Treatment Options for Drug Abuse in Adolescents
Adolescent drug abuse is on the rise. It is important to find the right treatment based on the individual. After a urine or blood test is done to diagnose actual use of drugs, it is then time to decide what is the right path to treatment. There are many types of therapies and even drugs that can help teens reach a drug-free lifestyle.
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Detox
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Detoxification is a process that helps adolescents clean the drugs out of their system. It is done under the watchful eye of a professional and is commonly carried out when the adolescent enters rehab. During detox, it is common to feel very sick while the drugs work their way out of the system. This can be a scary process, but it is usually necessary.
Rehab
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Rehabilitation can help teens who are not able to stop using drugs on their own. After helping the adolescent through detox, the employees at the rehab center will watch the patient and teach him how to survive without the drugs to which he was addicted. Rehab also includes therapy time. Rehabilitation is generally used for the teens with such a severe addiction that even though they know the negative effects of the drugs they are on, they will not stop using.
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Therapy
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Therapy is an important step in going drug-free, especially for adolescents. Psychotherapy, AA meetings, group therapy, cognitive therapy and behavior modification are all types of therapy that can be useful for teens. In group therapy and AA meetings, teens will be able to share their experiences with their peers, which can help them better understand the effects of drugs on them. Behavior modification can help them learn different behaviors and teach them that they do not need to be dependent on drugs.
Medication
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Medications can be used to stop the abuse of drugs in adolescents. Medication should not be given alone, but combined with intervention and therapy. Medications used to combat drug abuse include Naltrexone, which is used for alcohol dependency and opiate dependency; Methadone, which is used to fight heroin addictions; and Wellbutrin, which can help teens stop smoking and can help with marijuana abuse.
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References
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