Grief is a complex emotion that can be challenging for teens to navigate. According to the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM), 1 in 12 children and teens in the U.S. will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18. While grief is usually...
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3% of Teens Identify as Transgender or Gender Nonconforming in America
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The Risky Combination of Mental Health Conditions and Substance Abuse
There is no denying the fact that mental health conditions are present in a significant number of American teenagers. But while some teenagers are able to find healthy ways to cope with their condition—whether it is with counseling, meditation, or taking their medication as prescribed—others experience a much more difficult time.
Having a mental health condition can be incredibly difficult. You might find yourself feeling hopeless, lost, and unable to perform the everyday tasks you need to get by. Depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, and bipolar disorder are among the most common mental health conditions currently affecting American teenagers. Each of these conditions has both healthy and unhealthy treatment mechanisms.
Unfortunately for many teenagers with various mental health conditions, substance abuse can be a very tempting treatment option. According to some studies, as many as 16 percent of American teenagers could potentially be categorized as substance abusers, and these numbers are even higher for those with mental health conditions.
While the risk of substance abuse seems to present itself to every American teenager in some way or another, if your teenager has a mental health condition, they are uniquely likely to suffer. While this does not mean you should assume your teenager has a substance abuse problem, it does mean you ought to keep a careful eye on their behavior.
Teenagers with mental health conditions are more likely to abuse drugs for a number of different reasons. Not only do a variety of mental health conditions impair their ability to use long-term judgment—something that is already underdeveloped in the teenage years—but many individuals view the use of certain substances as a real solution to their problems.
In the short-term, your teenager might see substance abuse as a way to numb or avoid their problems. They also might view the use of illicit substances as something that helps them overcome a condition they are yet to find a solution for. But adding the abuse of substances to an already risky situation is not a viable solution, and in fact, doing so can often make things much worse.
Substance abuse is never a viable solution to any mental health condition. At best, it procrastinates the individual’s need to address their underlying situation. At worst, it can cause a tremendous amount of harm to both the individual and their loved ones.
What should I do if I believe my teenager has a substance abuse problem?
Whether or not your teenager has a pre-existing mental health condition, if you believe they might have a substance abuse problem, it is important to take action. Substance abuse isn’t something that typically just “goes away” on its own. It is a uniquely dangerous condition that is very difficult to combat by yourself. If left ignored, substance abuse can often escalate in severity.
In order to combat any sort of substance abuse disorder your teenager may be experiencing, it is important to reach out to a licensed professional. These individuals have been specifically trained to conduct a substance abuse screening and recognize any potential substance abuse triggers that may be affecting your teenager.
A substance abuse screening is a series of questions designed to gauge the severity of an individual’s condition and try to uncover possible solutions to their problems. Substance abuse triggers are particular conditions that make your teenager more likely to fall into patterns of substance abusive behavior.
Some common triggers include genetics, problems with school, social problems, and the various mental health conditions mentioned above. Some of these triggers may not be able to completely avoided, but they are indeed something your teenager can better learn to live with. With the right help and proper guidance, even the most severe instances of substance abuse disorder can be overcome. But nothing will be accomplished until at least one of you chooses to take action.
Polaris Teen Center is a residential treatment facility for teens and adolescents suffering from severe mental health disorders. Our highly accredited facility is fully licensed and certified in Trauma Informed Care and is a part of the Behavioral Health Association of Providers (formerly AATA).
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A Parent’s Guide To Navigating Grief In Teenagers
Grief is a complex emotion that can be challenging for teens to navigate. According to the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM), 1 in 12 children and teens in the U.S. will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18. While grief is usually...
When to Choose Residential Treatment Over Other Treatment Programs
When seeking help for your teen, it’s important to know which mental health conditions can be treated by residential treatment. For teens suffering from mental health disorders, behavioral disorders, psychological disorders, or addiction issues, there are a variety of...
Does Insurance Cover Teen Residential Treatment?
How Much Does Residential Treatment Cost? Cost of Residential Treatment The cost of residential treatment varies between each Residential Treatment Center (RTC). It may range from free (which is very uncommon) to tens of thousands of dollars per month. And if you are...
3% of Teens Identify as Transgender or Gender Nonconforming in America
How Many Transgender Teens Are There? Approximately 150,000 American teens (ages 13 to 17) identify as transgender in the United States today. Of course, there is no general age in which people typically “discover” or “come out” as transgender. Nonetheless, more and...
How To Treat Teen Depression (A Guide for Parents)
It is very common for young people to experience occasional moodiness or periods of sadness. Yet with depression rates on the rise amongst adolescents and teenagers (approximately 12.5% of youth today have experience at least one major depressive episode), it is vital...
Distinguishing Between Signs of Depression or “Moodiness” in Teens
Parents often wonder how to distinguish normal teenage mood swings and rebellions from actual symptoms of depression. Fortunately, there are several ways to tell. As many as 1 in 5 teenagers will experience depression at some point during adolescence. Unfortunately,...
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At any given time, one out of every five teenagers is experiencing major depression. If you are a parent to an adolescent or teenager, you are likely familiar with the moodiness inherent to this age group. Mood swings are common, as teens are experiencing a vast...
How to Talk to Your Teen About Depression
Talking to your teen about depression can be a difficult and intimidating task. The adolescent and teenage years are some of the most difficult, due to the immense amount of changes going on in both the brain and the body. These changes affect how teens think, learn,...