The effective treatment of adolescents with substance abuse and behavioral disorders requires an approach that includes attention to every aspect of a young person’s life. We see every individual as a whole being. In addition to fully understanding the emotional, developmental, physical, psychological, familial, social and cultural factors, there must be appropriate resources in place to address these issues. Need help? Contact Us Today! (866) 889-3665
Sometimes being clean is painful. I got clean really young in an adolescent drug treatment program, and have stayed clean since. My life has grown and I have a wonderful existence thanks to being sober. I have all kinds of opportunities that I never had when I was using, like going to college or keeping a job. It gets painful when you stay clean and other people don’t. It gets really painful when some people don’t make it.
My friend died of an overdose this week. When I got sent away to treatment, I had to cut myself off from my using friends. It was really hard, and they didn’t understand why I couldn’t talk to them anymore. I just couldn’t. I couldn’t be around people when they were using. It was too hard for me. After I had been clean awhile, some of my friends checked out some AA or NA meetings with me. I got really excited that we would all be clean together and have fun. A few of my friends stayed clean for a bit, and then would go back to using. I had had such a strong foundation in teen drug treatment that I knew I couldn’t “dabble” in using again. I think that if I use again, I will die.
My friend died this week. She overdosed and died. She was 18. Sometimes I wonder why I stay clean and others don’t. I wonder how I didn’t die when I was using and why others do. I wonder what I could have done to help my friend and I know that I did what I could. I just feel really sad. I feel really angry with drug addiction. I know that I don’t have to use over the feelings I’m having, and that the only thing I can do is to stay clean and try to help other teens see that they can stay clean too. I’m really going to miss my friend. She was an amazing person who really struggled with addiction. I know her death was an accident, and that she didn’t believe she might die from this. I wish addiction didn’t exist, and that this wouldn’t happen to people, but it does. So I just stay clean, and stay close to my support group in Hartford Connecticut like I learned in treatment. I just feel really sad today. Please contact us for teen drug and alcohol rehab if you or a loved one needs help.
Reports of Michael Jackson’s prescription drug abuse have been flooding the media. Recent articles depict a heavy addiction to painkillers and the anti-anxiety drug, Xanax. People surrounding Jackson have reported that he visited doctors in different states and had staff members fill prescriptions in their names in order to maintain his intense habit. It is a tragedy when anyone succumbs to the wrath of addiction, and the only positive thing that may come of Jackson’s death is that it has highlighted the dangers and seriousness of prescription drug abuse. What I would hope to see from the media is a more intense scrutiny of our prescription drug problem in the United States. Rather than focus on Jackson, we should focus on the problem of prescription drug abuse.
Prescription drug abuse has steadily been on the rise in the US, and it is rapidly becoming one of the most popular forms of drug abuse for teenagers as it has nearly eclipsed marijuana abuse in teens. Many studies indicate that parents are less likely to suspect that their teen is abusing pills, but more and more teens indicate that they are. Xanny-bars, bars, z bars, and white ladders are terms Visions Adolescent Drug Treatment Center commonly hears residents using to describe Xanax. Xanax is in the group of drugs called Benzodiazepines, or benzos, which are commonly prescribed to treat anxiety disorders. The scored tablets (bars) are white and the other tablets are yellow or blue. Xanax is habit forming and does cause withdrawal symptoms. Prescription drug abuse amongst teens is a very real problem. Teens often combine Xanax with other drugs to create dangerous cocktails. Teens rarely think of Xanax as a serious drug and often believe its abuse has no risks. Many people may overlook Xanax abuse but drug dependence is dangerous and harmful no matter what the substance. If you believe that your teen has a problem with Xanax or other drugs, don’t hesitate to seek help today.
This weekend, as we celebrated our nation’s freedom, I chose to celebrate my own personal freedom as well- freedom from active addiction to drugs and alcohol. Adolescent Addiction continues to plague our country, and to get a second chance at life is definitely a cause to celebrate. As a teen, I struggled with drug and alcohol dependence. I didn’t think I could ever function without using drugs and alcohol. The problem was that I had ceased to function while using. My parents intervened and sent me to adolescent drug treatment. I was angry, scared, and confused, but a part of me was also hopeful. I heard from other recovering addicts and alcoholics that they had managed to find recovery from their addiction, so maybe I could too.
