Drinking or using other drugs is not a healthy rite of passage for young people. Consequences are dangerous, even deadly. How do you know if your teen or young adult might struggle with an alcohol or drug problem? Or with a mental health challenge? Or both? And what do you do to find addiction treatment for young adults? We’re here to help.
Why is Addiction More Dangerous for Young Adults
The teenage brain and body are still developing. Introducing drugs can hinder the development of both. Most teenagers have smaller bodies than grown adults, so they have a much lower substance tolerance. This puts them at a much greater risk for addiction.
Additionally, studies have shown that substance abuse has a negative impact on areas of the brain connected to decision-making, judgment, learning and memory, and behavior— all of which are still developing in a teenager. So, addiction begins when these brain changes cause teenagers to “learn” to rely on substance abuse. This, of course, can lead to many physical health problems like heart, lung, kidney, and liver damage.
Why Choose Specialized Addiction Treatment for Young Adults
Every young person who suffers from substance use disorder will have a unique experience. It is, therefore, important that treatment for addiction among young adults also be varied. That way, every young person who goes into rehab can get the help that they need. Harmony Ridge Recovery Center has a multitude of rehab programs that you can choose from. Most young adults opt for an inpatient program, but other options are available.
What Makes Some People More Vulnerable to Addiction?
Certain conditions and circumstances make some people more vulnerable to addiction than others. These risk factors do not determine one’s destiny — rather, they are useful in gauging the potential for a problem to develop.
Preventing and delaying substance use for as long as possible, along with addressing any underlying risk factors, are important to reducing the likelihood of problem substance use. Fostering your child’s coping skills, mental health and relationships, along with keeping them safe, can also serve as protective factors.
Risk Factors for Addiction
Peer Pressure: Peer pressure defines the method by which individuals of the same social group can influence one another. In most cases, peer pressure defines negative influences from other teens. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, peer pressure overrides the fear of taking risks. For this reason, an adolescent may engage in substance use to influence their peers.
Stress: Chronic stress is one of the major risk factors of substance use in teenagers. Different substances serve as a coping mechanism for stress in adolescents, including those due to physical, emotional, or mental stressors. Common stressors include conflicts with loved ones, the death of a loved one, illness, legal problems, and moving home or changing jobs.
Environmental Factors: Substance use or addiction in the family or among peers; easy access to nicotine, alcohol or drugs; and more frequent exposure to popular culture and advertising that encourage substance use can all contribute to an increased risk. If there is a history of addiction in your family, you should discuss it with your child. These conversations can take place in the same way you would discuss a family history of diabetes or other medical conditions and should happen no later than the early teen years.
Challenges in Finding Addiction Treatment for Young Adults
Seeking treatment for substance addiction can be stressful for young adults. Whether they have recently graduated from high school, are attending a university, or starting their profession, numerous young adults perceive addiction treatment as an immense obstacle that simply isn’t an option for them.
Additionally, seeking addiction treatment at a younger age could appear challenging because many young adult colleagues are still engaging in a party lifestyle. Becoming and staying sober while friends proceed to use substances can be very difficult. Some young adults could even decide not to seek addiction treatment due to concerns their friends are judging them.
Types of Addiction Treatment for Young Adults at Harmony
30-, 60-, and 90-day Programs
The most common types of inpatient rehab WV at our rehab center for young adults are 30-, 60-, and 90-day programs. Depending on the severity of the addiction and the evaluation that you undergo upon entering treatment, our experts will recommend that you enter treatment for either 30, 60, or 90 days. The more serious the addiction, the longer the treatment. While in the program, you will stay at our facility and participate in a variety of therapies, including individual and group therapy. The biggest benefit of this type of treatment is that you will be away from your usual environment and the pressure it puts on you that may be driving you to abuse substances.
Support Groups
Even after you have finished treatment, continuing to have a support system is crucial in your life-long journey of addiction recovery. Finding support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or other addiction programs is a great way to get the support you need in a safe and welcoming environment. This is one of the main options for addiction aftercare that you will discuss with your case manager toward the end of your stay at our rehab center for young adults.
When you attend a support group meeting, you are going to a place where everyone is present for the same reason. They are all there because they suffer from addiction and are looking to talk about their problems with others who can relate. Some groups are geared toward specific genders and addictions, such as young adults, while others may provide general meetings for anyone to attend. Either way, they are a safe space to discuss addiction-related issues and get help from your peers.
Contact Us Today for Addiction Treatment for Young Adults
Rehab for young adults won’t just help you leave addiction behind; it is a way to receive diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues, meet peers and make friends, build a support system, and even improve the relationship with your family. Ultimately, the goal of rehab is to prepare you for a better and healthier future free of substance abuse. This can completely turn your life around and set you on a path to success!
