Bring Your Teen to an Addiction Medicine Specialist

It is frighteningly easy for someone to become addicted to painkillers that are over-the-counter or prescription medication. Even teenagers can build a dependence that morphs into an addiction if one does not monitor consumption. Most of these teens begin taking pills as an experiment, casually trying them out with friends and very often, they are found in parents' medicine cabinets. Teens may use the medication as ways to cope with stress, anxiety, or to simply have fun. Regardless, it can be an impossible habit to break without the help of an addiction medicine specialist.

Seek professional help as soon as possible

There are several reasons why parents prefer to bring their teens in to speak with us. First, we do not create an institutional environment. That is a critical point to make because how the parent handles the situation will impact the outcome of the child's treatment. A comfortable and non-institutional environment can help the child continue in school while receiving treatment. As an addiction medicine specialist, we can offer treatment in a private setting, ensuring that your child is sheltered from encounters with other, more mature addicts.

Secondly, parents and patients appreciate that we offer a tailored treatment approach. We understand that each of our patients is unique and so are their needs. This is not a one-size-fits-all destination, instead, it is a place for our patients come to be treated like individual human beings. Our patients are deserving of respect, care and understanding. With that in mind, we will work with the parents and the patients to create a treatment plan that is going to be the most effective today and in the long run.

Benefits of working with an addiction medicine specialist

Another benefit of working with an addiction medicine specialist is that we can prescribe medications to help with detox. If a teen goes through a particularly traumatic detox experience, they may do whatever they can to get drugs in their system and fast. This is partially why it is so hard for people to get clean since they cannot make it past step one. By prescribing medication that eases withdrawal symptoms, we make it possible to sail through step one so that your teen can be clear headed and begin to feel better physically. This is empowering and useful when creating a long-term plan for sobriety.

Once the initial detoxification is complete, we need to work with the parent and teen to help prevent a relapse. This is critically important and will involve clear lifestyle changes. It may prove too challenging for the teen to spend time with the same friends or even attend the same school. We also find it helpful to engage in physical exercise, healthy eating and other behaviors that promote their mental, emotional and physical well-being.

As an addiction medication specialist, we can help to create this plan but the teen will need the parent's support to live it out. Working together, we can help your child to reach a place of health and healing from addiction.