Teen Addiction Treatment in Houston, TX
LUNA RECOVERY SERVICES OFFERS ADOLESCENT ADDICTION AND PRIMARY MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT
Addiction isn’t just something that happens to grown-ups. Any person is capable of struggling with substance abuse, whether that be an elderly person, a middle-aged mother, or a young child. In addition, it’s imperative to remember that nobody is alone in their suffering.
At Luna Recovery Services in Houston, Texas, we aim to treat all who walk through our treatment center on an individual basis. The thing about addiction treatment is that there is no cookie-cutter treatment plan. Everybody comes from a different background and deserves care that coincides with their individual needs. For young people, this may mean knowing that they’re not alone and they too will receive specialized care.
TEENS HAVE UNIQUE TREATMENT NEEDS
Adolescents are going through a period of rapid physical, social, and emotional development. During this time an adolescent can begin to struggle with addictive behaviors – substance abuse, gambling, gaming, and social media. Teens can also begin to experience mental health issues like depression, anxiety, ADHD, or worsening anger expression.
Young adults can feel misunderstood and alone when facing these mental health conditions or addictive behaviors. Parents often feel confused and find themselves struggling to find family support that will bring their teen back to a stable and healthy lifestyle.
At Luna Recovery Services in Houston, we strive to recognize the unique challenges that teens and families face. Our goal is to treat your teen and family with a personalized treatment plan that includes individual, family, and group therapy sessions.
Early intervention and treatment are critical in improving your child’s quality of life. If you or someone you care for needs mental health services or substance abuse treatment, please reach out. Our team specializes in treating teens and their families.
MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES IN TEENS
During adolescence, your adolescent may begin to struggle with mood and behavior problems. Some of this is typical for a teen considering all the changes that occur during this period.
At times, these struggles can become overwhelming and difficult to handle for your teenager. As a family member, your ability to provide support and guidance is limited due to the teen’s difficulties with managing their mental illness.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN TEENS
- Long-lasting mood swings
- Periods of intense sadness or elation
- Self-injury, thoughts of death, cutting, suicide thinking (if a teen is currently experiencing thoughts of suicide, please reach out to emergency mental health professionals immediately)
- Trouble sleeping or oversleeping
- Eating too much food or refusing food, sudden changes in weight
- Loss of interest in friends, hobbies, once pleasurable things
- Intense anger, verbal or physical aggression
- School refusal or truancy, unexplained drop in grades, desire to dropout, behavior issues in the classroom
- Excessive risk-taking, legal issues
Reach out to Luna for an assessment if you observe any of these symptoms. There can also be other related symptoms that are stated above. If you have questions, please reach out to our treatment center. We would be happy to assist you in finding the right mental health programs for your teen.
Drug Abuse in Young Adults
Teen experimentation with drugs, alcohol, and nicotine is not out of the ordinary. However, some teens have increased vulnerabilities where drug abuse leads to addiction and various problems arise. It’s important to seek treatment immediately to keep alcohol or drug abuse from worsening.
Other behaviors that seem harmless or normal can also take control of your young adult’s life. For example, playing video games and utilizing social media are current norms in our society. However, there are times when your child may begin to lose track of how much time they play, not sleep because they’re on social media, find ways to sign onto Wi-Fi in the middle of the night, or refuse school to continue their addictive behavior.
An addiction treatment program can help your teen make positive changes and receive the peer support they require to stay in recovery.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS YOUR TEEN MAY BE SUFFERING FROM ADDICTION:
- Misuse of prescription or use of non-prescribed medications
- Discovering drugs or alcohol in the home
- Concerning marijuana or alcohol use
- Stealing money or engaging in other illegal activities
- Sudden changes in behavior in the home or school
- Incoherence and confusion
- Substance abuse peer group
- Long periods of time on devices, videos games, and social media
- Isolation
- Lack of sleeping, or oversleeping
- Missing narcotic medications in the home
- Sudden changes in weight or decline in health
Symptoms are not limited to what is stated above. Substance abuse is also often tied to mental health struggles, so please review mental health symptoms as well. If you have questions, please reach out. We’d love to assist you in finding the right treatment options for your child.
ADOLESCENT INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT PROGRAM (IOP) AT LUNA RECOVERY
Weekly therapy or treatment sessions are not always enough for your loved one. During a period of intense struggles with mental health, additional structure is needed to provide the necessary support for your teenager to regain normal functioning. Intensive outpatient (IOP) is often a recommended level of care for adolescents who are struggling with addiction. Our admissions department will guide you in determining if IOP is an appropriate treatment program for your child so they can achieve long-term recovery.
