Teen drug abuse is a very serious problem, and those who develop substance use disorders at a young age are in desperate need of immediate and appropriate support. Those who arrange to attend drug rehab are setting themselves up for the best chance of recovering.
But enrolling upon rehab is not as simple as leaving home and signing up. There are several steps which must be taken in order to enter drug rehab, and these must be followed with particular care when the situation involves a young person.
The primary step is to ensure that drug rehab is in fact necessary. With both money and time being needed to complete addiction treatment, it is vital to ascertain whether entering rehab is the right course to take, but this can be done.
Identifying an addiction can be difficult, but there are a number of signs which can be observed in combination which indicate when drug or alcohol use has become unhealthy. Especially with teenagers who live at home, those who look can spot the signs of drug use.
Some of the most common symptoms of addiction include:
Another huge indicator that an addiction has developed is if a teen exhibits withdrawal symptoms when sober.
These manifest when their body or mind has become dependent on a substance to function, and they can vary from person to person, including:
If a young person exhibits the signs of drug use, they will be in need of drug rehab. Programmes are designed to re-establish sobriety and help patients recognise and challenge the triggers which incentivise their substance abuse.
Young people who are not addicted though show signs of potentially developing a condition can access alternative support. The NHS provides drop-in sessions, for example, which are perfect for identifying early signs and preventing addiction from manifesting.
A teen who develops an addiction may recognise that they need to go to drug rehab, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they understand what the process is. They may feel overwhelmed or surprised when they learn it, so it is best that they know before going.
Drug rehab is a three-part process, carefully designed to transition addicted individuals towards physical and psychological sobriety. Each stage of treatment targets a unique aspect of the condition and helps refine a healthier new outlook on life and behaviour.
To alleviate physical dependency, detox weans the body over the course of 7 to 10 days. By gradually reducing consumption and providing Benzodiazepines which dampen withdrawal, doctors allow individuals to become sober and overcome physical cravings.
Shifting attention to the mind, therapy helps identify and combat addictive triggers. Thoughts, emotions, and behaviours are the focus of these sessions, with the objective being to devise coping mechanisms which protect the sobriety earned via detox.
Often addiction develops in tandem with another mental health condition – known as dual diagnosis [1] – and therapy also tends to this.
With the body and mind clean, rehab concludes with a forward-looking treatment. Relapse prevention prepares individuals for the temptations of everyday life which will tempt them into relapse. Again, techniques are practised here for protecting the progress of rehab.
Young people can also benefit from learning how long drug rehab is expected to take. They may fear the interruption to their school and personal life, so having a rough time frame can help them process things.
28 days is the usual duration of rehab, though it can sometimes take longer. If, for example, an individual has a physical or mental health issue, they may find that detox or therapy takes longer as it must accommodate for and treat this condition as well as addiction.
Selecting the right drug rehab is essential to recovery. While every facility will strive for the same end goal of establishing sobriety, each programme will take a slightly different approach and offer its own combination of treatments.
As a result, those helping a teen to rehab must consider what they will benefit from most. This may mean taking time to speak with a doctor to assess which treatments they might need, as well as speaking with the young person to ask what approach they would like.
Some facilities, for example, will take a slower approach which lends emphasis on luxury, relaxation, and quality of life. While more expensive, some teens may have the means of accessing this kind of programme and prefer it. Others may want something simpler.
Finding the right facility encompasses a wide range of considerations. Important things to bear in mind are budget, treatments, recovery approaches, and what previous patients think of a particular facility. Online reviews are a great way to gain this insight.
A young person can be the focus of a lot of care and attention. Parents, siblings, cousins, teachers, friends – a lot of people will have an emotional investment in their well-being, and that means that a lot of people will want to be informed about their situation.
However, there must be a degree of care taken here. Going to rehab can be a point of great shame or embarrassment for an individual, and while there is nothing to be ashamed of about getting help, a young person’s wishes must be respected.
Therefore, only those who the individual wishes to inform should be told about their entering drug rehab, except a few certain people. Parents should be notified, as should any siblings or family members who live with them.
Their school should also be notified to ensure that their absence is understood. Young person needs to return from rehab with the knowledge that their schooling has not been interrupted too greatly, and informing schools can help them prepare catch-up content.
Finally, thoughts may want to be put into what a teen wants to take with them to drug rehab. Of course, there are limits to this as they will be unlikely to have permission to take a phone, video games console, laptop, or other technology.
What they may wish to take are things that will give them strength and optimism while they are recovering. Pictures of family or small mementos are common as these are often relied upon for inspiration when rehab gets tough.
Many people also opt to take a journal. Writing down thoughts and ideas can benefit recovering individuals in terms of expressing themselves within treatment, and it can also help them keep track of and observe their progress.
Some other useful items may be taken, although these are more functional than inspirational.
They include:
A small addition to the rehab preparation process is remembering why treatment is being taken in the first place. Fear and apprehension can affect young people in strong ways, and they may try to convince themselves that they do not need rehab at all.
If this happens, it can help recall that drug rehab is the most effective way to beat addiction [2]. Without it, physical and psychological dependencies will only become worse, affecting life with increasingly serious consequences.
If you are the parent or carer of a teen on the verge of beginning rehab, it can really help them if you articulate that they are doing the right thing. Let them know that you are thinking of them and are proud of the step they are taking. It can go a long way.
Addiction and drug rehab are incredibly daunting topics, and it can be very frightening to think about them when it comes to a young person. If you want to learn more, we have all the information you could need at Rehab 4 Addiction.
We have plenty of blogs and articles exploring different addiction topics, and our helpful and friendly team are always available to offer advice and tips for finding the right addiction support. If you need us, be sure to give us a call at 0800 140 4690!
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424859/
Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an addiction expert with more than 20 years in the field. His expertise covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an addiction therapist and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the BBC, Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