It has been a challenging journey, full of painful changes and growth, and wonderful achievements and successes too. If I had to describe my teen addiction in Fourth of July terms, it would be like this: My addiction was like England, taxing me without representation. I was paying a heavy price without seeing any benefits. Treatment was like the Revolutionary War. I had to fight a tough battle, but I eventually came out the victor. In order to maintain my more perfect union with myself now, I must remain vigilant and follow the same procedure that I laid out in the foundation of my recovery. I go to young peoples's AA meetings like they taught me to do in drug treatment. I use the tools I was taught, like journaling and reaching out to my support group. This weekend, when my peer group is drinking and partying, I will have a blast with my sober friends, celebrating our Independence from a life of addiction.
If your teen is seeking freedom, let this be the beginning. Contact Visions today for adolescent drug treatment.
A medication aimed at fighting cocaine addiction failed in clinical trials recently. Things like this make me really think about my addiction and recovery. If I was offered a medical “cure” for my addiction, would I take it? Would I stop my involvement in recovery and being of service to other addicts and alcoholics and just take a pill? I don’t think so. When I think of the life I have in recovery, I know that most of the fulfillment in my life comes from the community I have built around myself. Treatment introduced me to a whole new way of life.
When I first went to adolescent Drug Treatment, all I could focus on was figuring out how to not use drugs. I couldn’t think of much else. As time went by, I began to learn that in order to stay clean, I had to change a lot of things about myself; recovery was going to take a lot more than not using drugs. I began to want to be a better person. When I was using, I damaged the relationship I had with my family. I wasn’t trustworthy. I never did what I said I was going to do. I messed up in school and brought a lot of chaos into my home. In rehab, we learned how to become better sons and daughters, siblings, and friends. When I, I got more involved in 12-step fellowships and began to give back what was given to me. I speak on panels at rehabs, sharing my experience, strength, and hope. I work with young people in treatment and in meetings. I try to set an example. One of the coolest things to me about recovery is that we are all trying to be better people. A pill treating the physical side of my addiction wouldn’t give me a reason to try and be better person, or to build the fantastic relationships I have in my life today. Rehab gave me more than a life free of drugs and their consequences; it gave me a new way to live.
Please click here if you would like to contact us for more information regarding adolescent drug treatment
Opiate rehab is a solution for teens struggling with opiate dependence. Some commonly abused opiates include the street drugs heroin and opium, and prescription medications such as Oxycontin, Vicodin, Morphine, Percoset, Fentanyl, or Darvocet. Some opiate abusers also abuse synthetic opiates like Methadone and Buprenorphine. Opiates and their derivatives are highly addictive both physically and psychologically, often causing major physical and social problems for the user. They are extremely dangerous when abused and their use can easily result in accidental overdose.
Because of the highly addictive nature of opioids, opiate users often encounter great difficulty in successful withdrawal on their own. Adolescent opiate rehab addresses not only the teen’s physical detox from the drug, but works to address the underlying psychological and emotional issues that may have contributed to the teen’s drug abuse in the first place. Our therapeutic environment provides your teen with a safe place to detox, without the temptations they might encounter at home. After successfully detoxing from opiates, your Adolescent will work with our treatment staff both one-on-one and in group settings to address their addiction, and also any underlying emotional, psychological, or behavioral problems. Our scholastic academy in Los Angeles allows your teen to enter treatment without disrupting their education, and provides a safe learning environment. Aftercare programs like our outpatient program facility in Los Angeles provide a safe re-entry into the world following rehab. Our goal is to provide your teen with the tools necessary to not only successfully detox, but to achieve long-term sobriety.
If you think your adolescent is abusing opiates, or any other substance, please don’t hesitate to contact us today for adolescent opiate rehab in Los Angeles
The Scholastic Academy at Visions, a day school, provided my son with safe and sober learning environment to meet his individual needs which consisted of addiction and behavioral problems, he was previously unable to function in a mainstream environment. The Scholastic Academy created a setting which was conducive to his emotional growth. A conventional school setting had too many social increased stressors like his old "friends".
I'm proud to say that this fall he will be starting his senior year at Newport Harbor Day. None of this would have been possible if Visions hadn't furnished an environment which continues to enable students to stay grounded and keep perspective in the face of adversity.
Symptoms of Oxycontin Opiate Abuse, from a former opiate abuser:
I often read through information on addiction, including symptoms of addiction and think that someone should really expand on some things, so I’m going to address some of the things I, a former opiate abuser, consider telltale signs of opiate dependence or abuse. remember the opiate family is large, it includes heroin, Oxycontin, dilaudid, vicodin, hydrocodone, codeine, cough syrups and other pain killers...
