mental health, or the wellbeing of a friend or close loved one, then it’s important to take action. Whether or not their social media use plays a role in their behavior or symptoms, consider talking with a professional. We at Visions specialize in helping teens through our teen mental health treatment programs, for a variety of conditions, including major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and trauma disorders. 

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Anxiety Depression

8 Common Signs of Teen Anxiety and Depression

Teen anxiety and depression rates continue to rise, yet remarkably few teens are getting the help they need. Studies show that, despite improvements in the general public’s understanding of mental health issues and their prevalence, especially among younger generations, roughly 6 in 10 teens are getting help for their symptoms, and systemic reviews show that stigma remains rampant – both on the individual, internalized level, as well as widespread institutionalized stigma. 

Recognizing teen anxiety and depression is the first step to getting your teen friends or loved ones the help they need. Some of the signs and symptoms of teen anxiety and depression can be surprising or overwhelming, and it can be difficult to figure out when or where to get help. 

Common Signs of Teen Anxiety and Depression

Adolescence can be a difficult and confusing time, especially in the modern world. Teens today have access to more information and data than ever before. Furthermore, our understanding of mental health as a general public has improved, meaning more teens today are able to articulate and name their feelings, rather than living with an unnamed malaise or unease. 

But that hasn’t made dealing with or living with an anxiety disorder or a depressive disorder any easier. Whether through external stressors – such as social media, academic pressure, or world events – or internal stressors, anxiety-prone teens may find themselves struggling with their symptoms more and more as they transition toward adulthood. Now is the most crucial time to begin working on ways to manage and reduce those symptoms. 

1. Sleep Disturbances and Insomnia

It’s not unusual for teens to stay up a little late or pull the occasional one-nighter. But in addition to generally not sleeping enough, teens with anxiety problems or recurring episodes of depression are more likely to struggle with their sleeping schedule, sometimes experiencing long periods of sleeplessness or insomnia. 

This can become a vicious cycle. Sleep is crucial for both mental and physical well-being, and poor sleep correlates heavily to poorer mental health, as well as serious cognitive and physical deficits. 

2. Changes in Appetite and Weight

Changes in weight and appetite are normal for teens, especially as they go through puberty. But rapid and sudden weight gain or weight loss – often to an extreme degree – may be a sign of something else, especially in conjunction with other symptoms of stress or strange moods. 

3. Physical and Mental Fatigue

Being tired is one thing, but overwhelming fatigue is another. Teens with anxiety or depressive symptoms often struggle with both physical and mental malaise, such as brain fog, a loss of focus or an inability to concentrate, chronic procrastination, inability to remember things as well as before, and a seeming loss or lack of energy in most physical endeavors. It’s easy to blame this on teenage laziness, but research tells us that many instances of so-called laziness are often a sign of something else, instead. 

4. Irritability and Anger Issues

Anxiety and depression are associated with fear, apathy, or sadness – but they can also inspire episodes of anger, confusion, and restless frustration. If your teen is struggling with emotional control and experiencing episodes of frustration out of nowhere, there may be more behind-the-scenes than typical teenage mood changes. 

5. Unexplained Guilt and Sadness

Depression is often associated with heavy feelings of guilt, as well as a negative self-image, poor self-esteem, and the tendency to reflect on the past negatively – undervaluing or completely forgetting positive experiences and focusing solely on the bad. 

Learning to deal with these emotions can be extremely difficult, especially alone, and they can lead to a spiral of negative introspection. 

6. Recurring Fears and Blanketed Worries

It’s normal to be stressed out about school, relationships, societal expectations, or the challenges of growing into an adult. 

Even when asking other adults, it’s hard to change the fact that no two generations grow up in the same world, so your parents and grandparents don’t always have the answers you feel you need. 

But anxiety disorders are different from the usual fare of worries and fears. 

These are irrational and overwhelming symptoms of physical and emotional stress, sometimes for very specific and isolated reasons, and sometimes for absolutely no reason at all. Dealing with that anxiety when you can’t identify where it’s coming from – or when you can’t begin to address its origins – is terrifying and frustrating. 

7. Panic Attacks

Panic attacks are more severe and immediate forms of anxiety, usually involving severe physical symptoms such as sudden sweating, heart palpitations, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and hyperventilation. Panic attacks can be painful, and last several minutes. They can be triggered or occur out of the blue sometimes. If panic attacks occur frequently, they become a panic disorder. 

8. Thoughts of Self-Harm

Thoughts of self-harm can be motivated by suicidal ideation or exist entirely separately from any feelings of suicide (non-suicidal self-harm). Oftentimes, teens who engage in self-harm aren’t trying to die or punish themselves, but want to feel something, substituting a sense of pleasure or fulfillment with pain. Self-harm often coexists with feelings of depression or another mental health problem. 

Teen Anxiety and Depression Treatment

At our treatment facility, we are frequently asked about teen anxiety and depression. Parents, other family members, and friends want to know more about these conditions and how they affect their loved ones. 

A lot of people ask about triggers. Certain things can be “triggering”, in that they cause someone to feel uncomfortable, or anxious. But these triggers differ from one individual to the next. Think about how your teen responds to your words and actions and keep them in mind for the future. 

Lifestyle changes can help with certain cases of anxiety and depression, but they don’t replace a holistic treatment plan – they are one part of a greater, more effective whole. Unfortunately, suggesting that a single lifestyle change or lifestyle plan might end a teen’s depression is often condescending and unhelpful. 

Sometimes, parents and friends are worried about their involvement in the treatment process, and whether they can or should insert themselves in the treatment plan. There are many different forms of family therapy that are designed explicitly to help integrate the family into the treatment of a teen’s mental health issues, as well as addressing underlying family dynamics that might be affecting a teen negatively and promoting support within the family and community. 

Have you or a loved one been experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression? Do you want to learn more about treating teen anxiety and depression? Get in touch with us today at Visions Treatment Centers to talk with a qualified professional and navigate through your options for diagnosis and treatment.  

Conclusion

Seeking treatment while struggling with anxiety or depression may be less than straightforward; especially for teens feeling lost, unseen, and unheard. Learning to see the warning signs in your loved ones can be an important first step towards getting them the help they need. 

Categories
Marijuana

The Signs and Side Effects of Dabbing

If you’ve ever had a foot in the door of modern marijuana culture, you might have heard about the hype surrounding dabbing and might be worried about the potential side effects of dabbing, especially versus other forms of marijuana consumption. 

