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My dad and I are looking at colleges this week. On a tour at UC Berkeley, a lot of kids seemed interested in student life, namely the parties. As their parents looked around uncomfortably and nervously asked questions about rules at the dorms, my dad looked at me and said while smiling, “Wow, I don’t feel worried about you getting into trouble anymore.” He’s right. I’m not choosing campuses based on the parties. I’m looking for ways to keep my life moving forward after going to teen drug rehab.

After teen rehab, I was afraid of what going off to college would mean for me. Being a teen that had a drug and alcohol problem, I was afraid college life would be too tempting. My parents and I have been doing a lot of research about how to keep my recovery safe when I go to school. We’ve been looking into dorms with sober floors, where teens pledge to keep drugs and alcohol out, or even off-campus housing, away from the dorms. I’ve researched 12-step meetings surrounding campuses, and have checked out school support groups. Thanks to teen rehab, I know how to use the resources at my disposal.

I’m not the only young person trying to get through college without using drugs and alcohol. Teen drug and alcohol rehab taught me how to make my recovery a priority. I used to feel like I was missing out, but now I know that drugs were what was making me miss out on life. Sober high school helped me see I was on the right path, and after restoring my grades and learning a lot more life lessons than my peers, I feel like now I have an advantage as I go off to school, not a disadvantage. I have tools to help me adjust to new situations, tools to help me prioritize, and tools to keep me clean and sober as I tackle this next phase of my life. If it weren’t for teen drug and alcohol rehab, I wouldn’t be going to college at all. Teen rehab made me feel different when I first got there, but as I learned and changed, I realized that different was just what I needed. I’m proud to be who I am today, and of my experiences. I feel better prepared for life than I ever would have been without teen rehab.

“Eating Disorders: It’s not just for girls anymore!”

While women most commonly struggle with eating disorders, an alarming number of men battle this illness every day. “Approximately 10% of eating disordered individuals coming to the attention of a mental health professional are male.” (Wolf, 1991; Fairburn & Beglin, 1990)

While women are faced with a skewed beauty standard, propagated by popular magazines and media, men are also confronted with distorted body-image ideals, for example: weight restrictions in sports, magazines promoting thinness and sculpting, or even an increasing number of plastic surgery options geared toward reshaping the male body. Whether male of female, the end result is the same: an individual caught in the self-defeating cycle of excessive dieting, starvation, poor-body image, low self-esteem, and a myriad of other destructive behaviors related to eating.

Please let us know if someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder.

Teen rehab has come a long way in the last decade. Teens struggling with drugs and alcohol and their families now have many more options for treatment. As more and more teens are struggling with prescription drugs, like oxycontin, xanax, ambien, valium, ritalin, adderal, lortab, and percocet, treatment centers have stepped up to offer more comprehensive services specifically geared towards teens.
Adolescent drug abuse requires special treatment and should focus not only on teens and drug use, but on education (by offering a sober high school), group and individual therapy, art and equine therapy, family counseling sessions, and a solid aftercare program that includes outpatient. Understands that choosing a rehab for your teen is a difficult process within an even more difficult challenge for the family. Help your teen get their life back on track and to
get away from the pain of teen drug and alcohol abuse .

Jersey Shore, look out! Reuters has reported that researchers have found a link between indoor tanning addiction and drug and alcohol abuse in young women and teens. Of a group that demonstrated signs of indoor tanning addiction, 42% reported to have frequently abused drugs other than marijuana and alcohol, while only 16% of non-tanners reported drug abuse.
This study may illustrate the correlation between obsession with appearances and other signs of low self esteem to teen drug abuse. Teens who look to things on the outside to fix how they feel on the inside are at a greater risk for drug and alcohol abuse. Teen drug and alcohol treatment treats the whole teen. Drug use is a symptom of deeper issues, and it often takes a comprehensive drug program to aid teens on their journey to recovery.

Wondering if your teen is engaging in risky behavior? Research indicates you should check their Facebook or myspace profile. In the study, researchers found that 54% of teen profiles surveyed indicated high risk behavior, with 24% referencing sexual behavior. A strong association was found between behavior mentioned on social networking sites and behavior teens actually engaged in. The bottom line? If your teen’s profile suggests risky behaviors, there is a strong chance they are already engaged in those behaviors.
Signs of teen drug and alcohol abuse, depression, and other risky behaviors can be difficult for parents to honestly identify. Another recent study suggested parents identified their teen’s friends as engaging in risky behaviors, but not their own teen. Keeping the lines of communication open with your teen is important. Although no one wants their child to struggle with depression and substance abuse, solutions exist for those that are.

