Sending Your Teen Into A Drug And Alcohol Treatment Program
Does worry keep you up at night as you contemplate how to best help your child with their substance use issues? Parents always want their teens to thrive, but drugs and alcohol can make it harder for them to reach their goals and live a successful life. And sometimes treatment for teens is needed.
When this is the case: You need to know how to get a teen into rehab.
Legally, parents can force teens under the age of 17 into rehab, but they might have more success with an intervention. Let your child have some say in the conversation and find a treatment center that will take their alcohol or drug use, mental health, and treatment requirements into consideration.
Be open to their suggestions and research teen treatment options in advance. Teens have unique needs that should be addressed by the right facility.
Artemis Adolescent Healing Center knows how painful the decision to send your child away can be for parents and family members. We offer comprehensive treatment options from residential treatment to intensive outpatient programs to suit every need.
Keep reading to learn more about the process of getting your teen into the right rehab center as soon as possible, and remember our caring team is only a confidential phone call away at any time.
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How Should You Start the Conversation About Sending a Teen to a Rehab Center?
You likely are familiar with the reality that parents face many challenges as their children become young adults. One of the hardest decisions you’ll make is sending your child away for professional help for a substance abuse issue. Knowing that your child’s care is handled by someone else can feel gut-wrenching.
But addiction treatment is crucial to set them up for success now and years down the road. Drug abuse has to stop in order to help them move forward. Don’t let peer pressure and their developing brain tell them that they need substances to thrive.
How should you start to talk about drug addiction, the treatment process, and mental health?
Why Stage an Intervention for Teen Alcohol and Drug Use?
The first and hardest part of enrolling a teen in a residential treatment center is making the decision to enroll. Family members and friends can band together to create a united front to confront your teen’s alcohol and drug use. Why is an intervention helpful to convince someone to get help?
When done properly, an intervention gives teens the freedom to make the right choice to seek help for substance use disorders. Parents can partner with their teen instead of forcing them into the treatment process.
This enables parents to salvage the best parts of their relationship and alleviates the anger that arises from being forced into care.
Teens can clearly see how their own drug addiction is impacting the people closest to them. As long as the conversation is held in a nonjudgmental way, this confrontation could set the stage to convince the teen to make the decision to seek help on their own. Treatment outcomes are often better if the patient takes ownership of the decision.
Understanding the Legality of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment Programs for Adolescents
Sometimes, an intervention might not be enough to convince your teen that they require professional help or substance abuse treatment. They might be stubbornly holding onto the idea that they can do drugs and consume alcohol with no consequences. Don’t be discouraged if this is the case.
The reality is that parents should know what their rights are when it comes to substance use disorder treatment programs. If your teen is under the age of 17, you can legally force them into a rehab center.
Keep in mind that if you force the issue and send them to inpatient and outpatient programs against their will, they might be quite angry with you for a time. Family therapy sessions can help all of you work through the emotions that arise from this difficult decision.
Does Your Teen Understand the Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Abuse?
If an intervention fails to inspire teens to seek help at an alcohol or drug rehab, it might be time to lay out the long-term consequences of substance abuse. Not only will they begin to alienate their closest friends and family members, but it will also have an impact on their health.
Many teenagers enter adolescence with hopes and dreams for the future. They might want to attend college, secure a well-paying job, and move out of their family home. All of that lies in jeopardy if they don’t turn from drug abuse and get mental health treatment.
Sometimes, seeing the long-term negative impacts of drug and alcohol abuse will be enough to wake them up to the seriousness of their situation. Set the stage by having many conversations frequently with your teen.
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Should You Let Your Adolescent Have a Say in Where They Go to Drug Rehab?
Suppose that you have your intervention, and your child decides that they do need more help than they can get from loved ones. The question then is, where do you find teen drug rehab centers?
Keep in mind that not every rehab center is equipped to deal with young adults. You’ll need to find rehab centers that offer intensive treatment programs for those who are at the same developmental stage as your child. Knowing the options available can give your teen some say in their care.
You should have brochures or information about each of the inpatient programs that they could attend. Getting them into a program quickly is key before they can change their mind about what they want or need moving forward. As long as you can afford each program, their autonomy in making an informed decision can influence treatment outcomes.
