Common Household Products Teens Use to Get High
Teens who experiment with illegal drugs or use prescription drugs recreationally can develop a substance use disorder, or what most people call an addiction. Teens can become addicted to heroin, opioid pain relievers, benzodiazepines, marijuana, hallucinogens, and many other drugs. When addiction escalates, teens can become resourceful, creative – and irresponsible – in their quest […]
Teen Marijuana Use: Compared to Adults, What’s the Risk of Addiction and Mental Health Disorders?
Twenty years ago, recreational cannabis products were illegal in almost every state in the country. Twenty-one states allowed the medical use of cannabis, and in 14 states, possession of small amounts of cannabis was decriminalized. However, marijuana was completely illegal for medical and recreational use in most states, and cannabis use among teenagers was at […]
Association Between Substance Use and Suicidal Behavior in Adolescents
Adolescence is a critical period in life, characterized by drastic physical, mental, and psychological changes. Young people between the ages of 13 and 19 begin to gain a sense of independence and determine their place in the world. These developmental years typically set the stage for the remainder of their lives. It’s also a time […]
The Roles We Play: Family Therapy and Teen Substance Use Disorder
If your teen receives a diagnosis for a substance use disorder, the diagnosing clinician will most likely recommend treatment at one of the following levels of care: Residential Treatment Center (RTC) Teens with severe substance use disorder who are not stable at home and cannot participate in school life may need the full support of […]
The Results Are In: Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Use During the Pandemic
We wanted to take a look at the impact of the pandemic on adolescent drug and alcohol use. During 2021, Did Teens Smoke, Drink, and Vape More Than in 2020? In March of 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic swept across the United States, experts on adolescent development issued a series of dire warnings about the […]
Mental Health Treatment Centers for Teen Addiction
If you’re a parent who recently discovered your teen has an addiction disorder, the first thing you want to do is find them the help they need. That means you’re probably thinking, “I need to find a drug rehab center for my teenager.” That’s a good idea, and it will put you on the right […]
Teen Marijuana Use in the New Era of Legalization
Does Legalization Mean Adolescents Think Marijuana is Harmless? “Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States.” That’s the first sentence in the article “Marijuana Legalization And Historical Trends In Marijuana Use Among US Residents Aged 12–25: Results From The 1979–2016 National Survey On Drug Use And Health.” That sentence – and […]
Hope In Recovery: Good News for Teens in Depression Treatment
We have some good news for teens in depression treatment. It works. Three New Studies Show Treatment is Headed in the Right Direction When we read about mental health issues in the news these days, almost everything we encounter is negative. Headline and stories are filled with dire warnings about the precarious state of teen […]
Long-Term Effects of Adolescent Substance Use Disorder (SUD)
Do Teens Grow Out of Adolescent Substance Use Disorder? On June 9th, 2020, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTS) released a Recommendation Statement in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) directed toward primary care providers about screening patients for unhealthy drug use. For those who haven’t heard of the USPSTS, don’t […]
Fatal Adolescent Drug Overdose: New Report Shows Alarming Trend
Fentanyl-Involved Deaths Drive Increase If you read or follow national news at all, you know that for the past decade, the nation has been in the grip of what’s called the opioid crisis. The opioid crisis – or the opioid epidemic, as it is also called – actually began over twenty years ago, around 1999, […]