The Addicted Child: How to Help

January 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If you have a child who is suffering from addiction, your first reaction may be to keep it quiet. You may feel that it is a private issue that should be handled “in-house” to avoid others hearing about it.This is not advisable. Attempting to handle a child’s addiction on your own will only result in frustration, for both you and the child. No matter how hard you try to hide it, your frustration will eventually become evident, which will only make the situation worse.

For this reason, as soon as you are aware that an addiction problem exists, you should seek immediate help. The sooner you do so, the sooner the underlying issues that may have caused the addiction—depression, being bullied, having low self-esteem, or even succumbing to peer pressure—will come to light, and the faster treatment can begin.

When looking for drug addiction treatment for the addicted child, consider drug treatment centers that specialize in treating addiction in children and adolescents. These facilities have counselors who are trained to communicate with young residents in ways that will help them see that they have a problem, but that it is one that can be overcome.

If you aren’t sure where to look, you can go online and enter “child addiction treatment in…” and fill in your state’s name. This way you will receive information on treatment facilities in your area. In California, you’ll find information about top rehabilitation centers. For more specific results, visit MichaelsHouse.com for more information.

From there, you can contact these facilities and inquire about the different programs that are offered, how long the programs last, and whether or not they are in-patient (the child remains at the facility 24/7 for a specific period of time) out-patient (the child goes to the facility for a certain number of hours each day, but returns home each night) or a combination of both. You can then decide which program will be best for your addicted child.

Filed Under: Green Parenting Tagged With: , , , ,

Helping Your Child Through Addiction

January 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Arcadia Child My photos that have a creative c...
Image via Wikipedia

Being a parent is an incredibly difficult job, even when a child is seemingly happy and healthy. When a child battles a serious mental or physical illness or addiction, the job can be nearly impossible. Drug addiction can take hold of anyone, and it’s so hard to get rid of. For those parents who struggle through kids with addiction, it’s important to handle it right, because your child’s life might depend on it.

The key is to go deeper than the addiction itself. It’s one thing to remove the drugs from the hand of your child, but if they aren’t over the problem that is triggering the addiction, then the addiction will continue. It’s important as a parent to figure out where the stress and need to take drugs comes from.

The reasons kids get caught up with drugs and alcohol are plentiful. There are kids out there who are being bullied at school. Some kids are just suffering from a low self-esteem, while others are doing it from a chemical depression issue. There are any number of reasons a child might be resorting to hurting themselves in this manner. As a parent, you must remove the obvious threats to your child’s well-being.

While it’s ok to remove the child from a school if the bullying is strong enough, but the child needs the help of professionals and those trained to treat their addiction. Without the right help, a child will fall back into the same patterns and addiction. The good news is there is plenty of help available to those afflicted by addiction. Online resources such as TheCyn.com is a great way to find the help required. Being a parent is a tough job, but it’s made easier with the help of others. Don’t waste a second getting your child the help needed.

Filed Under: Green Parenting Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Recognizing Signs of Teenage Depression

September 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
BHOPAL, INDIA - NOVEMBER 28: Ten year old Naw...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Raising a teenager can be a real challenge. Even parents with a great deal of patience and understanding may feel overwhelmed. As kids make the transition to young adults, the process is not always a smooth one. Changes in body chemistry can sometimes lead to mood swings and irritability. While a slight change in behavior isn’t uncommon, drastic changes in your child’s mood or personality could be a sign of teenage depression.

Learning to recognize the signs of teenage depression can assist you in helping your child sooner. Unlike adults who are depressed, teens are very unlikely to ask for help. They may feel ashamed or confused about their emotions. Most often it is a parent or other relative that encourages them to seek assistance.

Some of the most common symptoms of depression in teens are withdrawal and a lack of interest in favorite’s hobbies or pastimes. Teens that normally excel in their studies may experience a drastic drop in grades. If you notice your child suddenly has a new group of friends, it could be a sign they are experimenting with drugs and alcohol. The sooner you talk to your child about the problem, the more likely they are to be cooperative and responsive to treatment.

Parents of depressed teens should not feel like they are alone. There are many agencies and programs that work with teens that suffer from mental illness. If your teen has a criminal record that can be attributed to depression or substance abuse, the courts are often more lenient on young adults.

Many times the court will seek the assistance of a licensed professional who has a Masters in Forensic Psychology. Forensic psychologists will often make a recommendation to the judge for a defendant’s treatment or sentencing. Counseling and substance abuse treatment are a popular positive alternative to serving time in a juvenile detention center.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Best Green Practices for Kids Tagged With: , ,