In essence, a dab is a small amount of concentrated cannabis consumed via a specialized device or homemade dabbing setup. Dabbing involves the use of cannabis rosin, the distilled concentration of a cannabis bud’s sap, usually through a heating element like an iron, or more sophisticated methods, such as extracting the oil through a pressurized, high-temperature setup. It’s named a dab because all it takes is just a small amount or a “dab”. 

To someone with a lot of experience smoking pot, dabbing might be considered a “step up”, as it isolates the psychoactive element of cannabis, THC. Among inexperienced or first-time users, the results of a dab will usually be different and more severe than a blunt or a joint. However, teens and adults who regularly dab are consuming much higher amounts of THC than most. The side effects of dabbing may range from a potent but short-term high to an increase in anxiety, or even dissociation, psychosis, and an increased risk of addiction. 

Common Side Effects of Dabbing

To bring it to a point, dabbing involves the consumption of concentrated cannabis, utilizing a fairly simple method (usually heating a dried bud or flower) to extract and smoke a sticky resin with a much higher concentration of THC than normal.

The use of THC can make operating heavy machinery – like driving a car – dangerous and life-threatening. It can also affect memory and problem-solving, with both short-term and long-term negative effects on cognition after long use. 

While not a hallucinogen, high levels of THC have also been linked to exacerbating the risk of an episode of psychosis. THC use can be dangerous for teens or people with a history of dissociative disorders or conditions such as schizophrenia. In even larger doses – which is hard to do with the raw plant, but much easier to do with dabbing – the use of THC can even result in hallucinations and a loss of personal identity

How To Identify a Dabbing Setup

There are dedicated products and paraphernalia designed to facilitate dabbing, whether to help convert the wax or “shatter” (a glass-like form of concentrated marijuana) into its inhalable vapor, or to help extract wax or cannabis rosin from a bud or plant. 

Something to watch out for is a dab rig. This usually involves a glass pipe with a metal element for heating. A blowtorch or lighter is used to heat the metal until it becomes red hot, at which point the concentrate can be applied to the metal, and the resulting vapors can be inhaled through the glass. A metal tool, like a dental pick or dental scraper, is used to apply the dab to the heated metal on the rig. 

Certain dabbing pens are designed to heat a dab when inserted into the pen and look much like any other form of vape or e-cigarette. In these cases, it’s important to keep an eye out for extraction tools or a small vial or case of concentrate. 

On the most basic level, teens can create marijuana wax with household objects, such as a flat iron and some parchment paper. More advanced and dangerous forms of extraction include butane hash oil extraction. Both a heating element and a pressurized vacuum are required, making it an involved and volatile process, with multiple instances of property damage, injury, and even death due to butane canister explosions. 

What Are the Special Risks of Dabbing? 

For those who willingly go through the trouble of dabbing, the touted benefits from a consumer standpoint include a stronger flavor, quicker onset of the targeted high, and the argument that inhaling the vapors of an extract is safer than the burnt hot smoke of a joint or blunt, which can cause buildup in the lungs.

But as with any strong psychoactive drug, higher levels of THC can introduce a considerable risk for the nervous system, especially in teens. While not toxic, THC temporarily disrupts parts of the brain responsible for coordination and concentration, as well as time perception and cognition. 

Teen Substance Abuse Treatment 

At Visions, we often hear parents ask about the specific health risks associated with dabbing, over other methods of cannabis consumption. 

It’s important to remember that drugs can enter the bloodstream through a variety of different methods, but certain methods will result in a higher concentration of a given drug in the body than others. Eating will result in less of a drug entering the bloodstream than inhaling or injecting the same amount, for example. 

Unlike edibles or orally consumable cannabis oils, dabbing allows teens to smoke and inhale concentrated THC. In both experienced and inexperienced users, this can result in a higher likelihood of severe or negative side effects than other methods of cannabis consumption and may increase the risk of addiction. 

We also receive questions about dependence. Yes, marijuana dependence does exist, and cannabis can be addictive. Generally speaking, consuming more potent drugs will increase the risk of dependence. 

As for how long the side effects of dabbing last, that depends on the amount that was used, the concentration of THC in the original plant, as well as the user’s own experience and tolerance for cannabinoids. 

If you’re worried about a loved one’s drug use or want to talk to a professional about treatment options or staging an intervention, get in touch with us at Visions to learn more about our marijuana treatment programs, our treatment modalities for drug use, and co-occurring disorders, as well as our residential treatment options for teens. 

Conclusion

Dabbing is nothing new, but it may be on the rise as dab rigs and dab pens become more readily available, making it easier to consume concentrated cannabis without a self-engineered setup. Parents and teens worried about the side effects of dabbing should beware that it can result in a higher risk of addiction, as well as a greater risk of psychosis than other forms of marijuana consumption. 

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Stress

5 Stress and Coping Skills for Teens

Teens can manage stress by practicing mindfulness exercises, like meditation or yoga, engaging in physical activities, maintaining a balanced diet, and ensuring adequate sleep. They should also develop a strong support network of friends and family, and consider seeking help from counselors or therapists. Journaling, hobbies, and time management techniques can also enhance coping skills.

Growing up isn’t easy, and in today’s hyper-connected world, teenagers are confronted with unique stressors that previous generations didn’t face. From academic pressure and social media-induced anxiety to the challenge of navigating personal identity, stress has become an uninvited guest in many teenagers’ lives. The impact of this relentless stress can be significant, affecting mental health, physical well-being, academic performance, and interpersonal relationships.

Left unchecked, this stress can build up, leading to feelings of being overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed. It can result in poor decision-making, such as resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms like substance abuse. However, simply wishing stress away isn’t a viable solution. Teenagers need to be armed with effective strategies to manage this inevitable part of life.

In this article, you will discover five stress and coping skills for teens. By mastering these skills, teenagers can not only survive but thrive in the face of stress, turning these challenging years into a foundation for a resilient future.

Essential Coping Skills for Teens

In this section, we’ll introduce 5 practical coping skills for teens that can help you better manage stress and maintain a healthy mental state. These essential coping skills provide valuable tools for teenagers to navigate the challenges they face and promote their overall well-being. Here are the five coping skills we will explore:

1. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness becomes an invaluable tool for navigating the challenging waves of emotions. It offers a compassionate and supportive approach to understanding your thoughts, feelings, and the world around you, all without passing judgment. By cultivating mindfulness, you can embark on a profound journey of self-discovery, empowering yourself with a deeper comprehension of your emotions and enhancing your ability to effectively cope with stress.

Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine can be accomplished through various activities that promote a sense of tranquility and self-awareness. Engaging in meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises can be particularly beneficial. For instance, you can set aside just 10 minutes each day to fully immerse yourself in the present moment, allowing your breath to be your anchor. As you breathe in and out, consciously release any distracting thoughts that may arise, granting yourself the freedom to embrace the stillness within.

Remember, the path of mindfulness is a personal journey, and there is no right or wrong way to practice it. Each experience is unique, and by exploring different techniques, you can discover what resonates best with you. With time and patience, mindfulness will become a compassionate companion, providing solace and equipping you with invaluable coping skills as you navigate the complexities of stress.

2. Engage in Physical Activity

Engaging in physical activity is an essential part of developing effective stress-coping skills, especially for teens. It’s crucial to recognize that regular exercise has been scientifically proven to be a powerful stress reliever and can significantly enhance mental well-being. By participating in physical activities that you genuinely enjoy, such as swimming, dancing, or playing sports with friends, you not only incorporate exercise into your daily routine but also create a space for rejuvenation and self-care.

When you engage in physical activity, your body releases endorphins, known as “feel-good” chemicals, which naturally elevate your mood and contribute to reducing stress levels. These endorphins act as your companions in your journey to better mental health, helping you combat stress and find a sense of inner balance.

Remember, finding an activity that resonates with you personally is key. Explore different options and experiment with various forms of exercise until you discover what brings you the most joy and fulfillment. Whether it’s through team sports that foster camaraderie or individual pursuits that provide solace, each step you take towards incorporating physical activity into your routine is a significant stride toward overall well-being.

Embracing physical activity as a part of your stress management toolkit is an act of self-compassion and empowerment. By prioritizing your physical well-being, you are actively equipping yourself with the tools necessary to navigate the challenges and pressures that come your way. So, be kind to yourself and make time for the activities that bring you happiness and respite. Your mind and body will thank you for it, and you’ll discover the transformative power of physical activity in managing stress and nurturing your mental health.

3. Manage Your Time Effectively

Managing your time effectively is crucial, particularly when it comes to navigating stress and coping skills for teens. During hectic periods, poor time management can intensify the overwhelming feeling. To ensure a smoother journey, it’s essential to establish a daily schedule that incorporates regular breaks and enjoyable activities. Breaking down tasks into smaller, more manageable steps and setting realistic goals can help alleviate the sense of being overwhelmed. Remember, prioritizing self-care and nurturing a healthy work-life balance is paramount. By implementing these strategies, you’ll empower yourself to better handle stress and embrace a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.

4. Communicate with Others

When it comes to stress and coping skills for teens, effective communication plays a vital role in finding support and understanding. Engaging in heartfelt conversations with friends, family, or a trusted adult not only offers emotional solace but also grants valuable insights into your challenges. To foster open and honest communication, express your genuine feelings and needs without reservation. Remember, reaching out for assistance or seeking advice is a sign of strength, not weakness. By embracing this understanding and helpful approach, you empower yourself to navigate through stressful situations, paving the way for personal growth and resilience.

5. Seek Professional Help

Sometimes, the weight of stress can be overwhelming, and coping alone may feel like an impossible task. During these moments, it’s crucial to remember that seeking professional help from a compassionate mental health specialist can provide the support you need. Whether it’s a skilled therapist or an empathetic counselor, they have the expertise to guide you through the challenges you face. With their understanding and helpful approach, they can offer valuable insights, practical strategies, and a safe space for you to express your emotions. Remember, reaching out for professional assistance is a sign of strength and self-care, enabling you to develop effective coping skills and regain a sense of balance and well-being in your life.

FAQs

We often receive questions from teens about managing stress and coping skills. Here are some common queries we encounter:

  • How can I identify when my stress levels are too high?

There are several signs that can indicate high-stress levels. Look out for symptoms like frequent headaches, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, irritability, loss of interest, and feeling overwhelmed. Physical cues like increased heart rate, tense muscles, and shallow breathing can also suggest heightened stress. Recognizing these signs can help you take proactive steps to manage and reduce stress.

  • What are some additional coping skills I can try to manage stress?

Additional coping skills to manage stress include self-care activities, journaling, seeking social support, practicing deep breathing exercises, and exploring relaxation techniques. Find what works best for you and prioritize self-care while being open to seeking help when needed.

  • How can I encourage my friends to adopt healthy coping skills?

To encourage your friends to adopt healthy coping skills, lead by example and engage in activities that promote mental and emotional well-being. Share your own positive experiences and benefits of healthy coping strategies, such as exercise, mindfulness, or seeking professional help. Offer support and understanding, and be a good listener when they express their challenges, gently suggesting healthier alternatives to cope.

Taking proactive steps to manage stress is essential in preserving and promoting optimal mental well-being. Amidst the challenges and demands of everyday life, it is crucial to recognize when professional assistance becomes necessary. Collaborating with a mental health professional can yield a multitude of advantages, ensuring that the guidance and support received are specifically tailored to individual needs.

When seeking help from a mental health professional, such as Visions Adolescent Treatment, individuals gain access to a wealth of expertise and specialized knowledge. These professionals possess a deep understanding of various mental health conditions and the most effective treatment approaches. By tapping into their extensive experience, individuals can receive personalized care that addresses their unique concerns and challenges.

Moreover, mental health professionals provide a safe and non-judgmental space for individuals to explore their emotions, thoughts, and experiences. Through therapeutic interventions and evidence-based practices, they empower individuals to develop coping strategies and build resilience in the face of stressors. Additionally, the support and validation received from mental health professionals can foster a sense of empowerment and self-compassion.

By reaching out to Visions Adolescent Treatment, individuals can embark on a journey toward improved mental well-being. With their tailored mental health treatment options, they aim to support individuals in navigating and overcoming the obstacles that contribute to stress and mental health issues. Remember, seeking professional help is a sign of strength and a proactive step towards a healthier and more fulfilling life.

Conclusion

Teen years can be stressful, but with the right coping skills, you can navigate this challenging time more effectively. Incorporate mindfulness, exercise, time management, healthy communication, and professional help when needed. Remember, if you’re struggling with stress, Visions Adolescent Treatment is here to offer support and guidance.

Categories
Substance Abuse

What are the Stages of Substance Abuse?

