Alcohol, amphetamines, cocaine and crack, marijuana and even cold medicines have a strong allure and a greater potential for addiction if used by juveniles. In some social groups, substance abuse is the norm and resisting emphatic invitations to try a substance takes an unusually strong youth. But the effects of substance abuse can be devastating to a young person, his health, his future and his family.
Teens are More Vulnerable
Teens are like adults in many ways, but because of the developmental stage of their brains they don't have the judgment of adults. Add to this their changing hormones, and they are especially attracted to the romantic idea of drugs as well as their numbing potential. According to the website athealth.com, "Among youth age 12 to 17, an estimated 1.1 million youth meet the diagnostic criteria for dependence on illicit drugs, and 915,000 are dependent on alcohol."
Differences in Treatment
Treatment for substance abuse in teens differs from treatment for adults for several reasons, one of which is that their reasons for becoming addicted are different. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, among other things, services should take into account age and gender and should include family members in the process.
Levels of Treatment
There are a number of out-patient, voluntary, inexpensive 12-step treatment programs, such as Alateen. Family counseling might also be effective. Most programs believe treatment for juveniles is more effective among other teens, so there are therapeutic community programs that support a healthy lifestyle. In crisis, the juvenile may need to be admitted to a hospital.
Tough Love
Within the family, "tough love" can be when a parent shows no sympathy or margin for error toward the teen with a substance abuse problem. This is one approach to dealing with a juvenile addiction. Another instance of tough love might be sending the teen away to a facility or a military-type "boot camp." While this general approach is popular, Maia Szalavitz, a writer and recovered substance abuser, argues in the Washington Post that tough love just traumatizes a teen further.
The Buddhist Approach
In stark contrast to the tough love approach would be the Buddhist approach. They believe that problems of the mind are integrated with the environment, so they strive to create a calm, supportive environment. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, who started one such program said: "Delight in itself is the approach of sanity."
