You may have noticed some changes in your teen. The group of friends he or she is running with spells trouble. While you want to help, your teen shuts you out. If this sounds similar to what you’re going through, it’s time to look more closely at addiction counselling.
Typical Signs of a Chemical Dependency
Maybe you found some drug paraphernalia. Examples could include bottles of alcohol or vials of cannabis. Your teen’s become secretive, disrespectful, and angry. Grades are slipping.
Although parents are usually the last to know, these are signs that all isn’t well. However, it might be difficult to put your finger on it. With addiction counselling, you can either get peace of mind or find your teen the help he or she needs.
What Goes on at Addiction Counselling?
Drug and alcohol treatment starts with an assessment. You enroll your teen in the program and give therapists 30 days to find out what’s going on. During this time, the staff members work with your child. Examples of modalities include:
- A psychological assessment that pinpoints areas of trouble and helps your teen to express fear, worry, and other feelings
- One-on-one talk therapy to draw out your teen and make or him feel comfortable talking about difficult topics
- Experiential therapy such as outdoor activities to help teens have fun away from electronics and drugs
- School and education that allows your teen to catch up with school work or start fresh
- Teen drug or alcohol detoxification if necessary
Unlike adults, many teens don’t realize the gravity of their situations when they come in. Addiction counselling helps them understand how their actions are affecting them.
What If It’s Just a Phase?
Parents frequently worry that they’re overreacting. You see the warning signs, but you don’t want to believe that something could happen to your kids. You’re not perfect, but you’ve done everything you could to protect your child. Sometimes, however, even the best-loved kids run into trouble.
It can start small with some experimentation. But it quickly gets out of control. If your child develops a chemical dependency, that’s not a phase that he or she will outgrow.
Dependency is a chronic disease that requires professional intervention. It’s a lot like asthma, which you wouldn’t dream of leaving without treatment. That said, you’re still the parent, and you’re still in control. If, after checking your teen into the counselling centre, you want to pull the plug, you can.
Getting the Help Your Teen Needs Today
There are plenty of troubled teen programs in and around Canada. However, the Venture Academy stands out because of its careful full-scope assessment approach that defines the problem before offering treatment. Find out more about Venture Academy and our program objectives by dialing 866.762.2211 now.
