For parents who are concerned about their child’s substance use, the world can seem upside down. Knowing the statistics doesn’t help. Even when you learn that more than a quarter of teenagers drink regularly and that about half of those are addicted or will be by the time they hit age 20, the concept can be frightening. It is a natural defense against a painful realization. If you are one of those parents who has decided it’s time to learn more, you have taken an important step in helping your teen. You may be wondering about addiction detox programs for teens, how they work, and if they work.
Detox is the best option for anyone, including adolescents, who want to recover from an addiction. Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge (PAATC) has a great deal of information about the process of detox and rehab for teenagers. Treating teens and adults over the age of 18 is one of our top priorities and has been since our founding. At our outpatient treatment center at the Naaman location, we have supported numerous teens on the road to recovery. If you want to learn more about teen addiction treatment and detox, call 844.442.8673 or fill out our online form.
When to Seek Detox for Your Teen
Whether your child struggles with alcohol or drugs, the best time to get help is always before any long-term effects of their addiction can put their healthy future at risk. Addiction is a chronic disease with no cure. It is important to start recovery on the best footing possible.
Not only is medically managed detox important for your teen, but age-appropriate detox is often ideal. We want them to feel secure and understood from the beginning and trust the process.
Starting with their intake, our staff will work to understand the challenges teens face today. Open communication is critical to recovery and can only occur when there is trust and a willingness to be vulnerable. Teens who suffer from addiction have a difficult time with both. Finding a teen detox center and rehab program that can open the door to communication will be a true gift to your child.
During drug detox and treatment, the conversations with licensed professionals with teen-specific experience begin early and continue throughout, as do group support and therapy sessions. When teenagers open up about their fears and experiences, they can begin to heal. Many teens with substance use disorders face challenges such as:
- Low self-esteem or feelings of inadequacy
- Fear of failure
- Fear of disappointing people
- Bullying, isolation, and ostracization
- Loss (divorce, death, housing, or food instability)
- Hormonal challenges
To learn about the treatment options available, please contact Pennsylvania Adult and Teen Challenge today.
The Benefits of Detox for Your Teen
In a teen-focused detox program, surrounded by peers on the same journey and supportive staff, your child will have the best care with the best likelihood of success. The top reasons to enroll your teen in a reputable, medically supervised teen detox program include:
Health and Safety
Detox is not a pleasant experience, but medical supervision during detox greatly mitigates suffering. Your teen’s medical team will keep a close eye on symptoms like pain, tremors, fever, muscle aches, nausea, and vomiting. They will utilize medications as needed to reduce these symptoms. In addition, having medical staff near means that they will catch any medical or mental health issues that arise during detox. For some, the strain on the body can trigger previously undiagnosed medical conditions, and you want trained doctors on hand.
Stability
While your teen undergoes the process whereby all remnants of drugs or alcohol are flushed from the body, professional staff members are on hand. They stabilize mental and physical health and provide emotional and physical anchors on which your child can depend. They can also engage in conversations to educate and listen regarding the withdrawal process and what comes next. These are conversations can further encourage stability in their lives in the future.
Success
Rehab cannot begin until withdrawal is complete. A successful detox is, therefore, not optional. The risk of relapse is much greater without support. In addition, long-term studies have concluded that people who experience medically supervised detox have significantly higher rates of long-term recovery success than those who withdraw on their own.
Seek Support at Pennsylvania Adult and Teen Challenge
PAATC’s teen addiction treatment always begins with detox. Our original founding was as a center specializing in treating addicted youth, later expanding to include adults. That initial mission has been fully honored in the intervening 63 years. Our addiction treatment programs cover addictions to alcohol, opioids/opiates, stimulants, and cannabis. We also incorporate numerous evidence-based treatment modalities, including:
- Group therapy
- Individual therapy
- Family therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
Let’s talk about how a teen detox program can help your child. Reach out today by calling 844.442.8673 or filling out our easy online form.
