Teen Treatment: Addressing Alcohol Problems Among Adolescents Reducing Underage Drinking NCBI Bookshelf

Research suggests that the patterns in adolescent brain development may increase the likelihood of adolescents engaging in unsafe behaviors such as alcohol use.5 For example, the systems of the brain that respond to rewards and stressors are very active in adolescence. You may worry that your teen is using drugs or alcohol if they become withdrawn or negative. They may also be signs of a mental health condition, such as depression. Witnessing your child struggle with a drinking problem (also known as “alcohol use disorder”) can be as heartbreaking as it is frustrating.

Treatment and Prevention

Several studies have reported that the associations between alcohol and brain structure and function differ by sex, especially in adolescents engaging in binge drinking. Group counseling is a key therapeutic techniquethat includes those with alcohol and drug use disorders who arefurther along in the recovery process; they pass on their knowledge,experience, and values to newer patients. Participants study each ofthe Twelve Steps and are referred to Alcoholics Anonymous andNarcotics Anonymous meetings as part of their therapy aftertreatment to prevent relapse (Winters and Schiks, 1989). Manystudies have been completed to evaluate the outcomes of the TwelveStep Facilitation method, yet few have been geared specifically toadolescents.

• NIAAA and the American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend that all youth be regularly screened for alcohol use.
• Kids face a huge amount of stress as they navigate the teenage years.
• A federalresearch priority should be to determine which treatment approachesare most effective with different types of youth.
• Formerly known as alcoholism, alcohol use disorder (AUD) can affect people of all ages.
• While you can expect a teen to test any boundaries, be clear on what is and isn’t acceptable behavior and what the consequences are for breaking your rules.
• As a teenager, your child is likely to be in social situations where they’re offered alcohol—at parties or in the homes of friends, for example.

Prior to Treatment Assessment and Treatment Matching Should be

• The teenage years can often be challenging and stressful, and it’s not unusual for people to turn to alcohol as a way of coping with their issues.
• Films and TV can make it seem that every “cool”, independent teenager drinks.
• It can be extremely distressing as a parent to witness the after-effects of your teen’s binge drinking.

Research is needed to determine whether and the extent to whichtreatment programs originally developed for adults are appropriatewhen used with adolescents. Staff should be trained to understandadolescent development and alcoholism treatment respond appropriately to the challengesthat adolescents present. Good programs are based on anunderstanding of gender socialization and the cultural background ofthe patient. National guidelines for staff training to understandthe developmental needs of teens should be developed. Nationallyrecognized guidelines for ensuring the safety of adolescentpatients, particularly females, also should be developed.

Who To Talk to

• Adolescents in treatment are often notgranted autonomy; this creates tension and frustration between thetherapist and the teen (Personal communication, Nancy Jainchill,Center for Therapeutic Community Research, June 1, 2001).
• If you do have any of these symptoms, then alcohol may already be a cause for concern, and a conversation about alcohol use with a professional is recommended.
• Nationallyrecognized guidelines for ensuring the safety of adolescentpatients, particularly females, also should be developed.
• Most treatment programs keep track of outcome data and areable to provide statistics, which suggest the effectiveness of thetreatment and recovery strategies (Pickens and Fletcher, 1991; Bergmann et al.,1995; Jainchill et al., 1995; Werner, 1995).
• And don’t worry—even if you do identify symptoms, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of AUD and other alcohol-related consequences.
• The most intensive form ofinpatient treatment involves 24-hour supervision by professionalstaff.

A study comparing the incidence of trauma inadolescents with alcohol abuse and dependence to a control groupfound that adolescents with alcohol abuse or dependence were 18 to21 times more likely to have a sexual abuse history. Of thoseadolescents who reported having both a sexual abuse history andalcohol abuse or dependence, 68 percent were females (Clark, Lesnick, andHegedus, 1997). A study of women addicts found that notonly was abuse (sexual, physical, and emotional) more frequent, butit occurred for longer periods of time and by more perpetrators thanthose in the control group (Covington and Surrey, 1997). Indealing with their emerging sexuality, girls may adopt a pattern teen alcoholism ofinteraction in which they try to be pleasing to and subordinate tomen. For these reasons, putting girls in a coed setting fortreatment may be contraindicated. Furthermore, while boys and girlsare both at risk for sexual abuse in interpersonal relationships aschildren, boys move out of risk in adolescence but girls continue tobe at risk for sexual abuse (Covington and Surrey, 1997).

One study found that adolescents who are motivated toattend https://ecosoberhouse.com/ Twelve Step meetings have improved treatment outcomes (Kelly, Myers, and Brown,2002). However, more research is needed to assess theeffectiveness of the Twelve Step approach and how these programsmeet the developmental needs of teens (Kassel and Jackson, 2001). A comprehensive, integrated treatment approach ensures that theprogram addresses all of an individual teen’s treatment needs, whichmay include addressing mental health problems, family dysfunction,learning disabilities or school failure, and physical healthconcerns. In addition, this approach should connect adolescents andtheir families with an array of community services.

How is alcohol use disorder treated?

Regardless of the cause of someone’s AUD, it’s important that they receive the treatment and support they need to feel better. Recognizing AUD in teenagers isn’t always easy, but it can be the first step in offering them the support they need. Parents and teachers can play a meaningful role in shaping youth’s attitudes toward drinking. Parents, in particular, can have either a positive or negative influence. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling. Consider connecting online, through social media, or by phone or mail.

While you can expect a teen to test any boundaries, be clear on what is and isn’t acceptable behavior and what the consequences are for breaking your rules. While parenting an adolescent is rarely easy, it’s important to remember that you can still have a major impact on the choices your child makes, especially during their preteen and early teen years. With these guidelines can help you identify the best ways to talk to your child about alcohol, address potential underlying problems that may be triggering their alcohol use, and help them to make smarter choices in the future. People who drink regularly also often have problems with school.

Warning Signs of Underage Drinking

Treatmentproviders, often funded by the health care system, should coordinatewith all settings in which teens in need of treatmentinteract—school, home, family, peer group, and where appropriate,the criminal justice system and the workplace. Policies set andservices provided by agencies such as the U.S. Department of Justice, local schooldistricts, local court agencies, and agencies that receive blockgrant funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health ServicesAdministration should support high-quality, coordinated programmingacross these settings.