Teenagers & Young Adults
Overview
What you need to know about Teenagers:
- Adolescent Brain Development: Because teenage brain development is ongoing, adolescents are less able to resist urges to experiment and the consequences of this experimentation can be greater
- Prevention: Adolescents that wait until they are 21 to have their first drink have almost no risk of becoming alcoholics
- Boot Camps: Although ‘get tough’ programs can sometimes seem necessary to rein in an out of control adolescent – boot camps do not seem very able to instill lasting behavioral change
For Teens: How to Quit Marijuana on Your Own
If you prepare yourself for high-risk situations and learn strategies to prevent relapse you have a great chance of being able to quit on your own – learn how to succeed here.
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Teen Residential Treatment – a 16-Point Safety Checklist
Considering residential rehab treatment for your teenager? First read this warning-sign checklist to spot and avoid dangerous or ineffective programs.
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Delay Marijuana Use to 21 and Avoid Brain Damage
What are the real marijuana risks for teens? Regular moderate marijuana use won’t do an adult much harm, but it will harm a teenager. Brain development continues through adolescence. If you smoke marijuana regularly during certain key periods of adolescence, you pay a lifetime price. Parents – get your son or daughter to just delay marijuana use to the age of 21 and save them from a host of permanent cognitive impairments.
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Why Teens Rarely Think They Need Help
Don’t wait for your son or daughter to come to their senses - teens almost never self-recognize addiction and they rarely ask for help. Learn why they can’t see the truth and why this matters when picking treatment.
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The 5 Reasons Teens Use Drugs or Alcohol
The 5 most common reasons why adolescents use drugs or alcohol - Until you understand the motivation behind the drug use it’s hard to respond appropriately.
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15 Signs of Marijuana Use (for Parents)
Is your son or daughter smoking marijuana? Learn the signs of marijuana use and be ready to spot a problem before it gets out of hand.
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Teen Marijuana Addiction Self Test
Smoke marijuana? Got 2 minutes to spare for a self test? If so, answer yes or no to 12 questions to make sure you don’t have a marijuana problem.
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Teen Treatment – How to Pick a Care-Level
So many options - outpatient, intensive outpatient, residential, high intensity residential…how are parents supposed to know what’s needed? Here’s a brief explanation of the different American Society of Addiction Medicine Adolescent Levels of Care with case study examples to illustrate.
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The Essential Values of Youth Focused Treatment
What do the experts suggest? Learn about the ideal values that drive effective adolescent treatment (teens aren’t just mini-adults) and learn the essential questions you need to ask to get the right care for your son or daughter.
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Teen Trauma-Sensitive Addiction Treatment
Learn more about how trauma and substance abuse co-exist, the importance of trauma-sensitive care (and where to find it) and what parents can do on their own at home to help.
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College - Dealing with Boozing Roommates
Your drug and alcohol using roommate disrupts your studies. What should you do? Here are 3 ways to handle this situation.
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For Teens: What to Do when a Friend Self-Harms
Imagine you promised to keep a teen friend's secret about cutting or or another form of self harm...should you really stay quiet? No, you shouldn't. Here's what you need to do and why.
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Young Adult ADHD and Substance Abuse
Children with ADHD face a variety of challenges when they first leave home. What can parents do if they start to see signs of substance abuse in their newly independent young adult children?
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Teens and Marijuana = Thinking Problems in Adults
With the rise in adolescent marijuana use and the movement to legalize the drug there is a need to take a careful look at the consequences legalization might have on our youth. Recent evidence show the danger of long term irreversible cognitive damage. Steps need to be taken to prevent legal development from harming our young citizens.
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Teen Treatment: 6 Steps to Choosing a Level of Care
Once you decide your adolescent needs addiction treatment, the next vital step is determining what level of care is required. Read on to learn more about the 6 factors professionals consider when deciding on an appropriate level of care.
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5 Ways to Stop Your Teen’s Drinking or Drug Use
OK – you’ve caught your son or daughter drinking or using drugs – now what? Well, the first thing you need to do is make sure they don’t repeat their mistakes and keep using or drinking, and if they can’t or won’t stop, then you need to get them some help. So after catching them experimenting with substance use, what’s really important is that you monitor their activities so that you’ll know right away if they continue to use or drink. Here are 5 ways to do just that.
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