Substance abuse typically progresses through four stages: experimentation, regular use, risky use, and dependence. Experimentation often starts with curiosity or peer pressure. Regular use may not immediately lead to problems but sets a concerning pattern. Risky use involves the substance causing harm, and dependence marks addiction, characterized by withdrawal symptoms when the substance is not used.

Is your teenager acting differently, exhibiting unusual behavior, or suddenly struggling academically or socially? These might be signs of a grave, yet increasingly prevalent issue: substance abuse. Substance abuse in teenagers is a complicated, multifaceted problem, riddled with misconceptions and shrouded in stigma. It is essential to dismantle the barriers of misunderstanding, gain a clearer picture of the situation, and equip ourselves with the right tools to address it effectively.

Most parents hope their child will never fall into the trap of substance abuse. Yet, the unsettling reality is that many teenagers across the world are grappling with this challenge. The devastating consequences can range from deteriorating health and academic performance to strained relationships and damaged futures. Without understanding the various stages of substance abuse, we are ill-equipped to spot early warning signs and intervene when it matters the most.

Substance abuse does not occur overnight. It’s a process, progressing through identifiable stages, each presenting unique challenges and requiring targeted intervention strategies. Lack of understanding of these stages can lead to missteps in approach, creating further complications. Instead of helping the teenager in need, we might unintentionally push them deeper into the vortex of substance abuse.

In this article, we delve into the stages of substance abuse among teenagers, demystifying this complex issue to provide parents, educators, and caregivers a roadmap. We’ll explore the warning signs to look for, the psychological underpinnings at each stage, and the most effective strategies for intervention and support. With this knowledge, we can better understand the plight of teenagers battling substance abuse and more effectively guide them towards recovery. Together, we can create an environment where our children can grow, thrive, and overcome the challenges that come their way.

What are the Stages of Substance Abuse?

As parents, we play a vital role in guiding and supporting our teenagers through life’s challenges. One of the significant concerns many parents face is the issue of substance abuse among adolescents. It’s essential to have a solid understanding of the stages your teenager may go through during this tumultuous journey, as it will help you provide the right guidance and support along the way.

Stage 1: Experimentation

During this initial stage, it’s not uncommon for teenagers to be curious about drugs or alcohol. They may try substances due to peer pressure, curiosity, or even as a way to cope with stress and anxiety. It’s essential to approach this stage with understanding and open communication. By fostering a supportive environment, you can encourage your teenager to make informed choices and express their feelings without judgment.

Stage 2: Regular Use

As substance use becomes more frequent, it may be a sign that your teenager is relying on substances to relax, escape, or feel a sense of belonging among their peers. It’s vital to maintain open lines of communication and establish boundaries and expectations. Encouraging healthy alternatives, such as engaging in hobbies or extracurricular activities, can provide your teenager with positive outlets for their energy and emotions.

Stage 3: Risky Use

At this stage, the risks associated with substance use become more apparent. Your teenager may engage in dangerous behavior, such as binge drinking, using drugs in risky situations, or mixing substances. It’s crucial to address these risky behaviors promptly and seek professional help if needed. Emphasize the importance of their safety and well-being, and remind them that seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Stage 4: Dependence

When your teenager reaches the stage of dependence, their reliance on substances becomes more significant. They may experience withdrawal symptoms when attempting to quit and prioritize substance use over responsibilities and relationships. It’s important to approach this stage with empathy and understanding. Encourage your teenager to seek professional help, as overcoming dependence often requires specialized support. Let them know that you’re there to support them every step of the way.

Taking the First Step on the Road to Recovery

Reaching the stage of dependence in substance abuse signifies a critical juncture, where professional intervention becomes imperative. This stage, characterized by an intense craving for the substance and debilitating withdrawal symptoms when it is not consumed, is particularly perilous. It’s when substance use has evolved from an experimental phase to a physical and psychological necessity, leading to considerable distress and interference in daily life activities.

At this point, the teenager is likely to experience a range of negative impacts – cognitive impairments, poor academic performance, social isolation, and significant health problems. Moreover, there’s a heightened risk of engaging in dangerous behaviors, such as driving under the influence or involvement in criminal activities, further escalating the urgency for professional help.

This is where therapists, psychologists, addiction specialists, and medical professionals play a crucial role. They’re trained to understand the complex nature of addiction, allowing them to tailor a recovery plan to the teenager’s unique circumstances. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), for example, can help them identify and challenge harmful thought patterns, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and build resilience.

Motivational interviewing is another technique used by professionals to foster a desire for change and commitment to treatment. Simultaneously, family therapy can work on repairing strained relationships, improving communication within the family, and creating a supportive environment conducive to recovery.

In some cases, medical professionals may prescribe medications to manage withdrawal symptoms during the detoxification process, further aiding in the transition toward sobriety. It’s important, however, to closely monitor the use of these medications to prevent potential misuse.

While the road to recovery may be challenging, it is absolutely achievable. Each step towards sobriety marks a victory. It’s a journey that requires the collective effort of the teenager, their family, and a team of dedicated professionals. With the right help and support, teenagers can reclaim control over their lives and look forward to a future free from the clutches of substance abuse.

FAQs

We often hear questions from concerned parents about substance abuse in teens. Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers:

What are the warning signs of substance abuse in teens?

Some common warning signs include changes in behavior, mood swings, declining grades, loss of interest in hobbies, secretive behavior, hanging around new groups of friends with questionable activities, signs of red eyes or dilated pupils, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, physical signs of abuse like weight loss.

How can I talk to my teen about substance abuse?

You can start an open and honest conversation with your teen by telling them you want to have a discussion about substance use. Ask in a calm and non-accusatory way if they have personally seen substance abuse or experienced any peer pressure. Listen without judgment and express your concerns from a place of care and love. Be available for follow-up conversations and set clear expectations around substance use in your household. Offer support and reassurance that you are there to help no matter what.

What should I do if I suspect my teen has a substance abuse problem?

Seek professional help from a qualified substance abuse counselor or treatment center, like Visions Adolescent Treatment, to provide the support your teen needs. It’s important to approach the situation with empathy and understanding and to have an open and honest conversation with your teen about your concerns. Offer support and guidance, and work together to find the best course of action for their recovery. Remember that seeking help is a brave and important step towards a healthier future.

Working with A Professional for Guidance and Support

Substance abuse is a complex issue, and navigating the path to recovery can be challenging. It is crucial to remember that you don’t have to face this journey alone. Working with a professional can provide your teenager with the necessary care, guidance, and tools to overcome substance abuse.

