A Guide To Addiction Recovery For Teenagers

Addiction is a real problem. It affects not just the addict but also the people around them. Addiction can lead to numerous consequences and has after-effects on the different aspects of the addict’s life. It compromises health, social relationships, as well as financial security. Most addicts, particularly those who abuse substances, can be identified by their unusual mannerisms or behavioral problems.

They often lose their ability to think rationally as they are too busy thinking about how to cater to their addictions. These side-effects are due to the biochemical changes in the brain affected by their addictions. Addiction can be as bad as everyone thinks. Despite the fact, it is still treatable and recovery is very much possible. There are so many ways to escape the life of addiction.

Among all the ages of life, teenagers are the most susceptible to addiction. Their proneness can be attributed to their natural inclination to experiment and explore. Some may be influenced by peers. Teenagers are also vulnerable to pressures and depression, which may lead them to addiction as they chase the feeling of euphoria.

Accept and Reflect

First, realizing that you are suffering from addiction is very important in recovery. Treatment can’t be done overnight but it will be much harder if you continuously keep a blind eye to your problem. An important aspect of admitting to your addiction is that once you acknowledge your physical dependency, it will motivate you to seek treatment. You can make yourself committed to avoiding things that may trigger your addiction.

Recognizing your behavior and dependency will also help you, and the professionals, to identify what kind of treatment is good and suitable for you. Guilt, shame, fear, and low self-esteem may baffle you but don’t give in to these negative emotions. You might think that these are your consequences, but you have to remember that whatever you went through, you are still worthy of change.

Seek Professional Help

Just like any other medical condition, dealing with addiction will also require professional treatments. Any form of addiction can be difficult to overcome all by yourself. As a matter of fact, it is actually almost impossible to recover from addiction without asking for any help. After admitting and recognizing your addiction, it is crucial to your recovery to find a good treatment program. Your treatment program will help you overcome addictions by determining the causes, identifying your triggers, and providing medications, activities, and coping strategies when dealing with your withdrawal.

There are also Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP), one example is the IOP program in Columbus, Ohio. This structured non-residential psychological treatment program, that provides intensive care, therapy sessions, counseling and other activities that address mental health disorders and substance abuse. These programs offer you different classes, meetings and workshops that you can participate in on a strict schedule which encourages long-term success treatment. They usually last for about eight to 12 weeks and might run three to five days per week depending on the program enrolled.

Commit to Self-care

Another crucial aspect of recovery from addiction is self-care. Treatment is indeed challenging and staying on track is still difficult even after the recovery period. While you are receiving treatment, make it a goal to attend every session and participate in the activities offered because self-care does require effort.

Going to rehabilitation and treatment programs will go waste if you are not maintaining a healthy routine. That is why establishing strict guidelines is highly recommended, particularly for teenagers who are experiencing multiple stressors; from studies and peer influence to adolescence and biological changes. The basic key to sustaining a healthy lifestyle include eating a healthy diet, regular exercise, enough sleep, proper hygiene, and work or study-and-life balance.

Aside from becoming healthy physically, aiming for mental stability is also a part of your self-care pouch. Make sure that you can spend some alone time where you can contemplate, reflect, and meditate. Keep yourself away from the thoughts that will hinder your progress.

Rebuild Relationships

Individuals battling addiction stand to lose a great deal, including their relationships. May it be your relationship with family, friends, or to anyone surrounding you. One of the struggles in addiction recovery is rebuilding relationships. Rebuilding your social relationship is crucial in addiction treatment because it will help you gain moral support and motivation from others. A healthy relationship is found to have a significant impact and places a tremendous amount of positivity on a person struggling with addiction and mental disorders.

However, some teens may find it difficult to gain friends again especially in school as they might already have the “rebel” or “addict” image. People may also be apprehensive about approaching someone with a history of addiction. So, when repairing a relationship in and after addiction recovery, you should bear in mind that it will take time. Gaining the trust of others requires patience, honesty, and effort. Making amends is an important part of any addiction recovery program. Always set realistic expectations on how people will interact with you because that’s one way of learning how to deal with social conflicts.

Avoiding Relapse After Addiction

Addiction recovery is a prolonged process that requires significant self-discipline. During the recovery period, a relapse may happen. It is defined as a fallback or the worsening of a person’s clinical condition after a period of improvement.

To prevent relapse, you should be able to identify your triggers and avoid them as much as possible. Keep yourself away from people, places, things, and situations that may lead you or tempt you to return to your old habits. You might need strong support also when experiencing a relapse. Never be afraid to ask for help from your family, friends, or a professional to help you avoid negative behaviors. Addiction treatment encourages you to engage in meaningful activities to keep you busy to help you build a positive self-image and makes you forget your unhealthy cravings.

FAQs

1. How to identify if a person is struggling with addiction?

The side effects of addiction can manifest in a person’s behavioral, physical, and psychological aspects. Some of the signs include absenteeism, poor performance even in daily activities, disoriented thoughts and altered behavior, changes in physical appearance like losing weight, and lack of grooming.

2. What is the difference between addiction and dependence?

Dependence refers to reliance on a drug or substance for the purpose of feeling better or normal. It requires a certain dose of a substance to avoid withdrawal. A person can be dependent on a substance without becoming addicted to it. Addiction, on the other hand, is the abuse of a substance or anything despite its destructive effects.

3. What are the specific activities in the Intensive Outpatient Program?

IOP services may include group and individual therapy and counseling sessions, relapse education, life skills and vocational classes, and emotional regulations.