Addictions don’t just happen in a vacuum. First, there’s an underlying cause - some behavioral, emotional, or psychological issue that compels a person to escape into an addiction. Then, there’s the availability of the addictive substance or access to things that support the addictive behaviors. People can become addicted to substances, such as drugs or alcohol, or to behaviors such as watching pornography, playing video games, shopping, excessive eating or dieting, or excessive exercising. When someone becomes addicted to drugs, for example, the addiction involves both a desire to use drugs and access to the drugs. When a person receives treatment for addiction, all aspects of that addiction need to be addressed.
Signs of Addiction
If you have concerns that your teen son may be addicted to a substance or a behavior, look for these signs common to addictions: Do you see extreme mood swings? Does your child alternate from highly energetic to sluggish and sleepy? Are his grades slipping in school? Has his weight changed? Has he become withdrawn and lost interest in doing activities he used to love? Does he prefer to be alone in his room most of the time? Has his group of friends changed? Have you noticed money missing from your wallet, or valuable things missing from around your home? If you suspect your teen has an addiction, reach out to a professional for help. Addictions are rarely something teens can face on their own.
Help for Addiction
There are many resources available to help teens with an addiction, including therapists, psychologists, addiction help groups, and residential treatment centers. Teens can get help with all aspects of addiction at a residential treatment center, including individual therapy for the underlying behavioral, emotional or psychological health issues that led to the teen’s addiction. While staying at a residential treatment center, teens are also cut off from access to the addictive substance or behavior. Teens get psychological help, while they continue their schooling, and learn life skills and social skills, including ways to enjoy life without alcohol, drugs, or addictive behaviors.
Residential Treatment Centers for Teens
By going to live temporarily at a residential treatment center, your teen is removed from all the negative influences and habits that support his addiction in his current environment. Teens with addictions often have a peer group with similar addictions. They also have found access to drugs or alcohol, or to activities that enable their addictive behaviors, such as unsupervised access to the internet. Residential treatment centers can constantly supervise teens in a way that parents can’t at home or when their children are at school. These centers are safe places that provide structured daily activities, and help teens learn new and healthy habits and life skills. Some residential treatment centers for troubled boys are set in a rural area and include activities such as hiking, camping, skiing, swimming, and other healthy outdoor activities that most boys enjoy. Residential treatment centers can provide teens a comprehensive healing experience that includes therapy and learning effective ways to cope with emotional, psychological or behavioral issues. While staying at a residential treatment center, teens can focus on healing and recovering from addiction without the distractions of negative peer influence or stressful life situations, and without the temptations and availability of substances or activities related to their addiction.
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