Visions Adolescent Treatment is a trusted organization that specializes in substance abuse treatment for teens. With their expertise and experience, they offer comprehensive support and resources tailored to meet the unique needs of your family. Their team of compassionate professionals understands the complexities of adolescent substance abuse and provides evidence-based interventions and therapies.

By reaching out to Visions Adolescent Treatment, you can access a range of services designed to support your teenager on their path to recovery. Their treatment programs address not only the substance abuse itself but also the underlying emotional, psychological, and social factors that contribute to it. Through individual counseling, group therapy, family involvement, and educational support, Visions Adolescent Treatment empowers teenagers to heal, grow, and thrive.

Don’t risk your teenager’s well-being by facing this challenge alone. Take the courageous step of seeking help today. By reaching out to Visions Adolescent Treatment, you are investing in your teenager’s future, offering them the best chance for a healthier and happier life. Contact Visions Adolescent Treatment now to begin the journey toward recovery and a brighter future for your family.

Conclusion

Understanding the stages of substance abuse can be vital in identifying potential problems and providing the necessary support for your teen. Remember that early intervention is crucial, and seeking professional help from a specialized treatment center like Visions Adolescent Treatment can make a significant difference in your teen’s recovery journey.

Categories
Substance Abuse

Symptoms of Xanax Abuse Among Teens

Symptoms of Xanax abuse among teens can include physical signs like drowsiness, dizziness, impaired coordination, and slurred speech. Psychological signs may involve mood swings, confusion, or memory problems. Behavioral changes, such as isolation, sudden academic struggles, altered friend groups, or unexplained need for money, may also indicate potential substance abuse.

Benzodiazepines, or “benzos”, are a class of sedative drugs usually prescribed as an anti-anxiety medication. The most popular benzodiazepine currently prescribed is Xanax, also known colloquially among teens as “Xan”. 

While benzodiazepines are a powerful class of medication, they can also be an addictive drug, with similar euphoric effects to prescription opioids (painkillers like Percocet), but with a different kind of kick to the central nervous system. Just because these aren’t prescription painkillers does not make them any less dangerous, however – in fact, Xanax use can often become fatal in combination with a little too much alcohol. 

Nevertheless, the joy-inducing side effects and widespread ubiquity of Xanax as the medication of choice for patients with panic disorders or anxiety episodes – the most common kind of mental health problem in the world – make them a dangerous recreational drug of choice for teenagers, as well as adults. 

Overall, statistics say that teens are using fewer drugs – including fewer prescription drugs – than in years past. However, specialists are saying that while overall use has dropped, both fentanyl and benzodiazepine use has surged, especially during the peak years of the opioid crisis. The former is often a case of poorly mixed or haphazardly laced party drugs. The latter is often a case of raiding a relative’s medicine cabinet. 

Throughout the opioid crisis, teens have learned more and more about the dangers of various opioids, from black tar heroin to the painkillers prescribed for intractable pain. But the same cannot be said for anti-anxiety medication. 

In fact, some teens who find themselves in the emergency room for their Xanax use might even tell you that they “wouldn’t touch” opioids. A better understanding of how and why these drugs are so potent – and why parents and teens alike should watch out for them – can protect communities from the dangers of benzodiazepine abuse and addiction. 

Understanding Xanax Abuse Among Teens

Benzodiazepine is a form of sedative. When you think of sedatives, think of compounds like tranquilizers, barbiturates, and even alcohol. Each of these acts as a central nervous system depressant, made to target specific receptors in the brain’s cells, and slow down your body’s processes. 

Benzodiazepines have been around since the 1960s and are currently the “safest” class of sedative. In their early years, benzos were prescribed as a sleeping aid and a muscle relaxant. However, they are still addictive, and are still dangerous when used in combination with other types of sedatives – particularly alcohol. That is why benzodiazepines like alprazolam (Xanax) are still strongly regulated and controlled. 

But that doesn’t mean they aren’t available to teens. Some teens receive Xanax as a prescription for anxiety. Others know where to look in a relative’s medicine cabinet. While some teens might not be fully aware of the addictive potential or dangers of Xanax as a powerful depressant, many teens are aware that it can be used recreationally for a high similar to a painkiller. 

One unique thing about addictive sedatives like Xanax or alcohol is that the withdrawal symptoms can be fatal. It’s estimated that about 40 percent of people going through a Xanax withdrawal will experience severe symptoms

Unlike stimulant withdrawal symptoms or even an opioid withdrawal symptom, cutting off your use of Xanax or other depressants too quickly and too harshly after too much use can heavily affect the body, causing extreme nausea, hallucinations, delirium, and seizures. If you or someone you love has been using Xanax recreationally for some time, it’s important to approach a professional about undergoing controlled withdrawal. 

Why Do Teens Use Xanax as a Recreational Drug?

The recreational use of Xanax can be traced to the rise in anxiety disorder diagnoses and the cultural attitude towards the pharmaceutical treatment of mental health conditions, as well as the sheer ubiquity and availability of Xanax as the nation’s new Valium in the late 1970s and 1980s, after the latter drug’s patent ran out. 

Just like Valium had a regular starring role in Rolling Stones songs, so does Xanax feature heavily in today’s music, alongside Percocet and “lean” (Codeine cough syrup and Sprite). Meanwhile, teens know about the opioid crisis – but few experts have had to ring any alarms about the benzo epidemic. 

Symptoms of Xanax Abuse Among Teens

Xanax’ mechanism of action relies on the GABA receptors in the brain. GABA is a neurotransmitter known for regulating hyperactivity – the kind triggered by a fight-or-flight response, or an anxiety attack. Xanax effectively mimics this neurotransmitter and tells the brain to kick things down a notch. 

Using Xanax too often, or using too much Xanax can trigger physical and emotional symptoms of Xanax abuse in teens. This may include: 

  • Dizziness
  • Dry mouth
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Loss of coordination
  • Seizures
  • Tremors
  • Mental confusion
  • Memory loss
  • Increased risky behavior

On its own, using too much Xanax can cause an adverse reaction, but typically is not fatal. That changes with too much Xanax is paired with a different sedative like alcohol. The consequence can be a sedative overdose. The symptoms of high Xanax and alcohol use are both pronounced, the liver has to work twice as hard to process both compounds, and the stress on the heart may be too much. 

Long-term Xanax use may lead to behavioral changes, including low mood or depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, loss of sex drive, and a change in personality. 

