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
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 new study revealed that marijuana in the U.S. now has a THC potency of 10%, compared to 4% in 1983. This figure alarms many experts who fear that adolescents who are currently abusing the drug are at a higher risk for serious side effects such as dysphoria, paranoia, and irritability. As the debate over the legalization of marijuana continues, consideration of teenage drug users should not be ignored.Many teens don’t take marijuana abuse seriously, but its abuse can bring just as much destruction and havoc to a teen’s life as any other drug. If a teen is abusing any substance, from cough syrup to heroin, it is a red flag of a serious condition that does need to be addressed. Few teens who abuse drugs can find support from within their immediate peer group with regards to recovery, which is why adolescent treatment is such a helpful solution.
When I was using, I didn’t have any friends in Orange County that I thought would support me getting off of drugs. Since my peers used drugs, it seemed like normal teenage behavior. Maybe it was, for some of them, but for me, it was total hell. In residential treatment, I learned that it wasn’t about the substances I used or how much I used that made me an addict. It was the obsession and compulsion to use, regardless of the consequences. It was the pain of not being able to stop even when I wanted to. It was my deep self loathing. I learned it’s not up to me to figure out if my friends were addicts or not; I could only take responsibility for my own recovery. That meant that when I left residential treatment, I had to find new friends that supported my recovery. Sometimes it was really lonely, but as long as I kept my recovery a priority, as I learned to do it rehab, I could continue to plow through challenging times and come out a stronger person.I have so many friends today that have helped me walk through all situations in my life, and that love and support me for being me.
Signs of Anorexia or Bulimia, by an Anorexic/Bulimic
There are plenty of websites with useful lists of signs and symptoms of eating disorders, and I thought I’d add my own explanations or other versions of the symptoms- kind of like what I would have looked for if I was going to bust myself when I was an anorexic/bulimic teen.
· Wearing loose or baggy clothing either because of perceived weight gain or to hide weight loss.
· Taking a shower right after meal time. As soon as I was done with dinner with the family, I ran off to take a shower. I thought the sound of water running covered up the sound of vomiting and shampoo smells covered up vomit smells. Gross, I know.
· Strange food rituals such as pushing the food around on the plate, cutting food into tiny pieces, or making sure lips avoid contact with the fork when eating. I personally tore food apart into little pieces. I absolutely hated biting into anything. Food was unrecognizable on the plate when I was done. I still kind of do this. I also tended to pick apart food, eating only certain parts, such as only the cheese on pizza or only the carrots in soup. Don’t even get me started on what happened to burritos.
· Bizarre rules regarding food that seem to defy logic. Example: I hate chicken. I do not, in fact hate all chicken. I hate chicken in salad or chicken strips. I hate chicken breast or chicken in a sandwich. Chicken salad is ok as is rotisserie chicken and a whole fried chicken, but then only white meat. Chicken in soup is okay, as long as the pieces are really little, and I can do chicken in curry sauces, but again only if the chicken is really little and I don’t have to cut it. So, figure that out.
· A sudden switch to vegetarianism, veganism, or other restricted diet. This is not a definite sign but when combined with other behaviors it should be considered a red flag in my opinion. By switching to vegetarianism, I eliminated an entire food group and could be much more picky about the foods I ate.
· Frequent sore throats or swollen glands (from vomiting). My orthodontist was the only person that didn’t buy my line about my retainer giving me all of those ulcers in my mouth.
· Bloodshot eyes or watery eyes upon emerging from the bathroom. Also, check the toilet occasionally. Sometimes we miss a spot. Also, if your toilet is suddenly very clean, you may have a bulimic on your hands. And seriously, vomit smells. If you get it on your hand or in your hair (it totally happens), you will smell like vomit. Smelling like vomit means you probably just vomited.
· Constantly reading nutritional content on food labels.
· Reading about eating disorders. Sometimes those are the best places to get ideas.
· Bruised or callused knuckles. (Stomach acid will do that to you.)
· Visible restriction of food. Visible agitation when confronted with food.
· Reluctance to eat in front of people. Harsh criticism of others’ eating habits.
· Excessive exercise.
· Seems to have always “just eaten”. I liked to act like I had already eaten at school or at a friend’s house. If you never see your teen eat, they might not be eating.
