(888) 576-3999How to Recognize the Level of Teenage Substance (Ab)Use?
During the teenage period, lots of children come to contact with substances, legal or otherwise. You can’t monitor your children 24-7, so contact with such things is inevitable.
Before you think about teen rehab or teen group therapy, it’s important to know how to assess the severity of the problem. In this article, we will try and explain the different levels of teenage substance use. Don’t wait. Contact us to help your teen.
Level 1: Experimental use
Experimental substance use can still be dangerous. Our experts at Insight Substance Abuse Treatment center offer teen help in Van Nuys, CA, specializing in teen group therapy. By definition, experimenting with substances is limited to one or two times. The main reason behind this phase is the young person’s wish to see how will their body respond to a certain substance.
Talk with your teen and remind them that there is no way to know what will the effects be. One wrong decision can have devastating consequences to both mind and body.
Level 2: Recreational use
When your teenager starts using a certain substance regularly, it stops being experimental use. Any habit means that the person is using the substance recreationally. At Insight Substance Abuse Treatment Center, we approach every teen rationally. We explain the perils of substance of abuse to teens without striking fear into them.
Even recreational use can be fatal, as you never know which substances can be found in some drugs.
Level 3: Excessive use
Now, this a is a broad term which can mean several things. Excessive use may be intentional or accidental. For example, if a teen doesn’t drink frequently, they can easily not be aware of the amount of alcohol they drank.
This is what we like to call accidental excessive use. It can be educational, to remind the person of the perils of substance abuse, or it can be a catalyzer. Intentional excessive use is usually a cry for help. If you notice it happening too much to your teen, give us a call.
Level 4: Abuse
Substance abuse is a vicious circle. It’s wrong to assume that anyone else is at fault but the teen. However, it’s important to approach the young person in a gentle and supportive way. Most teenagers who abuse substances have some problems in their lives which they’re running away from.
As they spiral into substance abuse more, they stop caring about real life. As they stop caring, their lives get worse, and they abuse drugs even more.
Level 5: Addiction
This is the final stage of substance abuse. At this stage, the teenager depends on a self-destructive habit to make it through the day. Addictions can be physical or psychological, depending on the substance and the frequency of use.
If you fear your teenager is addicted, don’t hesitate to give us a call. You can schedule an appointment at the “Contact Us” section. The sooner you seek help; the sooner will your teenager get the support they need.
We at Insight Substance Abuse Treatment center know what it’s like to struggle during the teen years. Through specialized teen rehab and activities, your teen will make an amazing recovery.