Addressing Xanax Abuse in Teens

Like heavy alcohol use, a Xanax dependence needs to be treated with care. If you or a loved one are struggling with a Xanax habit, then it’s important to seek professional help. An outpatient or inpatient addiction clinic can kickstart the detoxification and withdrawal process and guide a person through the first steps of recovery, including addressing a person’s physical and mental needs through an in-house therapeutic and medical staff. 

Long-term Xanax abuse often coincides with other health conditions, including polydrug use disorder, or mental health problems such as anxiety or depression. Fixing one without addressing the others is a recipe for disaster. In these cases, a concurrent treatment plan with a multimodal approach – combining different therapies – is needed. 

Categories
Substance Abuse

How to Handle Peer Pressure to Use Drugs

Handling peer pressure to use drugs involves developing assertiveness and confidence. Learn to say “no” firmly but respectfully. Understand that it’s okay to reject something that jeopardizes your health or values. Surround yourself with positive influences, and seek support from trusted adults or counselors when faced with difficult situations. Remember, real friends will respect your decisions.

The peer pressure to start using drugs, or to use them again, has been cited as one of the biggest contributing causes to both starting drug addiction and relapsing into it. 

However, handling the peer pressure to use drugs isn’t as easy as just saying no. There are mental, social, and even physical reasons that peer pressure can be difficult to resist. A strong commitment towards sobriety and recovery matters, but peer pressure is as much about yourself as it is about the people who surround you. 

What is Peer Pressure?

Peer pressure refers to the influence that other people in your social group might have on you, and your choices. Peer pressure may play a role in the kind of things you like, the things you do, even the personal convictions you have. The people we hang out with actively play a role in shaping us, down to the language we use and the habits we develop. Some people are more prone to peer pressure, while others feel personally inclined to go against the grain at times. Others yet play a role in deciding how members of a group act and think. 

Peer pressure has its upsides and downsides. Evolutionary psychology might find that, as a social animal, humans naturally defer to certain forms of peer pressure to act as one unit in nature and survive the hardships of a hostile environment. 

For teens, peer pressure is especially notable because teenagers can be equal parts more suggestible and more social than their older counterparts. 

But peer pressure is just as present in the office as in the classroom – people form groups and subgroups, these groups develop their own conscious etiquette, and hierarchies form. 

Just as peer pressure can make people do bad things, it can also motivate people to do good things. This is the function of a role model – to influence others, particularly children or subordinates, to do the right thing, or to do things right, in whatever capacity those two things might be defined. 

That could mean quitting drinking, so your child doesn’t grow up with a normalized attitude towards long-term alcohol use, or becoming more diligent in your schoolwork because you joined a study group. 

While peer influence can shape us, it’s also important to take into account how we choose which groups to fit into. Many people overestimate the role that peers play as a risk factor towards addiction, without examining the patterns that lead towards our peer choices. Teens surround themselves with people they want to hang out with, and many other factors – including parental influence – play an important role in who we choose to spend time with. 

Building Resilience

Peer pressure is a powerful risk factor. To help teens build resilience against it, it must be met with equally powerful protective factors. 

Risk factors are circumstances that are linked to a higher likelihood of drug use, such as a traumatic childhood, unstable home environment, and easy accessibility to drugs. 

Protective factors are often the opposite – a healthier home environment, strong and positive familial ties, a good parent-child relationship, and ties to the community through local clubs and groups, such as the volunteer fire department or an athlete’s club. 

Individual protective factors are also important. A healthy self-esteem can start teens off on the right foot – but building it takes time. Encourage your teen to pick up new hobbies or continue to work on their existing skills and interests. No matter what their interests are, encourage them to pursue them, and hone their talents. 

If you are worried about the kind of people your teen is hanging out with, spend time with them yourself. Figure out who your teen has become – and understand what it is they’re seeing in their friends. Find out if you’ve misjudged them, or if there really is something to worry about. 

Talk to your teen, and to their friends. Lastly, if your teen is worried about peer pressure, make sure they understand that it’s okay to insist on a no. And it’s okay (imperative, even) to leave when things get uncomfortable. 

The Bigger Picture

When discussing a single risk factor, it’s important never to lose the forest for the trees. Peer influence is real, but it is not a lone cause of drug addiction. In addition to peer influence, the decision to use or start using drugs – and the potential for addiction – may be affected by a genetic predisposition, uncontrollable environmental factors, the availability and local attitude towards drug use, and more. 

Addressing the issue of peer pressure does not make someone immune from the difficulties of addiction, nor does it solve the problem of a relapse. However, peer pressure does bring to light one of the important vectors for addiction as an illness: the social vector. 

If we help a person tackle their drug use in a holistic fashion, then it helps to have a framework to identify each contributing factor. 

In pain management, for example, the biopsychosocial model is used to help understand that pain conditions are not just a purely physiological experience, but an all-encompassing problem, with various contributing factors. Within the biopsychosocial model, each factor can be split between the three groups, but certain factors are also shared across them. Picture a three-circle Venn diagram. 

The same goes for addiction. Peer pressure is an example of a powerful social factor, interacting with an important psychological factor. Some teens, for example, feel a great need to fit in and often fear the consequences of becoming an outsider. If drug use becomes common in their group, some teenagers are more likely to start experimenting with drugs as well. 

Rekindling old friendships after recovery becomes difficult. Sometimes, old relationships remind us of the things we used to do – including those we don’t want to do anymore. Part of the recovery process is learning to either overcome those cravings, or to make the decision to stay away from them, in the first place. An addiction can affect the brain, and the behaviors and emotions associated with addiction are hard to unlearn, even after treatment. Reminders, or triggers, can lead to relapse

Sometimes, it’s better to avoid peer pressure than to try and confront it – especially in the early stages of recovery, or when a proper support network hasn’t been established yet. 

Categories
Teen Behavior

20 Red Flags in Teenage Behavior

It can be a challenge to distinguish between healthy teen behavior, and something worrying. Teens are going through constant change, coming to terms with their place in the world and learning to cope with growing responsibilities as they mature. It can be a tumultuous period, and they’re sure to make mistakes, not take risks seriously, or get into trouble from time to time. 

But parents have a responsibility to shield their teens from real harm and differentiate between normal growing pains and the signs of a more serious issue. Most parents aren’t medical professionals – but you don’t need a degree to catch a few red flags in teenage behavior. It’s important for parents to be aware of these warning signs and act if they suspect their teenager is struggling with a mental health problem. 

In this article, we’re exploring some of the most common red flags in teenage behavior.

