Have addictive behaviour patterns taken over your teen or young adult’s life? Do they focus too much on one activity, substance, object, or behaviour? Do they suffer problems at home and in school because of their addictive behaviours? If a young person in your life needs assistance overcoming these behaviours, learn how Venture Academy can help.

What Are Addictive Behaviour Patterns?

Young teen girl exhibiting addictive behaviour patternsAddictive behaviour patterns revolve around a dependence or compulsive obsession with any object, substance, or activity. These addictive behaviour patterns include psychological dependence on activities like electronics, exercise, shopping, or eating disorders. They also include dependence on drugs or alcohol.

During an addictive cycle, teens experience boosted pleasure chemicals in their brains. They become physically and psychologically addicted to these chemicals. Therefore, they keep seeking their high even when it damages their relationships, health, school, or work.

Do you worry about your young person’s addictive behaviours or intense focus on objects, substances, or activities? Do they also suffer damage in other parts of their life because of these behaviours? If you answer yes to these questions, your teen or young adult may need help for recovery in order to end their cycle. Without this help, they risk greater damage to their health and well-being, regardless of their current type of addiction.

Signs of Addictive Behaviour Patterns

Many signs of addictive behaviour patterns exist. If you suspect a problem with activities, substances or objects, look for these signs in order to help your child:

  • Seeking to engage in the behaviour despite problems it causes in other areas of their life
  • Wanting to quit or cut back the activity but not being able to do so on their own
  • Feeling withdrawal symptoms like irritability, anger, cravings, restlessness, or depression when stopping the activity
  • Having no control of the behaviours, activities, or objects of addiction
  • Denial of problems related to the behaviour
  • Hiding the behaviours or lying about them

Many people with addictive behaviours also suffer from anxiety or depression. They may also suffer low self-esteem and feelings of lost control over their environment or lives. Many people with addictive behaviours come from abusive families or backgrounds. All of these effects and feelings point to mental illness that fuels the cycle.

Ending Addictive Behaviours

Many parents wonder where addictive behaviours come from, particularly when their own young person suffers these patterns and effects. Researchers understand addictive disorders better than ever before. They now have good knowledge about the cause, prevention, and treatment of conditions like your teen or young adult suffers. With treatment, a happier and healthier life is possible.

Some problems of addictive behaviours include risk for relapse after treatment, substance abuse as self-medication, and cross-addiction. Without the right treatment, your young adult or teen may not gain successful recovery. Their addiction will only grow worse.

The right help for your teen or young adult must include therapies they need for strong recovery. These therapies focus on the root causes of their addictive behaviours. By getting to know why they started focusing so intently on one activity or object, they learn how to prevent relapse or abuse of other substances. They also gain healing for these root causes for a brighter future of wellness.

Canadian Treatment for Addictive Behaviours and Other Problems

Venture Academy in Ontario and Alberta provides the troubled teen programs your teen or young adult needs for strong recovery. These programs provide help for troubled teens and multiple kinds of behaviours and problems.

If your teen or young adult aged 18–25 shows signs of addictive behaviour, treatment helps. The right care ends lying, anger, disrespect, negative sexual habits, disorders, substance abuse, and electronic addiction. Programs at Venture Academy include:

You can get your engaged, loving, and healthy young person back. They just need the right help. Call Venture Academy now at 866.762.2211 for this help to begin.