Substance Abuse

Finding a New Path: Teen Substance Use Recovery Through Wilderness Therapy

Treating Teen Substance Use - 8 empty glass alcohol bottles sit on the grass.
The journey to recovery from teen substance use or experimentation can be a challenging one, and finding the right treatment can play a crucial part in achieving lasting success.  In recent years, wilderness therapy has emerged as an alternative solution for teens facing these challenges.  For those unfamiliar with the concept, wilderness therapy combines traditional…
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Outdoor Therapy for Teens with Substance Use Issues

outdoor therapy and substance use
Adolescence can be a challenging time for both parents and the teens themselves. As a family, you are transitioning from being involved in every aspect of your child’s life to experiencing your teen pulling away as they yearn for autonomy. This is a natural part of childhood development as teens begin to develop their own…
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Explaining to Kids the Effects of Using Drugs and Alcohol

effects of using drugs and alcohol
Teenagers may see themselves as almost adults but the reality is that adolescent brains are still developing during the adolescent years into young adulthood. The brain develops first with the cerebellum that controls physical activity, the amygdala which controls emotion, and the nucleus accumbens which controls motivation. As teens reach adulthood, the prefrontal cortex fully…
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How To Talk To Your Child About Substance Use

marijuana and teens
There are many life talks that parents need to have with their teens, and substance abuse is one of the big ones. It is important for teens to understand the real risks and consequences of drug use. Teens are at the threshold of adulthood. Not children anymore, but not adults either. They crave independence and…
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Getting Behind the Bottle: Help for Teen Alcohol Use

help for teen alcohol use
The teenage years are full of hormonal changes, desire to fit in, and peer pressures. This is a common period in which one gets invited to participate in risky behaviors such as consuming alcohol. Help for teen alcohol use can begin at home. However, the first step of helping is acknowledging that there is a…
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You Are Not Alone: Helping Your Adolescent Find Substance Use Treatment

adolescent substance use treatment
While experimentation with substances is a common feature of identity exploration, it can become problematic when it interferes with daily functioning and relationships and can lead to later negative consequences and substance dependence. Teenagers who use drugs are more likely to get high out of curiosity or due to peer pressure and sensation seeking, but…
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Safety Last: The Dangers of Teen Vaping

teen vaping
In the 21st century, hardly anyone would argue that cigarettes and tobacco are bad. A widely acknowledged fact, the dangers of smoking have led to tobacco regulation. Unfortunately, however, there is a new criminal on the streets: teen vaping. Unlike regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes have a rather “harmless” reputation. Since they do not contain tobacco, many…
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Talking Drugs: Discussing Substance Use with Out of Control Teenagers

out of control teenagers
When is too much, in fact, too much? There are multiple strategies on discussing substance use with out of control teenagers. Some argue that honesty about your own experiences with substances (if such experiences exist) is an important step to connecting with your child. Others argue that discussing your own experiences sends the wrong message…
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It’s Fun Until Somebody Gets Hurt: Recognizing the Signs of Teen Alcohol Use

teen alcohol use
11% of all the alcohol consumed in the United States is consumed by those under 21 . The statistic isn’t based on college freshmen either: studies estimate that in the past month, 35% of high school students had some amount of alcohol – with 21% of the students binge drinking. If that wasn’t bad enough,…
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Getting that Perfect Score at a Price: Study Drugs

study drugs
High school is stressful. Your teen juggles assignments, homework, quizzes, exams, extracurricular activities, family, and a social life. All of that can take a toll on a teenage brain. When someone offers a way to overcome it all–study drugs–it can be hard for a stressed out teen to say no. Recent studies have revealed that many teens…
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