Red Flags in Teenage Behavior

Understanding teenage behavior can be challenging as adolescents go through significant emotional, mental, and physical changes. While mood swings and a desire for more independence are common, there are certain “red flags” to watch out for that might indicate more serious issues.

Sudden or dramatic changes in behavior, like a consistently high-performing student’s grades plummeting or a once sociable teenager becoming withdrawn and isolating themselves, could be signs of distress. Persistent feelings of sadness, irritability, or extreme mood swings may indicate depression or another mental health issue. Unexplained weight loss or changes in eating habits can signal eating disorders. Drug and alcohol use, frequent aggressive behavior, or acts of defiance could suggest substance abuse or conduct problems. If your teenager talks about self-harm, or suicide, or shows signs of self-inflicted injury, immediate professional help is needed.

Remember, early intervention is key, so if these red flags appear, consider seeking professional help.

Below, you will find 20 red flags in teenage behavior to consider.

1. Eating Habits

You are what you eat – but in some cases, teens take that advice a little too literally. Eating disorders are primarily common among adolescents and early adults and are some of the most physically harmful mental health issues. The starting signs of an eating disorder are extremely rigid eating restrictions, such as only consuming one or two types of foods, or excessive calorie-tracking (with poor health results). 

2. Sleep Problems

Teens need sleep – but it’s no secret that they don’t get enough of it. Lack of sleep can heavily contribute to the onset of mental health issues due to increased physical and mental stress. Lack of sleep also affects cognition, mood, and physical processes, from growth to recovery. 

3. Loss of Interest

It’s normal for children and teens to be interested in different things as they grow older. But it’s less normal for teens to lose all interest in something they loved doing, with no direct replacement. A sudden loss of interest or anhedonia can be a sign of depression. 

4. Social Withdrawal

Some teens are more socially awkward than others. Introverted or extroverted traits are represented equally in most groups and are nothing to worry about. But when your teen struggles massively with meeting new people, suffers from paranoia about what others might think, and feels haunted by a constant dread or worry about other people’s perspectives and expectations, there might be more going on under the surface. Furthermore, total social isolation is a dangerous red flag. 

5. Mood Swings

Teens are notorious for being moody, but there’s a difference between a willful teen and a teen struggling to control their emotions at every turn. Inconsistent moods and drastic changes day-to-day, as well as long-term shifts in overall mood (from extreme lows, such as depression, to periods of extreme highs, called mania), may be signs of something more serious. 

6. Irritability

Irritability in a teen – especially coupled with physical outbursts, emotional tantrums, abuse, and violence – is a serious red flag for a mental health issue, such as a personality disorder. 

7. Substance Use

Most people have had a drink before the legal age, and an increasing number of teens have tried drugs like marijuana. Experimenting with substances is nothing new – but it’s still dangerous and can quickly lead to more serious substance use problems. Signs of ongoing substance use need to be addressed immediately. 

8. Self-Harm

Self-harm comes in many different shapes and forms. Common ones include cutting or burning/branding, but teens may also pull their own hair out, cause scarring by picking at their skin, or hurt themselves unconventionally. Self-harm is also recognized as non-suicidal self-injury – meaning the intention is never to take a life, but to experience pain, whether physical or emotional. 

9. Suicidal Ideation

In contrast to non-suicidal self-injury, suicidal ideation refers to making plans or thinking about suicide. It can be difficult to tell what a teen is thinking – but if they are consistently referring to suicide or talking about death, they may have a suicidal plan in their mind. 

10. Loss of Concentration

It’s normal for teens to be a bit scatterbrained from time-to-time. But if your teen is consistently losing the plot, not paying attention, forgetting when or where they are, or otherwise appearing disoriented or out of it, there may be something seriously preoccupying them – or they may be experiencing dissociation. 

11. Academic Problems

A bad report card isn’t a sign of a mental health problem – but a drop from straight As to Cs and worse may be a natural cause for concern with most parents and teachers. 

12. Lack of Hygiene and Self-Neglect

Lack of hygiene and self-neglect are common signs of depression. When depression reaches its peak, getting out of bed can feel like an insurmountable task, let alone grabbing a shower and a fresh change of clothes, or thinking about makeup. 

13. Panic Attacks and Severe Anxiety

A panic attack is a violent physical reaction with a mental cause, with or without a specific trigger. Panic attacks can occur out of nowhere and can even feel like a heart attack at the moment. They often involve hyperventilation and chest tightness. 

14. Body Image Obsessions

Many teens are vain – and there’s nothing unnatural about being preoccupied with your self-image, whether to impress others or feed an ego. But an obsession with self-image or body image can be a serious sign of something deeper, especially in combination with erratic changes in behavior, severe self-harm or suicidal ideation, or strange eating rituals. 

15. Hallucinations and Delusions

Seeing and hearing things that aren’t there or misremembering or misinterpreting reality are serious red flags for a psychotic disorder. These include conditions like schizophrenia, which affect a person’s perception or the world. 

16. Excessive and Inappropriate Worries

Generalized anxiety is characterized by an overwhelming and constant blanket of worry or dread. It’s okay to be anxious about something here and there, but if every waking moment involves worry, something more serious is afoot. 

17. Emotional Dysregulation

Teens can be emotional powder kegs sometimes – but emotional dysregulation involves an inability to keep your emotions at bay, and often co-occurs alongside hefty mood swings and anger issues. 

18. Harmful Perfectionism

It’s usually good to be tidy or diligent and to see things through. But when perfection comes at the cost of physical and mental health, it can be a sign of a deeper problem. 

19. Sudden Increase in Risky Behavior

Teens aren’t always careful. In fact, they often struggle to process risk in the same way as adults and lack some of the neural pathways needed to fully comprehend the gravity of their actions or the consequences of their choices. However, when a teen consistently puts themselves in danger while knowing it, they may be actively seeking that risk. 

20. Relationship Struggles

Teenagers making the transition from childhood to adulthood must contend with rapid changes in social cues and communication year after year. For some teens, it can be difficult to keep up. In other cases, interpersonal connections become harder and harder to achieve due to underlying mental health issues, affecting a teen’s sense of empathy, or causing their behavior to become increasingly hostile towards others. 

Not All Red Flags Are Equal

A red flag is not a diagnosis of a mental health problem. These are signs that your teen might be struggling with a mental health issue, but not a guarantee. 

Not all of the red flags listed above are an immediate sign of something pathological. Being sad for a period of time, struggling to make friends after moving someplace new, anxious over the midterms, or having difficulty concentrating on upcoming exams constitute normal struggles for teens. 