WHAT TO EXPECT DURING OUR Teen ADDICTION TREATMENT PROGRAM
During a typical week, our adolescent addiction IOP includes an individual therapy session, nine hours of group counseling, and two hours of family education and support groups. Family therapy is offered every other week. The importance of family engagement throughout this entire process cannot be emphasized enough. Relapse prevention is crucial for family support.
We recognize the unique challenges of engaging teens in behavioral therapy and addiction treatment programs. We strive to make our treatment models effective with a dose of fun and lightheartedness.
Our adolescent therapists focus on engaging teens with evidence-based treatment such as dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). But we also provide experiential therapies like music therapy, art therapy, and therapeutic games.
During your initial screening and assessment, our team will investigate presenting symptoms and problem behaviors. To ensure personalized treatment services, LUNA will conduct an intensive assessment that covers trauma history, previous experiences in therapy, culture, peer influences, medical history, family dynamics, and academics.
OTHER TYPES OF TEEN ADDICTION TREATMENT PROGRAMS
Residential treatment for teen addiction is a specialized form of care that is designed to meet the unique needs of teenagers. Inpatient treatment typically takes place at a treatment center, where adolescents receive around-the-clock care and supervision.
Residential treatment programs typically last for 28 days, although some programs may be shorter or longer in duration. During inpatient treatment, adolescents will participate in a variety of therapies and activities that are designed to help them recover from their substance use disorder. The treatment process may also involve medication, if necessary.
After completing an inpatient treatment program, adolescents will typically transition to a less intensive form of care, such as outpatient treatment or sober living. In some cases, adolescent substance use disorders can be effectively treated at an outpatient drug rehab. However, for many teens, a more intensive level of treatment is necessary to achieve and maintain recovery.
Outpatient treatment programs for adolescent substance use disorders typically involve weekly individual and/or group therapy sessions. Treatment may also include family therapy, medication management, and educational support. The goal of outpatient treatment is to help adolescents develop skills to abstain from substance abuse and manage their emotions and stress in healthy ways.
An outpatient treatment program may be a good option for adolescents who are motivated to change their substance use behaviors and who have a support system in place. It is important to note that outpatient treatment requires a commitment from both the adolescent and their family. Treatment success is highly dependent on family members’ engagement in all aspects of the program.
Medical detoxification is the first step in adolescent substance use treatment. Medication-assisted detox allows adolescents to safely and effectively rid their bodies of the harmful chemicals that have built up from substance abuse. This process can be uncomfortable and may include withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. However, it is a necessary step in adolescent substance use treatment and should be closely monitored by medical professionals.
Dual diagnosis is a term used to describe when someone suffers from both a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder. This can also be referred to as co-occurring disorders. This can be a difficult situation to manage, as the two disorders can interact and exacerbate one another.
Our adolescent treatment program is designed to specifically address co-occurring disorders. We provide a safe and supportive environment where adolescents can receive the treatment they need to overcome their disorders. Our drug rehab focuses on helping adolescents develop skills to abstain from drug abuse and manage their emotions and stress in healthy ways. With the right treatment services, adolescents with dual diagnoses can find lasting recovery.
Adolescent substance use disorders are serious medical conditions that require specialized treatment. Adolescents who suffer from drug abuse are at risk for many negative outcomes, including academic problems, social isolation, legal problems, and addiction.
Addiction counseling is a major component of adolescent substance use treatment. Therapists can help teens identify the thoughts and behaviors that contribute to their substance abuse, teach them new coping skills, provide support, and improve anger management.
TEEN ADDICTION TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE AT LUNA RECOVERY!
There is no cookie-cutter solution for addiction treatment; everybody has individual needs, including adolescents who suffer from substance abuse. At Luna Recovery Services we have plenty of individualized substance abuse treatment programs tailor-made for those struggling. If you or a loved one is suffering from addiction and would like to find out more, you can contact us here.
Dr. Allaire received his Bachelors of Science in Biology from the University of Houston, as Valedictorian of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and his Medical Doctorate from Baylor College of Medicine, where he served as Chief Resident. He is the medical monitor for the Physician Counseling Committee of the Harris County Medical Society and the Medical Director of Serenity House Detox. Dr. Allaire specializes in medically assisted detox cases, treating patients in recovery from addiction or other mental health disorders, the medical assessment and monitoring of patients with addictive disorders, medical care related to eating disorders and the medical treatment of patients with mental health conditions.