-Nodding out, or being “on the nod“. This is when the user is so intoxicated they can’t keep their eyes open. Their head will literally nod forward as they go back and forth between being nodded out to jerking awake. If your teen is sitting straight up, asleep, they probably aren’t “just tired”. I don’t think anyone sleeps like that.
-Pinned eyes. Lizard paint. These terms explain how small pupils get when a person is under the influence of opiates. It’s freaky. Also, when someone is coming down from an opiate high, or is in withdrawal, their pupils tend to get really big. I used to try to blame this on my antidepressants, but opiates are the only drug I can think of that do this.
-Itchiness. Opiates usually make you itchy, especially the face, for some reason. Someone under the influence of opiates may seem to absentmindedly rub their face a lot, or scratch themselves elsewhere. Symptom lists seem to leave this one out a lot, but this combined with a couple of other factors helps me to peg an opiate user pretty quickly.
-Being cold when it is not cold. Especially when a user is “sick” (beginning withdrawal), they will get super cold. You can usually spot an opiate user because they are the one wearing a sweater when no one else is. When I was using opiates and I was sick, no amount of clothing could keep me warm.
-Sleepy, or not sleepy. Haha I know this one sounds weird, but when a user is high, they might sleep a lot- like, at really inappropriate times. Being in withdrawal makes you not be able to sleep.
-Stomach problems. If your teen suddenly loses their appetite or seems to be having a lot of stomach trouble, you may have an opiate user. (Or an eating disorder…see previous post on those symptoms.) The rush from an opiate high can often make one vomit. Withdrawal from opiates can make you vomit. I remember a lot of vomiting. If anyone had “food poisoning” as much as I claimed when I was using, all of Los Angeles should have been shut down. Also, withdrawal gives you really bad diarrhea. So glamorous.
-Runny nose. Withdrawal makes your nose run. Again, very glamorous.
-Other symptoms of withdrawal, in my experience, are muscle and back pains, cramping, sleeplessness, irritability, panic attacks, crying, hurting…ugh it was gross. Withdrawal sucks. It should be enough to keep sane people from using again, but often perpetuates use with addicts. At the end, I kept using because I didn’t want to get sick. This is especially dangerous because “chipping” (using and then quitting and then using and then quitting etc) messes with your tolerance and one can easily overdose. And die. It’s a big deal. Because withdrawal from opiates can be such a difficult and painful thing, I think it’s a really good idea to do it in a safe a supervised place, like residential treatment. When I had tried to quit cold turkey on my own, I never made it past two days because I couldn’t stand the withdrawal symptoms. I will admit I am quite the crybaby when it comes to pain, which I’ll admit is weird coming from an ex-cutter/IV drug user. I “kicked” opiates in a safe environment under a doctor’s care, and once I was safely detoxed from the drugs, was able to begin my real recovery process. I hope some of these “insider tips” help. Opiate dependence is a very serious issue; opiates kill people. If you think your teen is struggling with Oxycontin-opiate addiction, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
When I was using, I resigned myself to the idea that I was just crazy. My behavior certainly made it appear that way. My self-harming behaviors and bouts of extreme depression landed me in more than one psych ward before I went to residential treatment in Malibu. I remember sitting in the hospital one time, surrounded by doctors asking me, “What happened to you? Why are you like this?” I thought I was destined to be crazy. I never considered that drugs might be contributing to my growing mental instability and depression. I never considered that because I was constantly using and not being honest with doctors that I was making it impossible for them to give me a clear diagnosis and treatment. One day a Hospitals and Institutions (H&I) panel from Narcotics Anonymous came to the hospital. The H&I panel members were volunteers from NA who had brought a meeting in to us, since we couldn’t leave. Even though they were much older than me, I identified with the feelings they talked about, and the unreasonable compulsion to use drugs and alcohol. They had had that same kind of "crazy" that no one could put their finger on. They were addicts, and I was an addict. I was a teenage drug addict? I felt like I should have had my own Lifetime movie or after school special in order to be classified a teenage drug addict. It was a heavy moment for me when I realized that drugs and alcohol might be the culprits behind my steady decline, and that I had to use drugs, even when I didn't want to. I took it in as something to consider.