Parents should consider talking to their teen about counseling or professional help when these signs become concurrent or prevalent over months and years, and a simple change of pace or vacation isn’t cutting it. 

When Should You Seek Professional Help?

When it comes to taking care of your own mental health, there are many things you can try out. Going for walks in the park, exercising a little more, eating a healthier diet, or improving your sleep hygiene can do wonders for your mood. 

However, home remedies often fall short of actively improving symptoms of a serious mental health issue, especially when the condition can cause impairment at school or at work. Teens with ongoing anxiety or depressive symptoms, a history of self-harm, or episodes of psychosis will require a concurrent and intensive treatment plan. Trust your best judgment: if you aren’t sure if your teen needs professional help, it might be the right time to go and ask a professional. 

Categories
Mental Health

How to Parent a Teenager with Borderline Personality Disorder

If your teenager has Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), you may be curious about how to parent a teenager with borderline personality disorder.

Parenting a teen is never easy. But parenting a teen with a personality disorder requires additional patience, as well as a unique set of parenting skills. Borderline personality disorder is a mental health condition that affects about one in a hundred teens, and is characterized by impulsive behaviors, thoughts of self-harm or suicidal ideation, frequent mood swings, and difficulty with interpersonal relationships. 

In other words, teens who struggle with borderline personality disorder often exhibit the behaviors that teenagers are stereotypically known for – but to an extreme and sometimes harmful degree. 

Borderline personality disorder is only recently being recognized and diagnosed in adolescents. In fact, adolescent BPD is sometimes considered a separate diagnosis from adult BPD – and there is less research on the condition in teens than older adults. For parents, watching a teen struggle with frequent changes in mood and impulsivity can be heartbreaking. And because personality disorders can be inherited, parents with a family history of borderline personality disorder or other personality disorders might be worried about how to handle their teens if they begin showing symptoms. 

In this article, you will discover how to parent a teenager with borderline personality disorder.

Signs of Borderline Personality Disorder in Teens

Diagnosing borderline personality disorder in teens isn’t a straightforward process. In the past, some experts would argue that because most teens haven’t had the chance to cement their personalities, a traditional borderline personality disorder isn’t possible. 

Teen borderline personality disorder symptoms aren’t characterized so much by an unstable or fluctuating personality (as this is the norm for teens in the beginning stages of adult maturity), but by concurrent symptoms of self-harm, depression, intense and frequent mood shifts, impulsive behavior, and interpersonal problems. Other important signs and symptoms to watch out for include: 

  • Problems with emotional regulation, such as a difficulty to calm down or self-soothe. 
  • Poor coping mechanisms, and frequent outbursts of rage.
  • Jumping from one emotional crisis to the next. 
  • Fearing abandonment and loneliness, yet always feeling isolated even among friends. 
  • Often falling out with friends or switching friend groups. 
  • Paranoia about social rejection and perception. 
  • Long-term symptoms of depression. 

A formal diagnosis is important. Psychiatrists and other trained medical doctors can assess a teen’s history of behavior and recommend treatment based on their responses to certain questions. Teens and even children have agency, and can understand their behaviors and motivations, even if their personalities are not yet set in stone. 

More recent research on the topic indicates that teens may be accurately diagnosed for borderline personality disorder as early as age 11. This research also stresses the importance of a cohesive and comprehensive treatment team and treatment plan, and the invaluable nature of parental cooperation and support. 

The causes for personality disorders like BPD aren’t yet fully understood. The fact that the risk of a personality disorder can be inherited suggests a genetic link, or a neurological trait. In many cases, personality disorders find their onset in late childhood or early adolescence, at a crucial stage of mental development. External risk factors – such as trauma and neglect – also play a role in how, when, and if a personality disorder might surface in a teen

Recognizing and acting on signs and symptoms will be your best bet. Once you have a formal diagnosis, you can start working with your teen and a professional treatment team to develop a plan for their condition. However, there’s more to managing a mental health diagnosis like BPD than professional treatment. How you manage your teen’s symptoms at home can play a big role in their progress. 

Important Parenting Tips for Borderline Personality Disorder

The first and most important lesson is to remember that teens with BPD should not be treated the same way as teens without BPD. Silent treatment, tough love, or classic reward or consequence parenting is not going to work and will fail to elicit a healthy emotional response in your teen. 

Furthermore, it’s important to temper your expectations for behavioral progress. People respond to therapy and other treatments in different ways. It may take your teen some time to learn to manage their impulses and BPD symptoms. Here is what you might want to know: 

  • Manage your own fears and emotions. With your teen struggling to deal with their short fuse, the last thing they need is more anger and anxiety to bounce off of. Finding ways to manage your own emotional stress, through counseling or healthy coping skills, is important. 
  • Emotional intelligence is paramount. Sometimes, mental health issues can benefit from a logical argument. But with BPD, emotions usually come first. Take the time to think about what you say and be sensitive to how your words might be misinterpreted. Use simple and clear forms of communication and leave no room for misunderstanding. 
  • Assist in your teen’s problem solving, but don’t solve problems for them. Developing a stronger and healthier sense of self is important in cases of BPD. Learning to deal with your own problems is a crucial part of that process. Rather than telling your teen what to do when faced with day-to-day challenges, ask them what they’re thinking of doing, and lead the conversation to bring them to the right conclusion. 
  • Compassion and validation matter. Your teen will be constantly second-guessing themselves, unsure of who they are. While you can’t answer that for them directly, it helps to hear positive things and affirmations from an outside source, even if it’s from a parent. When your teen is acting out, reinforce calmness. 
  • They will do things you might not understand. Neither do they, not really. Self-harm usually comes from a place of emotional dysfunction, not a healthy throughline of logic. You can’t make your teen explain why they want to hurt themselves, because the answer usually won’t be coherent. Instead, keep an eye out for signs of escalation and talk to them about seeking help together in times of acute stress. 
  • However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t create boundaries. Boundaries are important and enforcing them is something no parent can avoid. For BPD, that means a zero-tolerance policy on destructive behaviors – whether towards the self, others, or objects – and no violence. 

Borderline personality disorder is a complicated condition that requires long-term psychiatric and emotional support, in and outside of treatment. 

Parents of teens with BPD can arm themselves with the knowledge needed to guide their child through the treatment process, as well as the day-to-day challenges of adolescence. Be patient and remember to take care of yourself. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help and support as you navigate this journey together.

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