With Spring Break approaching, parents throughout the nation are worried about the unhealthy decisions that their sons and daughters may make while vacationing with friends.

According to a March 22 press release from one of the nation's premier rehab programs for young adults, Spring Break excesses can be dangerous -- and, in some cases, deadly -- signs of problems that call for professional treatment:

Without the structure of school, many young adults use spring break as an excuse to shed their inhibitions and revel in their newfound freedom. College students die every year during spring break, many as a direct or indirect result of drug and alcohol use. Every year, there are cases of drug overdoses and alcohol poisoning, and stories in the news about car accidents, injuries, fights and arrests.

"The expectation is that young people will over-consume during spring break," said Jack Kline, LPC, LCAS, CCS, NCC, the executive director at Four Circles Recovery Center. "Their friends cheer them on, even when its apparent that theyre losing control. The mindset is thats what spring break is all about."

For many young people, the substance abuse that happens over spring break is an indication of a larger problem. Although many parents hope that their childs drug or alcohol use is a phase they will grow out of, this is rarely the case. Addiction is a chronic, progressive illness, which means it only gets worse if left untreated.

Labels: young_adults, rehab

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In their regular column in the New York Daily News, Dr. David More and novelist Bill Manville discussed the danger, and destructive nature, of ambiguity as it relates to addiction and recovery.

"...the problem begins with society's destructive Ambiguity - capital A intended - about drug and alcohol abuse... Ambiguity means a lack of social standards that act as community pressure against substance abuse."

This Ambiguity is a silent approval - and sometimes admiration - of the ones who get drunk or high, More and Manville wrote. It encourages their behavior.

In contrast, environments that emphasize pressure to stay or get clean and sober are environments with the fewest substance abuse problems. Source: New York Daily News

Labels: rehab, recovery, sobriety

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Most would agree that the goal of substance abuse treatment is recovery. But the term "recovery" often means different things to different people. Now, in an article appearing in the October issue of the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment (JSAT), a team of experts from the Betty Ford Institute offer a definition of recovery that can be widely used to help people who are struggling with alcohol or drug use.

"According to an initial definition developed by a panel of experts from the Betty Ford Institute, recovery is 'a voluntarily maintained lifestyle characterized by sobriety, personal health, and citizenship.' The panel's report appears as part of a special section of JSAT devoted to Defining and Measuring Recovery."

The panel hopes that developing a more specific definition of recovery will assist treatment and rehabilitation centers in creating measurable goals for their patients. The panel also suggested classifications to define sobriety durations as "early" to "stable" stages of recovery.

NorthStar Center, in Bend, Oregon, offers teenagers and young adults an aftercare and recovery program that allows young people to get on with their lives and grow into healthy, happy adults.

Labels: rehab, treatment, recovery

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On Thursday, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled that insurance companies must cover drug and alcohol treatment costs for policy holders who were referred by a doctor or psychologists. The ruling solidifies a 1989 state law which required insurance companies to cover these types of treatment services.

"Aetna, Independence Blue Cross, the Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania and other managed care groups sued the state Insurance Department, arguing that insurers should be allowed to review drug and alcohol treatment referrals to keep costs down and make sure treatment is appropriate."

The court, however, determined that treatment which is prescribed by a doctor or psychologist needs no review. Some argue that this ruling will drive up health care costs, while others call it a 'life-saving law'. Read more at HeraldStandard.com.

A residential drug treatment center can help your teen overcome their addiction and get their life on track. SunHawk Academy helps teens in crisis.

Labels: rehab, treatment, insurance

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At-Risk-Youth.com is a new website/blog dedicated to providing troubled adolescents and their parents with valuable and timely information about the issues that face today's youth. When adolescents exhibit destructive behaviors, parents often feel helpless and confused about how to help their child, who may struggling with issues such as substance abuse, violence, weight management, learning disabilities, eating disorders, and other behavioral and emotional issues. At-Risk-Youth.com provides parents with the information and resources that will help their children reach their full potential.

At-Risk-Youth.com provides parents and their children with helpful tools, such as information about therapeutic programs, rehabilitation programs, and boarding schools, along with information for parents about the issues that their children are facing. The resources provided by At-Risk-Youth.com are intended to help families deal with these complex issues so that they can make the choices that will help get their children back on the right path.

Labels: rehab, resources_for_parents, at-risk_youth

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Terry Cline, Ph.D. and SAMHSA Administrator, says that treatment programs which are designed around specific needs and concerns can help improve the treatment's outcome. Two years ago, the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services polled over 13,000 facilities to see which offered specialized programs, and find out what they offered.

"About 83 percent of all responding facilities reported offering at least one special treatment program. The percentage was slightly higher (88 percent) for large facilities, which treat 120 or more clients, although 72 percent of facilities that treated fewer than 15 clients also offered a special program."

SAMHSA offers an online Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator that people can use to find facilities close to home or that offer specific programs.

Read more at EmaxHealth.com.

Labels: rehab, treatment, detox_programs

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Those aren't words any parent wants to hear, but are exactly the words that a Michigan wife spoke to her husband about their teenage son. What followed were years of struggle; their son in and out of rehab, arrested, failing drug tests, and refusing to get the help he needed.

"My son became a liar and a con artist. That may seem redundant, but they are different. He conned the staff at the first in-patient rehab into believing he was road ready after only a week of treatment. Despite our protests, my wife and I had no say in the matter... He would tell us later he was thinking of using every minute he was there."

Today, their son is in his sixth rehab facility - this time it's a long-term inpatient facility that was mandated by the court. The father's advice is simple; don't believe it can't happen to your family. They didn't believe it could happen to theirs. Read more at Freep.com.

Not sure what to look for in an adolescent residential drug treatment center? Or what to expect? Learn more in the article "What Parents can Expect While Their Teen is in Residential Treatment" at DrugRehabTreatment.com.

Labels: parents, rehab, recovery

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Substance Abuse programs can be very expensive. It's not unusual to hear of people spending tens of thousands of dollars a month to help their child or another loved one get the help they need. But does it have to be that way? Are only the most expensive programs the best? Kristen Gerencher from MarketWatch.com offers tips on finding programs that won't break the bank.

"Many programs, both publicly funded and private, combine education and intensive counseling with peer-led, 12-step support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, [Dr. Laurence] Westreich said. Most are very bare bones and have AA orientations about how to avoid relapse, and they're highly effective."

Some of the things you should look for in a facility include one that conducts a thorough initial assessment and has the necessary credentials. Remember that you're looking for "what works, not for what's pretty". It's ok if the facility doesn't pamper its patients, as long as their well-cared for and are getting the recovery treatment they need. Read more at MarketWatch.com.

Labels: rehab, treatment, therapy

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