· Rigid, perfectionist personality. Very small issues would set me off. Typically numb to large events like moving or people dying and hysterical when I got a “C” in class.
· Anger or defensiveness when confronted about eating issues. Visible irritation when “trapped” after a meal, such as at a restaurant or Thanksgiving with family.
These are just some of the behaviors I engaged in when I was active in my eating disorder. Recovery is a very difficult journey but I believe it is possible. It is not as black and white as not using drugs, but I make progress every day in continuing to develop a healthier relationship to food and weight. In our culture, that can be difficult, but fortunately I got my foundation in a safe and structured environment where I could begin the healing process.
I woke up at the usual time this morning, 5:30 am. Next I did what I do every morning and probably what a lot of people do across the world. I lit up my first camel of the day. It is something I have done for as long as I can remember, SMOKE!!! The strange thing is I don’t even really enjoy it anymore; it has become a pattern, a habit. However if I don’t light one up there is an overwhelming feeling of anxiety that hits like a tidal wave. About six months ago I tried to quit, well sort of, I never really had too much commitment. The reason I was trying was because the people around me were worried. Strange though the more they worried and complained about my smoking the more I wanted it. Kind of reminds me of when I was using drugs/alcohol. My mind thinks in the same addictive manner when it comes to everything; tell me I shouldn’t due it, tell me its bad for me and it makes me want it more. It’s insane, that same thinking, I’ll show you I’ll hurt me. Fortunately I am in recovery now and have almost five years clean and sober; so why can’t I quit smoking? I just crushed out a camel and writing this blog discussing smoking makes me want another; hold on gotta get one be right back. Ahhh, much better, but not really, it is just the same old pattern. Oh the dilemma that one goes through in trying to quit. It is time to give it another go. So what is the point of this blog? It is an introduction into my world and my ride with a camel; its time to get off the ride. If anyone reads this or wants to try to quit, maybe we could try together. Each week I will be adding an entry of the crazy making my mind goes through in quitting smoking. Respond to these blogs if you share the same type of feelings or frustrations around quitting. If you think its stupid or I am weak for not being able to quit, well you can respond with that also. Strange I psyched myself out so to keep me honest next week on Wed. October 8, 2008 it will be my first day of not smoking. I will share with you all the happy, joyous feelings I am having at that moment, just kidding, I will be pissed off but I will try, how about you? See you in a week!!! Brian Wildason
VISIONS ADOLESCENT TREATMENT CENTER – THE HARDWARE STORE
I am an addict. So for me, something that comes along with that is the comfort of isolation and an emotionally walled off presence. When I arrived at Visions, I was thrown out of the box that is my comfort zone. Leaving me “raw” I went into survival mode because it was my automatic response to shelter myself from getting hurt. But contrary to most of the rest of my life I was treated with respect, surrounded by and incredible staff of people whose primary purpose was to be a positive example in my life and let me know that I wasn’t alone and didn’t have to face whatever I was feeling alone. During my time at Visions I made some profound changes in regards to the way I show up in this world. Visions didn’t make me show up differently, Visions is where I was given a tremendous opportunity to take suggestions and learn some tools. Perhaps the most important of those tools was getting connected with other addicts in recovery. To be honest without knowing I needed to do this I wouldn’t have stayed clean. But don’t go thinking that just knowing you need a support group is enough to keep you clean. But an addict with tools is just an addict with tools. Anyone can tell you “these are the tools.” But Visions gives you the opportunity to use these tools, and practice positive action in your everyday living and get some experience under your belt. So when you go back out into the world you have some experience in being a productive member of society.
This past weekend was our annual ski/snowboard trip with all of our visions outpatient and alumni. The trip was such a blast, and everyone got along so well. We sang songs in the car on the drive up, and we all went skiing and snowboarding together. The staff and the kids came together so well, and it was just such a great time. We went to meetings and met new people, and fellowshipped with the AA up in Big Bear. The kids got closer to each other, and we all created a strong bond with one another. It really helped everyone to open up with each other and to have fun while being sober! There were some challenges everyone faced, some people were drinking at the mountain, but the kids didn't let that faze them. It was great for them to see that you don't have to drink in order to have fun! We all helped each other out on the trip. Some helped others to learn how to ski, some helped to give emotional support when it was needed. All in all, it was a successful trip. I'm greatful I was able to be a part of something so amazing.
