Rehab For Teenagers

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Updated January 18, 2023

Few things in life are as painful or frightening as watching a loved one spiral into addiction or substance abuse. When that loved one is your child, it is so much worse. In this awful situation, where acting quickly and decisively is so critically important, it’s best to get an addiction professional on your side to help you make the right decisions and provide the necessary care and treatment.

Gladstones Clinic has been helping teenagers recover from substance abuse, addiction, and other self-harming behaviours since 2012. We take a family-centred and clinically tested approach to helping teenagers take back control of their lives and helping families heal from the damage caused by addiction. If you or a teenage loved one require professional help in dealing with addiction, continue reading to learn more about addictive behaviour in teenagers, how the Gladstones Clinic teenage addiction rehabilitation program turns lives around, and how to get started on the journey of recovery.

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Talking about Teenage Addiction and Substance Abuse

Teenage substance abuse and self-harm can be difficult and sensitive topics to bring up and openly discuss. Teenagers engaging in this behaviour often feel shame or fear, making them less likely to be open about what is happening to them until their behaviour or addiction starts to have serious or even life-threatening consequences. Many parents might feel like their child’s addiction is their fault and that they’re squarely to blame, pushing them to look for quick fixes out of desperation and not wanting others to know of their failures.

The reality is that addiction, dependency, and self-harming behaviour of any kind and at any age are incredibly complex phenomena. Feelings of guilt, shame, fear, and many other negative emotional connotations we create in dealing with it only serve to delay getting teenagers the help they need in their time of crisis. If we as a society are ever to make definitive and measurable progress in reducing teenage addiction and substance abuse, we need a clear picture of the causes and an openness and willingness to talk about it freely. With this openness in place, we believe that more teenagers and parents will seek the help they need before their addiction causes crisis.

Common Causes of Addiction in Teenagers

When it comes to the causes of addiction in teenagers, it is important to realise that it’s usually the result of a number of factors. As convenient as it would be, simply pointing the finger at a single factor in an individual case of teenage addiction would be a gross oversimplification and likely result in ineffective or short-lived treatment. That being said, an understanding of the causes and the ability to connect them to specific cases through experience and professional training can help addiction professionals identify why someone might become a victim of addiction and help develop effective and long-term strategies to deal with it.

Substance addiction and self-harming behaviour in adolescents are often –but definitely not always– the result of the interplay between a range of closely-interlinked factors, such as:

Peer and Social Media Pressure

Peer pressure: The pressure to fit in with your friends is never as high as it is in your teenage years. This pressure to be accepted by others your age can cause otherwise healthy, sensible, and forward-thinking adolescents to take risks they normally wouldn’t. Especially in social situations where substance use or risk-taking behaviour is normalised or encouraged.

Social media pressure: Social media often glamourises or normalises drug use in specific environments or social settings. It’s not uncommon to see drug-related insignia or design motifs related to events that teenagers would go to. While it’s easy to downplay the effect this has, over time it paints the picture that drug use is harmless or acceptable at certain types of events or environments. In other words, social media often misrepresents the potential risks and consequences of substance abuse.

Impact of Family Dynamics

Dysfunctional family dynamics is a broad term that covers a range of destructive behaviours or environments that a teenager might be subjected to at home, from witnessing domestic violence or dealing with a parent who has addiction issues themselves to feeling neglected by parents who are trying to make ends meet. These cases can be difficult to deal with, as they usually involve serious commitments from the parents to help create a more nurturing environment, and often incorporate family therapy into the teen’s treatment.

Academic Pressures

The pressures of performing well at school, as well as the stress of underperforming, can easily drive a young person to experiment with drugs or alcohol to find some relief. This is especially prevalent in cases where they have undiagnosed or misunderstood learning disabilities. Students who consistently feel like their best academic efforts aren’t good enough might feel a loss of self-worth or like they’re a disappointment to themselves or their parents, leading to despair and self-destructive behaviour.

Again, it’s important not to simply pick the closest match as a reason for addiction. These factors and many others, like stress, trauma, undiagnosed depression, genetic predispositions, bullying, curiosity and more, are very closely interlinked, and it’s almost always a combination that turns a first-time user into a habitual user.

Early Intervention for Teenage Substance Abuse

Regardless of the hook, early recognition and intervention are often the deciding factors that determine the total amount of damage done. All substances with the potential for abuse are harmful, and failure to recognise the symptoms of abuse and act promptly only increases the risk of long-term harm and of developing further addictions, disorders, or other self-harming behaviours.

Unfortunately, accurately determining whether or not a teenager is experimenting with drugs isn’t always straightforward. While unexpected mood swings and withdrawal from family activities might be strong indicators that something is wrong in an adult, these behaviours are typical for teenagers. However, certain behaviours and physical changes may indicate substance abuse rather than normal teenage development.

Early Signs of Teenage Substance Abuse

Drastic behavioural changes: Shifts in personality, priorities, and disinterest in old hobbies or friends.
Physical symptoms: Unexplained weight loss, bloodshot eyes, and a drop in hygiene standards.
Academic decline: A drop in grades and general disinterest in school.
Secretive behaviour: Lying, stealing, and hiding substances.

