Category Archives: Rehab For Teens

Youth and Opioid Addiction

In past decades, opioid addiction was skewed more heavily toward an older generation of adults. But today we have larger numbers of youth using opioids and experiencing addiction-related problems at earlier ages. Importantly, research has demonstrated conclusively that those who remain engaged in treatment for six months or more are much more likely to stabilize and to enjoy sustained success with recovery.

A recent Reuters Health article highlights the fact that many opioid-addicted youth are either not yet engaging in treatment or are exiting treatment too early. While more youth are being saved through the overdose reversal drug naloxone, a majority of addicted youth are still not receiving medicated-assisted treatments such as buprenorphine or methadone.

More work is necessary to open up treatment avenues for young adults across America, and to both educate & compel youth to seek MAT (medication-assisted treatment) as soon as possible.

The opioid addiction problem in America will not soon disappear. Drugs continue to find their way across the U.S. border through multiple avenues. Positive efforts are indeed bringing needed change, but the complexity and extent of opioid addiction in the U.S. will require a long-term, sustained commitment throughout the country. We must get the message out – especially to young people who may not fully grasp the power of addiction!

Drug Rehab for Teens

rehab-for-teensTeen drug abuse is a persistent problem in America, and unfortunately, is on the rise again. With recent State and Federal budget cuts, funding across the country for adolescent drug treatment has dwindled. There are far fewer drug rehab facilities today than there were just 5 years ago. Locating inpatient and outpatient teen rehab programs has become a challenge for parents and adults seeking local teen drug treatment resources.

RehabForTeens.org is a new online information center which provides general information on teen substance abuse and contact information for a variety of teen drug rehab programs across the United States. The site was launched in January 2012 and will undergo periodic updates to keep people informed on the availability of teen rehab programs in each U.S. state.

RehabForTeens.org describes the different types of drug treatments available for teenagers and offers a blog from the unique perspective of parents as well as drug treatment professionals. Drug rehabilitation for teens has emerged as a very important social topic with so many young people facing tough choices on a daily basis.