I'm a recovering addict and I've been clean for five years now. I've had the honor and privilege of working with the Visions family for three years. On most days, being able to work in teen drug treatment is one of the blessings of my recovery. However, working with adolescent addicts, alcoholics and drug abusers can be as challenging as it is rewarding. A friend of mine recently passed on. His name was Bobby and he died with 34 years clean in Narcotics Anonymous. He shared with me that he'd been working in drug treatment since he had one year clean and he had loved it just as much in the end as he had in the beginning. His enthusiasm for helping people never died. He ended up touching many lives because of this. Rarely, after a really long, trying day of work, I sometimes wonder why I'm not in an office job wearing heels and pearls. It's then that I think of dear Bobby, and how every time I saw him, he'd wink at me and tell me I'm doing God's work. I'm reminded that the important jobs take actual "work;" that's why we call it that. I then remember who I am and what I stand for and I know that I'd never want it any other way. I may not believe in "God" (don't worry, I have a higher power), but I want more than anything else to do his work. Thanks for the reality check, Bobby. Rest in peace.
I am writing to thank you for your efforts with my son, Chris. He has been home for a month now and is doing so well. When I say "doing so well" I am not just talking about getting back in school, following his treatment plan and being SO much easier to get along with, although all of these things are true. What I mean is that he is doing well and he really wants to do well. His perspective on his life and his desire to build a future of possibility based on the work of today is inspiring.
His understanding of his challenges as an addict in recovery and what that means seems deep seated; he is going to NA meetings and calling his sponsor daily, he has a home group and a service commitment in it, he attended an H&I meeting so he can help other kids once he has 6 months. He has been doing all these things without much prompting from me. He seems to accept that all of the privileges he had will come back in the fullness of time, believe me patience was not a hallmark of Chris' behavior in the past, he has not pressed me or had a fit of temper since coming home.
He started classes back at school this week, and we are, of course, still doing IOP treatment, that meant that on several days he had school from 8-3:15, IOP from 4-6 and then asked to go to a meeting from 7-8, got home and then did his homework! He has not complained (okay, maybe a little whine, but not much) he said "this is just what I have to do now, it won't last forever". He only has a few more weeks on the IOP (two hour groups, three times a week) and we will scale back to one individual session a week. The regular NA meetings we know will just become a part of a clean and sober life style.
I do not know what the future will bring, I understand that addiction can come back on us with a vengeance. My son’s life is his own now and he has a chance to meet it with a clear mind and the knowledge of his condition. He has a fighting chance. Visions delivered, I am so grateful. I am so happy to have my son back! Christmas is coming in a couple of weeks, I will not have to spend it wondering where my son is, or if he is safe; is there a better present? If there is ever anything we can do to help the continued realization of Visions' vision, please feel free to contact us.
I would be happy to talk with parents considering treatment for their children.
I grew up in Jesus, America. It was perfect if you wanted to drink beer and watch football, but as for great live music, my friends and I suffered. Don’t get me wrong, The Flaming Lips are fantastic, but they didn’t count. They lived downtown. We needed someone, anyone to bring it on down home and rarely, if ever did it happen. I made a promise to myself during those years that if I ever had the opportunity to see my heroes on a regular basis that I would let nothing stand in my way. When I moved to Los Angeles in 2001, I was ecstatic. Every Thursday the Weekly would have pages and pages of new show announcements. What a world I would create!
Fast-forward 3 years and I was bottoming out in the big ‘ol city barely hanging on to my sanity and sleeping mostly in my car. The party was over. Thankfully, I was able to admit that it was over and through the 12 steps I got sober. One of the many uncountable gifts of my recovery is that after all these years I am able to finally see those musicians I used to play air-guitar to in my bedroom. I know it seems small, but its my favorite thing. Some people knit afghans. I love live music. Thanks Bill W.
VISIONS ADOLESCENT TREATMENT CENTERS Personalized programs dedicated to helping youth and their families recover from the destructive effects of substance and other behavior related problems. (866) 889-3665