Once again, substance abuse and addiction are complex. Although these signs are indicators that a teen might be experimenting with substances, they’re not conclusive evidence. Please do not accuse, berate, or aggressively confront a teen if they exhibit any of these signs. If they are not experimenting with drugs and are instead facing other challenges, doing so will harm the trust in your relationship. If they are, the shock of being found out could put them on the defensive. A calm and understanding approach, without judgement and instead based on genuine compassion and concern, is much more likely to encourage honesty and open communication.

Take the First Step Towards Your Teenager’s Recovery Today

Contact Gladstones Clinic now to begin your teenager’s journey to recovery with our expert, family-centred rehab programmes.

Co-Occurring Disorders in Teenagers

Substance abuse in both adults and teenagers is often accompanied by other conditions, commonly referred to as co-occurring or dual-diagnosis disorders. Underlying and often undiagnosed mental health conditions, including ADHD, depression, and anxiety disorders, have all been conclusively linked as drivers of substance abuse, whereas substance abuse is known to trigger or worsen underlying psychological disorders. In growing and developing adolescent brains, this vicious cycle can lead to a lifetime of addiction, poor mental health, and ultimately, reduced quality of life and increased morbidity, if left untreated.

Gladstones Clinic urges concerned parents to seek a professional diagnosis if their child has been abusing drugs or alcohol. Even in the best-case scenario where the teen has openly admitted their problems and the family is actively working towards recovery together, undiagnosed and unaddressed mental health conditions may continue to lay in wait.

Treating Co-Occurring Disorders in Teenagers

Treating teenage substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders requires an integrated approach that effectively addresses both; there simply isn’t a single best or one-size-fits-all approach that works. An integrated approach combines different therapies, including stabilising medications for withdrawal and mental distress (when required); Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) to help manage negative thought patterns; group therapies for connection and introspection; and holistic therapies that support healing and overall well-being.

A well-planned and executed integrated teenage rehab treatment programme not only helps teenagers address the root causes of their addiction but also equips them with tools, strategies, and mental resilience to deal with stress. This enables them to manage their mental health and behaviour in the long term and is the absolute best possible outcome for a teenager who is struggling with substance abuse. This outcome is most reliably achieved by working with experts in teenage addiction.

Comprehensive Teenage Rehab at Gladstones Clinic

If your child is in a crisis of addiction, getting professional help is of the utmost importance. While there are a number of addiction centres advertising teenage drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes and even DIY solutions on the internet—we strongly advise against tackling something this complex and important on your own—Gladstone Clinic has the experienced staff, necessary facilities, and clinical knowledge needed to provide effective long-term rehabilitation solutions.

Why Choose Gladstones Clinic for Teenage Rehabilitation?

We are one of only a handful of facilities in the UK that is regulated and approved by the Care Quality Commission to work with and accept referrals for vulnerable groups like adolescents. We have over 15 years of experience helping patients of all ages and suffering from a wide range of addictive and self-harming behaviours recover, transform, and take back control of their lives, and, since 2012, our mental healthcare and addiction recovery experts have been working on and improving our rehab for teens programme with great success, helping countless teenagers beat addiction across our many facilities.

Our expertise with teenagers also goes beyond just substance abuse. We have successfully helped teenagers with addiction in the battle against self-harm, gambling, eating disorders, and even internet and video game addiction.

Holistic and Family-Centred Approaches to Teenage Rehab

At Gladstones Clinic, we understand that addiction and self-harm in teenagers often point to symptoms of deeper, underlying problems. Our holistic approach to teenage rehab considers the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—ensuring that treatment addresses not just the addiction but also the root causes and related challenges. Our holistic approach to health includes therapy, education, physical health, and emotional well-being, offering a balanced and whole-person recovery.

Incorporating the family into the treatment process is a cornerstone of our programme. We recognise that addiction affects the entire family, and healing must involve everyone. Our family-centred approach includes family therapy sessions, educational workshops, and open communication strategies designed to rebuild trust, improve relationships, and create a supportive environment at home. This collaborative effort helps both the teenager and their family members understand the dynamics of addiction and equips them with the tools they need to support long-term recovery.

At Gladstones Clinic, we believe that the journey to recovery is a shared one. By combining holistic methods with family involvement, we help teenagers not only overcome their addictions but also build a foundation for a healthier, happier future.

Teenage Substance Abuse Intervention Services

Confronting a teenager when you are certain that they are experimenting with or have become addicted to drugs or alcohol can be a significant challenge. It is always a stressful situation; parents are desperate and teenagers are scared. In these critical and emotionally charged moments, having an addiction and intervention specialist on your team can significantly sway the odds in favour of a positive outcome.

Gladstones Clinic offers specialist intervention services that help parents, family, and friends organise and execute structured and effective substance abuse and other interventions. We understand their many pitfalls and know how to navigate the situation when everyone is on edge and the wrong word at the wrong time can lead to a failed intervention.

When the outcome of intervention can determine much about the course a teenager’s life is likely to take, make sure you have a seasoned teenage intervention professional by your side.