A substance use disorder can wreak havoc on a young person’s mind and body. Without the right rehab program for young adults, your teen’s life may spiral out of control. Substance abuse greatly increases the likelihood of criminal charges, psychological problems, severe health issues, and premature death. You care about your loved one, and you want them to live a safe and healthy life. Therefore, if you suspect that a young person in your life has a substance use disorder, then you should learn about the ins and outs of rehab for young adults.
Consequences of Long-Term Substance Abuse
Substance Abuse Affects Neural Development
A person’s brain might not stop developing until their late 20s. While drugs and alcohol can severely affect anyone’s brain, they’re especially dangerous for younger people. Substance abuse can seriously hinder a young person’s neural development. This can lead to emotional problems, poor impulse control, cognitive deficits, and a slew of other issues. People who start abusing a substance at a younger age are more likely to develop a substance use disorder. Therefore, it’s important to address the problem before it gets out of hand.
Poor Employability
These days, many companies require pre-employment drug tests. Even if your young family member can find work, they may have trouble keeping their job. This is because chronic substance abuse tends to cause behaviors that are undesirable in the workplace. For example, an employee who regularly abuses drugs or alcohol may be drowsy, incoherent, or unable to fulfill their duties. Naturally, employers don’t approve of these behaviors. As a result, someone who struggles with addiction may have difficulty keeping a job or gaining a promotion.
Life-Altering Criminal Charges
Possession of an illicit substance is often a felony offense. Depending on the jurisdiction, the court may even charge a minor as an adult. If your loved one is found guilty of a crime, then they may have to serve time in prison. On top of that, they will likely have a criminal record. This can prevent them from receiving higher education, finding gainful employment, moving into an apartment, and so much more. By connecting your family member to a young adult rehab program, you can give her the help that she needs before she ruins her life.
Major Health Problems
Substance abuse will damage the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and other vital organs over time. Also, people who abuse substances are more likely to engage in risky behaviors that could cause severe injuries or diseases. For example, people who inject heroin and other drugs are at a much higher risk of developing hepatitis and HIV. These diseases have no cure, so it’s a good idea to put your loved one into a rehab program for young adults to safeguard their health.
How Does a Young Adult Drug Rehab Program Work?
Addressing Peer Pressure
Young people are often influenced by their classmates and friends to do things that they otherwise wouldn’t be interested in. Helping teens learn how to deal with peer pressure is a cornerstone of rehab for young adults. With the right tools at their disposal, teens are better able to say no to drugs and risky behaviors.
Understanding Relationships
Teens are extremely social, but they don’t always make the right friends. Your loved one’s social group may provide joy and positive reinforcement. However, the wrong person or group could have a very negative impact on a young adult’s life. Many teens surround themselves with toxic people because they don’t understand the fundamentals of a healthy relationship. Toxic friends and romantic partners are more likely to push your teen to abuse drugs and alcohol. Rehab programs for young adults teach teens how to recognize toxic behaviors so that they can maintain more healthy relationships.
Developing Healthy Habits
A habit is a powerful thing. If your teen has unhealthy habits, then their mental health will suffer, and they’ll be more prone to risky behaviors. A quality young adult drug rehab program will push your loved one to eat well, exercise, and engage in other healthy habits to prepare them for a better life.
Setting Actionable Goals
Without goals, a young person is like a ship at sea without a destination. To stop them from drifting to a dangerous place, they need to pick a direction. Achievable goals will give your teen purpose in life. Furthermore, your teen will feel a great sense of confidence and accomplishment upon achieving their ambitions. By helping your loved one develop meaningful goals, a young adult drug rehab program will equip them for future success.
Promoting Self-Actualization
As teens develop, they may have a hard time figuring out who they are and what they value. This process can be very stressful, and it may cause a teen to feel like they don’t measure up. Consequently, your teen might abuse drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism.
Rehab programs for young adults provide a safe and nurturing environment for your teen to explore and develop positive values. When your loved one knows who they are and what they stand for, they can face the world with a renewed appreciation for life. With this newfound inner strength, they won’t need to turn to drugs and alcohol to feel happy.
Detoxification
When someone consistently uses a substance, their body starts to depend on it. Because of this, when the substance is suddenly taken away, the body has a hard time adjusting. This can result in hallucinations, fatigue, headaches, and other serious withdrawal symptoms. The body will eventually get rid of the substance and learn how to function without it. This is known as the detoxification process, and safe detoxification is integral in effective rehab for young adults.