Remember that not all facilities will have beds available. You should check waitlists before getting your teen involved in selecting a treatment center.
Is Medical Detoxification Necessary or Should You Use Outpatient Programs?
An important thing to consider about seeking help for alcohol and drug use is whether your child is dealing with a misuse issue or a full-blown addiction. An addiction to drugs and alcohol might mean that teens need a safe place to let drugs and alcohol exit their system.
They may be safer and more comfortable in a detox facility as they go through withdrawal symptoms. This can sometimes be painful to watch at home and dangerous if you cannot provide medical support around the clock.
However, some teens will argue that they don’t truly need these intensive services. They might prefer to stay in school, where they don’t have to explain a lengthy absence to their peers. It can also ensure that they stay on track academically, rather than jeopardizing their future.
In this scenario, you want a treatment facility that offers partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient programs. These allow your child to attend sessions during the day but sleep in their own bed at night. Sessions can be coordinated around class schedules and extracurriculars in an outpatient setting.
Receiving Mental Health Treatment and Family Therapy
Another core thing you should look for in a rehab is the treatment of mental health disorders. It’s not at all uncommon for teens who deal with a drug or alcohol problem to also have mental health issues like anxiety or depression. Many teens turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with these issues.
Make sure the facility you consider also does a comprehensive assessment for mental health to treat the root cause of substance abuse and misuse. Your child could benefit from prescription medications that alleviate their mental illnesses and make drug use less appealing.
Of course, you also want to ensure that you’re involved in the treatment options. Family therapy should be a core component of care because you are their primary support system. When they leave teen drug rehabs, they’ll return to your care. You need to know how to communicate with them and support them without enabling their behaviors.
Getting Professional Help To Support Long-Term Recovery for Your Teen
Artemis Adolescent Healing Center understands the predicament you’re in when your teen’s life seems to be going off the rails. We offer a community-based substance abuse treatment program where your teen can start the recovery process for substance misuse.
Our treatment model acknowledges that substance abuse isn’t a personal failing. Addiction develops in unique ways in each individual. This is why we evaluate each client individually rather than giving one-size-fits-all treatment plans. Most teens need personalized attention, and Artemis knows how to give it.
Treatment plans are comprehensive and tailored to your teen’s developmental stage. No two treatment plans look alike. We also make sure that all family relationships are actively involved in treatment so that everyone understands how to best support the teen.
Professional help for young people leads to better outcomes for addiction and the harmful effects on your teen’s brain. Don’t delay reaching out to Artemis when you need help.
Up To 100% of Rehab Costs Covered By Insurance
Reserve a Spot at Artemis Adolescent Healing Center
Are you ready to face your child’s compulsive use of drugs and alcohol? Whether they’re willing to enter into treatment centers or not, Artemis can help you plan their first steps toward long-term recovery. We would love to meet your child where they are and provide an individualized plan to help them heal.
From drug abuse treatment to mental health support, we provide holistic and comprehensive care all under one roof.
Our enrollment team is ready and waiting to answer your questions so that you can gather the details you need to make an informed decision. We can even verify your teen’s insurance benefits to make sure care is accessible and affordable.
Reach out to us today to learn more and reserve a spot for your teen. All calls are confidential, so please call for effective support options now.
References
- Kerwin, M. E., Kirby, K. C., Speziali, D., Duggan, M., Mellitz, C., Versek, B., & McNamara, A. (2015). What Can Parents Do? A Review of State Laws Regarding Decision Making for Adolescent Drug Abuse and Mental Health Treatment. Journal of child & adolescent substance abuse, 24(3), 166–176.
- U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). 8 tips for talking (and listening) to your teens about drugs and alcohol . MedlinePlus.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2024, January 8). Residential addiction treatment for adolescents is scarce and expensive. National Institutes of Health.
- Anderberg, M., Dahlberg, M., & Wennberg, P. (2021). Adolescents with substance abuse problems in outpatient treatment: A one-year prospective follow-up study. Nordisk alkohol- & narkotikatidskrift : NAT, 38(5), 466–479.
- Mason, M., Mennis, J., Russell, M., Moore, M., & Brown, A. (2019). Adolescent Depression and Substance Use: the Protective Role of Prosocial Peer Behavior. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 47(6), 1065–1074.