Following the hospital stays, I began my attempts at sobriety, finally ending up in residential treatment. As I stayed clean and began to work the 12 steps with my sponsor and work more closely with the counseling staff at the rehab, I began to see myself kind of “level out.” In early recovery, my reactions to discomfort were rather volatile, but as I developed new behaviors to replace my old, destructive behaviors, I began to feel my insanity lift. Who’da thunk it, that taking away the drugs and alcohol and lunatic drama that was my life in Santa Monica would make me feel less crazy? The structure in treatment and the life that followed in outpatient and sober living was key in maintaining and developing my mental stability. My newly developed tools were best practiced in safe environments for awhile. After developing such a strong foundation, I have been able to take my skills into the world with me. In treatment I learned how to ask for help and worry about saving myself before saving face. I learned how to think before I speak and react. I learned anger management tools and practical application of the 12 steps. I learned how to show up even when I don't feel like it. When I walked out of the doors of Visions, I walked a out a completely different person than the fearful, depressed person that walked in.
Through learning more and more about adolescent addiction and ADHD and have also learned about the link between the two diagnoses. “The combination of a higher intensity of cravings and the tendency to take risks without considering consequences may put ADD adults at greater risk for substance abuse (Kelly and Ramundo).” Impulsivity is a trait that both addicts and those with ADD posses. Everything that I have learned has helped me to remember rule #62; to not take myself too seriously. I have learned to accept my assets and have implemented tools to work on my liabilities. I no longer get into negative self-talk about how I should or could be. The book titled You Mean I’m Not Lazy, Crazy or Stupid?! also discusses how the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous can be beneficial when applied to ADD (Kelly and Ramundo). As the twelve steps are basically a program for having faith, taking personal inventory, cleaning up any harms and being of service to others.
Learning about the signs and symptoms of ADHD and addiction as well as the link between the two diagnoses has assisted me in overcoming many of the obstacles I have been faced with. “When you understand your disabilities, you can begin the process of discovering your abilities and unleashing your potential (Kelly and Ramundo).” I no longer have a constant feeling of less-than, now I can see that my learning style may differ from others but I am still equally capable. I don’t criticize myself incessantly for having a few too many unfinished art projects anymore, now I can giggle at myself and simply appreciate the fact that I am creative. And I no longer am tormented by the constant question of “what is wrong with me?”
So once again drug dealers prove they are some of the lowest of the low in our society.
There's a new drug on the market being handed to kids in school yards. It's a type of crystal Meth that looks, smells and tastes like strawberry pop rocks (it fizzles and pops like the popular candy) Its being called "strawberry quik" or strawberry meth. This new and kid appealing version of this highly addictive drug is also being made in chocolate, peanut butter, cola, cherry, grape, and orange flavors.
Drug Dealers are obviously looking to turn teens and pre-teens into their new adolescent and teen addict customers. Kids are showing up in Adolescent rehabs and teen treatment centers.
If parents don't still tell their kids to not accept anything from strangers now is a time to start having those conversations! Its sad that "cooks" would be making this destructive drug so easily marketed as a candy for kids only to have serious and even deadly results.
There is a fox news report on this at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,271215,00.html .
Meth is a highly addictive and destructive drug. Please make sure you children are informed so that they are not rushed to the hospital or morgue because they took "candy" from someone at school!
Insanity Once there was a man who went to the doctor because both of his ears were badly burned. When the doctor asked him what happened, he replied that he liked to have a drink or 10 when he got home from work. Last night he was sitting his easy chair watching TV, sipping his drink, while his wife ironed his shirts nearby. The phone rang and he picked up the iron, thinking it was the phone. The doctor then asked why his other ear was burned. The man responded, “The son-of-a-bitch called back!”
The mind of the adolescent addict is amazing. The compulsion to engage in addictive behavior is so great that they will risk injury, jail, emotional torment, and even death. All rationality flies out the door, until what was down is up, what’s wrong is right, and what’s bad is good. We’re all a bit insane, living in an insane world, but such thinking is PURE INSANITY. Einstein was onto something when he said that insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same results.” It seems that for the adolescent addict, living in a mad world provides a convenient reason to be insane. So how do you switch your thinking pattern if you are in the throws of addiction? The answer is simple: You have to do the opposite of what you were doing. Though it sounds simple, it’s a hard thing to change your behavior when you’ve been doing the same thing for a long time. When you wake up in the morning and don’t want to go to work or school, you go anyway. When you want to lie to someone, you tell the truth. When you want to steal something, you pay for it instead. After a while, this “contrary action” becomes a natural reaction, and insanity dissolves into serenity for the adolescent addict.
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