Therapeutic Services
Your teen is unique, so they need a treatment regimen that will work for them. Therefore, quality rehab programs for young adults will incorporate a combination of therapies to achieve the best results. The list below details some of the most common therapies that a teen would encounter in a rehab program.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
A person’s behaviors are often affected by the way that they think about things. This therapy is meant to help young adults recognize problematic patterns of thought. When your teen can contextualize their thoughts concerning substance abuse, they will be better able to avoid triggers and manage their addiction.
12-Step Facilitation Therapy
In a 12-step program, patients gather in groups to talk about their challenges in struggles. This is a safe environment where everybody can express their feelings without judgment or interruption. A 12-step program will allow your teen to connect with empathetic peers while showing them that they’re not alone.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Substance abuse is often a coping mechanism for negative feelings and circumstances. DBT is meant to help patients deal with stress, conflict, and communication problems so that they won’t have to turn to drugs to cope with these issues. This kind of therapy is especially helpful for teens with one or more mental disorders.
Family Therapy
A young adult’s family dynamic plays a huge role in the success of his treatment. If a teen’s family does not understand how to help, then they are more likely to eventually relapse. Family therapy sessions will help a teen’s family learn how to facilitate a healthy environment that will keep them happy and sober.
Common Signs of Substance Abuse
Generally, when somebody is addicted to a substance, it will greatly affect their health and behavior. In most cases, the signs of addiction can be very noticeable. However, some of these symptoms may present themselves for reasons that are completely unrelated to substance abuse. Furthermore, some people can mask their substance misuse so well that it doesn’t seem like anything is out of the ordinary. Therefore, while the symptoms below tend to be common among individuals with substance abuse disorders, you shouldn’t construe these symptoms or the lack thereof as definitive evidence of addiction.
Excess Sweating
Many substances heavily tax a person’s body and cause them to sweat. This is especially true for amphetamines, cocaine, and other stimulants. Unless a person has changed their diet or exercise habits, abnormal perspiration may indicate drug abuse or withdrawals.
Gastrointestinal Irregularities
Different substances affect the bladder and gastrointestinal system in different ways. For example, alcohol may cause a person to frequently urinate, and opioids may cause severe constipation and bloating. Even if you don’t suspect a drug addiction, such irregularities may indicate a bigger health problem. Therefore, if someone in your life is having trouble in the bathroom, then you should take them to a doctor as quickly as possible.
Emotional Volatility
When someone is under the influence of drugs and alcohol, their emotions tend to be all over the place. Substance use may result in excessive anger, melancholy, and euphoria. Once the effects of the substance have worn off, extreme irritability, mood swings, and depression are common.
Chronic Fatigue
Often, opioids and other depressants cause people to appear tired. Someone under the influence of these drugs may exhibit slurred speech, drowsiness, and poor concentration. If your loved one is under the influence, then they may not have the energy to accomplish everyday tasks. Substance abuse also often results in regular hangovers and withdrawal symptoms.
Weight Fluctuations
Most substances affect a person’s appetite in some way. Alcoholic beverages contain a lot of calories, so someone who abuses alcohol is likely to gain weight. In contrast, opioids and stimulants are appetite suppressants, so chronic use may lead to drastic weight loss.
Chronic Lying
Many substance abuse patients go to great lengths to hide their addiction. They may lie about their whereabouts, activities, academics, and other important things. It’s not uncommon for individuals struggling with addiction to disappear for long periods to procure or use drugs or alcohol. When questioned about their absence, they may invent elaborate stories in an attempt to avoid suspicion.
Stealing
Drugs and alcohol aren’t cheap. While someone may be able to afford drugs and alcohol early on, they may quickly run out of money. Because of this, they may feel driven to steal from friends and family members so that they have enough money to afford their next dose.
Bad Hygiene
When someone is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, everything else takes a back seat. Consequently, someone who struggles with addiction may neglect showering, brushing their teeth, and other everyday hygiene practices. Furthermore, substance abuse and withdrawal symptoms often cause excessive sweating that can result in a foul odor or disheveled appearance.
Sobriety Is Within Reach at Intrepid Detox
Substance use disorders are incredibly destructive. The longer a person abuses drugs or alcohol, the harder it will be for them to enjoy a healthy life. Over time, drugs and alcohol will damage a person’s body and reduce their quality of life. Therefore, they need to receive proper rehabilitation before it’s too late. If someone in your life is struggling with addiction, then contact us to explore the best treatment options.