Drugs and alcohol addiction has reached the epidemic level in United States. Worse yet, there are kids that are dying using these substances. We all need help in addressing and fighting the adolescent drug addiction. Our kids need help to face abuse and addiction issues and get their lives back.Unfortunately the statistics are not in our favor. Year after year the incidents of teen drug abuse and death from overdoses are going higher and higher. The problem is getting worse when you look into the ease with which teens have access to prescription medication. No one talked about teen prescription drug abuse a decade ago. Today we are learning about “pharm parties”, the type of party where teens bring pills from their homes and dump them into a large bowl for everybody to reach and pick one as if they were jelly beans. Mostly, they ingest the pills but other times they crush the pills and snort, smoke or inject the powder. In the case of OxyContin, this has led to heart attacks and comma, when the pain medication, meant as a time-release drug, quickly reaches the bloodstream. These parties are a tragedy waiting to happen.
We at Inspirations for teens offer hope and inspiration to our teens and parents. During all the years that we have been providing treatment for alcohol and drug abuse, there has not been one single case that a child came into our substance abuse treatment facility and did not have a dream for his or her future. Kids, regardless of how carelessly they throw away their hopes and future, still dream about a better tomorrow and a better life. We owe it to our kids to show them the path back to a normal and productive life. As Karen Walsh, co-founder of Inspirations Youth and Families, says: “Every child has a dream. If we can show them that they haven’t destroyed it, then we have something to work with.” As professionals and the family, we and you have to work together in the hardest times of our kid’s life to help them rescue their future.
In such critical and vulnerable ages of our teens lives, it is sad to know that not even one third of adolescents who need help for substance abuse, received specialty treatment, in part because such facilities are few and far between.
Inspirations Youth and Families staffed with masters level therapists has specific programs designed to address the present and future of teen addiction. Inspirations focuses on continued education with its on-site school programs and its 90-day residential addiction treatment program emphasizes on living skills. Each of our youth is responsible for cooking, keeping their apartment in the villa, laundry and grocery shopping. They also have the opportunity to re-enter the real world, participating in outdoor activities such as going to the movies, attending a gym, bowling, skating and participating of several local seasonal recreational activities.
Chris Walsh, also co-founder of Inspirations, worked on secluded facilities prior to establishing his own adolescent addiction treatment and he found that patients who relapsed, most often, were those who were not ready to deal with the outside world. He says. “ We bring the world to the teens and make sure they are engaging it …… we want them to use the tools available to make healthy choices.”
If you suspect your child is abusing drugs or alcohol, seek professional help and remember these three C's: that 'you didn't Cause, can't Control and can't Cure' your child's problems. But you can and must take charge and seek help for your child. The earlier you act upon your child’s addiction problems the better off your child will be.
Inspirations for Youth and FamiliesAddiction Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237
http://www.inspirationsyouth.com/
http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com/
Cove Center for Recovery Addiction Treatment for Young Adults and Adults : 1-888-387-6237 http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com/
