While any parent will undoubtedly worry about their teen’s well-being, how they are doing in school and if they are making the right decisions, one of the biggest things that parents unfortunately need to worry about with their teenagers is drug addiction. Drug addiction is becoming a very serious issue among teenagers in the United States. It is essential that parents today understand the dangers associated specifically with drug abuse and teenagers.
Drug abuse issues can often start simply by decreasing a teen’s ability to focus and thrive in school, or with their every day moods; however, the issues can get much more serious. Teens that have drug abuse problems are more likely to have unprotected sex, contract unwanted diseases, be suicidal or homicidal and also suffer from very serious health issues. Drugs impact different bodies in different ways but most drugs can lead to stroke, heart attack, permanent brain damage and even death.
With side effects like these, it is important for parents to take action and take their teen to a residential drug rehab center when they suspect serious drug abuse issues are formulating. Unfortunately, not all residential drug rehab centers have programs for teenagers, and young people who enter these facilities will be treated alongside adults with drug addiction issues. Many teens simply do not thrive the way that they should in residential drug rehab center programs that are not specifically designed for their age group and that do not have a community of teenage patients for them to undergo treatment with.
The good news is there are specific residential drug rehab centers in the United States that are created entirely for teens; one such organization is Vista Academy in Woodland Hills, California. This adolescent rehab center offers young patients a comforting environment where they can face their addiction head on and learn to live a life free of drugs, all the while being around other young patients dealing with the same issues. These facilities are made especially for teens and places like Vista Academy even have special programs that will help teens transition back into the real world or school successfully. While dealing with addiction is challenging for any teenager and their family, with the right residential drug rehab center many teens are able to overcome their drug or alcohol addiction and go on to lead successful addiction-free lives.