In far too many families, even good and caring families, there can be a gulf separating parents from their teenaged children. Parents want to protect and counsel their children through difficult decisions. Teenagers want their privacy and want to try new, exciting things with their friends. Unfortunately, this can lead to teen prescription drug use, or abuse of illicit drugs or alcohol followed by their being trapped in addiction.
Surveys Reveal How Many Students May be Headed for Alcohol Abuse Rehab or Drug Rehab
Surveys of young people reveal just how broad this gulf can be and how extensive this “experimentation” can get. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) executed the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse and published the results in August 2011. One part of the survey asked teens if they agreed with this statement: “I should be able to do what I want with my own body.” Those who agreed were three times likelier to use marijuana and about twice as likely to drink alcohol.
The annual survey Monitoring the Future reported in December 2011 that while alcohol abuse statistics among high school students were on a gentle downtrend, marijuana use statistics were going up and prescription drug use was unchanged. Half our high school seniors use an illicit drug and seven out of ten have used alcohol by the time they graduate. Half of the drinkers have been drunk at least once.
In 2007, CASA also reported that binge drinking, prescription drug abuse or illicit drug abuse was being indulged in by half of all college students. In addition, nearly two million college students meet the criteria for substance abuse or dependence, a rate that is about three times that of the general population.
These reports illustrate the difficulties young people can run into when they try out these new and “exciting” activities – ones that can potentially result in addiction.
How Families Can Help a Young Person Who Needs Alcohol Abuse Rehab
It may be difficult to get a young adult to tell you about their drug or alcohol abuse for you to determine that drug rehab is needed. You may have to detect the problem by the presence of the signs of addiction. If you have access to their grades, have they fallen? Do you have any reports of the student missing class? When they come home, do they interact with the family or hide out and say they are tired and just want to play video games or some other excuse? Are there arguments? Has the person given up sports, hobbies or other pursuits they used to enjoy? Has he (or she) stopped caring for himself the way he used to? And most of all, is there an endless parade of excuses to explain away any problems?
If you see these signs, you need to dig farther and ask more questions. If you determine that the person is out of control of his or her substance abuse, the Narconon drug rehab center can help you with recovery.
There are fifty Narconon rehabilitation centers located on six continents. These treatment programs help families heal, they help young adults get back on track. When alcohol abuse rehab is needed, Narconon has been the choice of tens of thousands of families for more than forty years.
The Narconon New Life Detoxification is a key component in each young adult’s recovery. Since drugs and alcohol toxins are fat-bonding, the intoxicating elements tend to lodge in the fatty tissues where they can affect mood and sobriety even years later. Use of a low-heat sauna, nutritional supplements and moderate exercise result in the toxins being flushed out, mood improving and cravings reducing for most people. This is a big help to the person who wants to leave addiction behind.
Find out the whole story about the Narconon program that helps seven out of ten graduates stay sober after they go home. Narconon reviews by families show that they appreciate having their loved ones back again.
Resources:
http://monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/monographs/mtf-overview2010.pdf
http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/publications_reports.aspx: National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse
http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/Publications_Reports.aspx#r11: Wasting the Best and the Brightest: Substance Abuse at America’s Colleges and Universities