Teens

Recently, through various media sources, a provocative statement about adolescent use of alcohol has emerged. Acting Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H., stated in a news release on March 6th, 2007, "too many Americans consider underage drinking a rite of passage to adulthood, research shows that young people who start drinking before the age of 15 are five times more likely to have alcohol-related problems later in life. New research also indicates that alcohol may harm the developing adolescent brain. The availability of this research provides more reasons than ever before for parents and other adults to protect the health and safety of our nation's children."

Teens today are facing numerous stressors as they begin preparing to move out into the world on their own. With each stressor comes the body’s stress response for example, racing heart, trouble thinking clearly, a nervous stomach, forgetfulness. With enough exposure to stressors some teens turn to alcohol and other drugs for quick relief. The use of a substance becomes part of that teen’s choice of coping, which can inhibit their learning of other more long lasting methods to cope and find relief.

Add to this the fact that many teens are learning to drive. Their desire to get away from it all with the car and their friends becomes an event to look forward to. This can spell trouble for some teens that are not immune to the issue of drinking and using and driving a motor vehicle. As new and inexperienced drivers the risks they sometimes take lead to irreversible consequences. Motor vehicle crashes remain the number one cause of death among youth ages 15-20. There were 7,460 youth motor vehicle deaths in 2005 nationally. This includes both drivers and passengers. For young drivers, 15-20 years old, alcohol involvement is higher among males than among females. In 2005, 24% of the young male drivers involved in fatal crashes had been drinking at the time of the crash, compared with 12% of the young female drivers involved in fatal crashes. (Statistics taken from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.)

Feelings of stress, learning to drive, navigating classes and homework, spending time with friends, preparing to launch from home, and the process of individuating from parents creates many opportunities to teach young people methods to cope that he or she can use for the rest of their lives. For teens that have turned to drugs and alcohol intervening is vital before too much time is invested in substance abuse and painful consequences occur.

At Eastside Addiction Professionals my approach to teens and their families is compassionate and collaborative. I utilize group therapy when available, individual therapy and family counseling to assist families. During treatment the focus is on developing new support structures with emphasis on abstinence. I help teens understand underlying issues that impact their behavior including their choice of friends and activities. I work with teens to develop new approaches to interact with their peers and avoid continued use by learning refusal skills.

Eastside Addiction Professionals is experienced and credentialed in adolescent and adult chemical dependency counseling, mental health counseling and marriage and family therapy. Payment arrangements can be made including use of insurance. A sliding fee scale is available to families with financial need.