USA Today reports that teens in junior high who are allowed to watch R-rated movies are more likely to drink alcohol. Approximately 25% of those allowed to watch R-rated movies had consumed alcohol, while of those who could watch R-rated movies only sometimes, 18.8% had consumed alcohol. Of those who were never allowed to watch R-rated movies, only 2.9% had consumed alcohol. While this study excluded any consideration of other parenting methods, and the result does not necessarily illustrate a causal relationship, it is interesting.

Many recent studies have shown that family involvement and family oriented activities, such as eating dinner together frequently, can reduce a teen’s risk of drug and alcohol abuse. The influence of the media is frequently cited as contributing to the premature death of childhood, and perhaps R-rated movies, “tween” make-up marketing, and the bombardment of teens by other media sources really is contributing to increased alcohol consumption by teenagers. When I was a teen, I felt grown up, and what can grown ups do that teens can’t? Drink! Every week there are studies suggesting some thing or another is contributing to teen alcohol abuse. Perhaps rather than focusing on the causes, we should be focusing on treating the kids that have already crossed the line- kids who are severely at risk for injury and death. Teen drug and alcohol treatment doesn’t judge. It is there to help teens get their lives back in order. Whatever the causes, THERE IS A SOLUTION.

Hospitals across the country have reported a 65% increase in admissions for prescription drug overdoses in the last decade. It is now the second leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Teens are not left out of this unfortunate rise in numbers. Teen prescription drug abuse is surpassing marijuana abuse and the highly addictive, easily abused types of opiates and sedatives are exceedingly dangerous to teens.
This abuse may not be as easily detected by parents, as the telltale signs of marijuana abuse (red eyes, recognizable smell), cocaine (sniffling, racing speech, dilated pupils, straws, rolled up dollars) or heroin (track marks, foil, straws, burnt spoons or soda cans). Prescription drug abuse may be spotted through behavior, such as irritability, sleepiness, lack of appetite, or an increased demand for spending money. Tiny pupils often indicate opiate abuse, as does frequent nausea and other stomach problems.
Teen drug and alcohol treatment centers take prescription drug abuse very seriously. It is the largest growing threat to teens today, but fortunately, a solution is available. By addressing a teen’s whole self, the recovery process can begin. Through group and individual counseling, an isolated setting away from toxic environments and peer groups, and the love and support of clinicians and recovering peers, teens begin the process of changing. Recovery is possible, and it begins with asking for help. No family has to face teen drug and alcohol addiction alone.

How to identify a good adolescent treatment program In California? These are a few key components to look for:

There should be a focus on the family treatment portion of the program. Research has shown that the most successful adolescent drug treatment programs involve the family in the therapy process by providing individual and group family programming on an ongoing basis. Residential treatment centers should allow for daily family updates and regular communication opportunities as well. Look for weekly like family therapy groups and parent education, which will keep the lines of communication open between you and the facility – and more importantly, you and your child.

Licensed medical professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists. If you believe your child has a co-occuring mental health disorder or has already been dually diagnosed, look for a program that provides these employees on a full time basis to address mental health diagnosis. Many programs use consultants who come in on a part time basis and do not get to know your child as they would if they were there full time. If an underlying condition does exist, it’s important that your child receives treatment for it.

12 step programing: The clients should be attending young people’s AA or NA meetings on a regular basis. The 12 steps are time-tested. In addition, the 12 step principles should be complemented by individual and group therapy and counseling.

The Program should have a continuum of care. Multiple program levels, the potential choose between short or long-term treatment, outpatient and residential. It should also be addressing each resident’s specific needs. Not only is this a good idea for practical reasons, it’s also a way to ensure that your teen will be treated as an individual – which is what every person in adolescent drug treatment deserves.

Saturday, May 8th, 2010
Pam Newton and Elizabeth Devine from the Betty Ford 5 Star Kids Program Present:
Breaking the Silence: Breaking the Cycle
Hope and Healing for Children of Addicted Parents
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
Business Auditorium
Pueblo at Bath Street
Santa Barbara, California 93105

Click Here to Register Now