The Importance of Age-Appropriate Care for Teens

Addiction can impact a person of any age, from teenagers to working professionals. However, finding the right approach to recovery for each individual can be difficult. Embracing age-appropriate care for teens can ensure that not only are the unique challenges and stresses teenagers face addressed throughout the recovery process but also that recovery is approached in a way that best resonates with their unique goals in recovery. There is never a single path to recovery, and teen-dedicated care and treatment can ensure that teens are able to make the most of their recovery efforts while continuing to manage their daily lives, identity, and more.

Addiction among teens is incredibly prevalent, with about 46.5% of adolescents having reported using alcohol upon reaching the 12^th grade, and 30.5% having reported engaging with marijuana in the same time frame in 2021 alone. However, teens may also be exposed to any number of other substances during this time, including harder drugs like cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, and more.

The Stresses Teens Face

Addiction can be devastating for teenagers, and understanding the unique stresses they must overcome is crucial for creating an effective recovery plan. Academic stresses can be incredibly difficult to navigate, especially with the deluge of expectations, studying, and tests that are constantly looming. Some teens may also be beginning to explore the professional world or feel compelled to make decisions regarding their professional life that may define them for years to come, adding to this stress. Coupled together, it can be incredibly difficult for teens to have the time to relax and let go of these stresses.

However, an even greater influence on the use of drugs or alcohol among teens comes from social pressures. Peer pressure can be incredibly difficult to overcome, with peers not only potentially introducing addictive substances, but also romanticizing or normalizing their use by celebrating the use of these substances while minimizing or avoiding discussing their negative impact. Some other stresses teens may face that could inform the use of drugs or alcohol include:

• At-home atmospheres, especially if parents are engaged in drugs or alcohol
• Feelings of neglect
• A desire to fit in with others
• Feelings of anxiety, depression, or the beginning signs of mental health disorders
• Being a victim of bullying
• Boredom or feelings of stagnation
• Feelings of low self-esteem
• Perceived low risk of engaging with such substances

Pursuing recovery for teens is already difficult due to perceived social consequences on top of the challenges innately present in overcoming addiction. Age-appropriate care for teens to ensure that teens get the most appropriate support for their needs is paramount. Dedicated teen programs are instrumental in facilitating the necessary change while managing teenage life.

Embracing Age-Appropriate Care for Teens

Substance use can fundamentally affect a person’s brain, behaviors, and more. However, with teens whose brains will still be developing into their early to mid-20s, exposure to addictive substances can have lasting detrimental effects. Addressing addiction in teens as early as possible is necessary for preventing greater long-term damage. However, helping teens overcome addiction still demands a personalized and dedicated approach. Redpoint’s Longmont location offers a dedicated teen program to address these needs while also continuing to support their daily lives.

Creating a Dedicated Teen Schedule

Being able to tend to teens’ needs for recovery while balancing scholastic endeavors and other responsibilities can be difficult. However, with a dedicated after-school program, teens are encouraged to explore their recovery without compromising others areas of their lives. With regular meetings from 4-6 pm, Redpoint is able to address the needs of teens overcoming their use of drugs or alcohol while supporting the best time-management skills to balance each person’s needs both inside and outside of a recovery facility.

Getting Involved

Teens may also benefit from an active approach to recovery in addressing their personal needs and goals. Using dedicated and proven approaches like psychodrama and play therapy helps teens get wholly involved in their own recovery. Others may benefit from tactile advantages while tending to other goals, such as using games, sculpting, exploring artistic endeavors, and more while asking deeper questions to keep both the mind and body involved throughout their recovery efforts.

Creating Connections

The social component of substance use and recovery is crucial for teens overcoming drug and alcohol use. Creating a community of peers who understand the challenges faced while nurturing a feeling of belonging, acceptance, and a place to explore new hobbies can be invaluable for teens developing a new lifestyle in sobriety. Redpoint offers not just the professional care and education needed to overcome addiction but also cultivates a recovery community dedicated to teens meeting peers and challenging addiction together to overcome feelings of isolation that may affect their attitudes towards addictive substances.

Importance of Age-Appropriate Care for Teens

There is nothing easy about overcoming addiction. Ensuring that teens receive the care that most aligns with their needs and goals is paramount for success in recovery. Engaging in age-appropriate teenage care can be instrumental in exploring the most effective practices and best results for a healthy life ahead.

With the unique challenges that teens face, having age-appropriate care for teens is necessary for the best approach to healing. At Redpoint’s Longmont location, we create a supportive and dedicated atmosphere of healing for teens to address the use of drugs and alcohol while still tending to their own daily lives. We are prepared to help you or your teen with dedicated, proven strategies, all backed by a community of support, caring, and understanding. Between our use of experiential therapies and proven strategies, we can help you create the best approach to helping you get wholly involved in your own sober transformation. For more information on how we can personalize a program for you, call us today at (303) 710-8496.