Teens may develop addictions to a variety of substances, ranging from over-the-counter or prescription medications, to alcohol or illegal drugs. Substance abuse affects every aspect of a teen’s life, from family involvement to academic performance. Effective treatment of adolescent substance abuse generally includes multiple strategies:
- Individual therapy, also known as talk therapy
- Gender-specific group therapy
- Family therapy
Teens who enter a residential program will generally participate in all of these, along with group exercises to build communication, cooperation, and coping skills. The most important aspect of any therapeutic program is regular evaluation of the therapy’s efficacy, or effectiveness.
Initial Evaluation Guides Therapeutic Choices
Evaluation provides the framework and information that a therapist will use to determine the best treatment approach. Qualified therapists conduct the first assessment during the first visit with the teen. During this initial assessment, the therapist will address the following concerns:
- Family history, including medical and mental health conditions
- Duration of the substance abuse
- Extent of substance-abuse impact on the teen’s daily life
- Potential reasons why the teen began using the substance
- Underlying issues that may have contributed to the substance abuse, such as depression
Once the therapist has obtained this information, it is possible to determine the best treatment options. Furthermore, the therapist can then work with the teen and the family to develop a set of treatment goals.
Goal Setting Promotes Accurate Evaluation and Self-Monitoring
Goals may focus on cognitive, emotional, social, and academic concerns. Therapists will set specific goals regarding reasonable time frame for recovery milestones. However, they will not simply state the goals and expect adolescents to comply. On the contrary, well-qualified substance abuse therapists ask for input from not only the teen, but also the teen’s caregivers, to maximize the efficacy of goal setting:
When teens help to set their treatment goals, they are more likely to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility regarding their recovery. Thus, therapists often solicit extensive input from teens in the formulation of secondary goals, which include items like academic progress or communication skills.
These goals should be revisited frequently and consistently, as a means of monitoring progress. Therapists can use these goals as a means to begin a dialogue with teens about their recovery, and to encourage teens to think critically about their own progress.
Once a teen has met a goal, the therapist and the teen can work together to set a new one that will further challenge the teen to grow and develop. If, however, a teen consistently has trouble meeting a goal, the therapist and teen can collaborate on potential strategies for meeting the goal, determine the necessity for different or further treatment, or assess the validity of the goal.
The initial evaluation of a teen with substance abuse leads to the formation of goals and expectations for the path to recovery. These goals can then be regularly assessed, to ensure successful holistic treatment.
The information is provided for general reference purposes. It does not constitute medical or other professional advice and should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your child and adolescent psychiatrist or other physician.
