Adolescent Addiction | Assistance in Recovery

Posts Tagged ‘adolescent addiction’

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

Due to the overwhelming amount of studies recently released alerting society of gaming addictions and most view it as an epidemic sweeping young people. Today gaming addictions include not only the young, but also their parents and grandparents. With influences like the high rate of unemployment, the high stress situations people find themselves in every day and the boredom that comes with retirement, games offer an escape and provide an outlet for pent-up energy, aggression and disillusionment.

What’s more, the amount of gaming isn’t necessarily the problem; instead, the cultivation of need in regard to gaming creates an addiction, one Steve Pope, a Lancashire, UK therapist calls “equivalent to taking a line of cocaine in the high it produces” in an article on MCV gaming magazine’s website.

Obviously, kids are particularly at risk, as Pope explains, “It is the fastest growing addiction in the country and this is affecting young people mentally, as well as leading to physical problems such as obesity. It gives parents peace and quiet, but it becomes a concern when it is all the child wants to do.”

Preventative measures need to be utilized in combating this completely preventable addiction. Even if parents are unable or unwilling to stave the onset of gaming addiction, schools might be able to lend a hand, utilizing addiction consulting provided by outside companies specializing in addiction prevention, treatment and aftercare. To combat a national epidemic everyone must band together with preventative education and the connections available to help those already falling into the trap gaming creates.

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

With more and more adolescents and young adults seeking drug and alcohol treatment, there have been some distinct innovations in the recovery sector of colleges. According to research done at Yale University, adolescents and young adults are more prone to addiction due to their still-developing brains. There are nearly 50,000 college-age kids in America who are abusing alcohol or other drugs to the extent that they are unable to make it successfully through college. As a result, the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse are more and more prevalent in the world today; however, with additional resources available for young adults and more awareness allowing for earlier intervention, a good number of those young people are entering the journey of recovery at earlier ages. These earlier ages present new and different challenges in the recovery world, and college tends to be a place full of rampant triggers and challenges for a newly-recovering person. As a result, more colleges around the country are starting to develop programs specifically for people in recovery (for a complete list, check out the Recovery Schools website here).

A couple of programs stand out- in our backyard, Minneapolis, Augsburg College has their innovative StepUp program to meet the needs of the recovering community. With support groups and sobriety-specific dorms, Augsburg has some great wrap-around services for those young adults going to college for the first time, or heading back into an environment where they’ve struggled.

Texas Tech, in Lubbock, TX also has their own recovery program for students. Dr. Kitty Harris, director of Texas Tech’s Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery, had this to say about the program: “I want our students to have a true college experience. I don’t want them to feel separate. I don’t want them to feel apart from. I don’t want them to feel different. And I especially don’t want them to drink or do drugs.” This program, integrating students into the college milieu, provides new hope for students that have struggled in the past. Here’s a video about Texas Tech’s program.

However, there are some barriers before college. Should your adolescent or young adult need treatment, please contact us at 877-320-0247 or www.a-i-r.com. We also would highly recommend, for any person in recovery entering a college environment, our Recovery Assistance Program, which will provide additional accountability. When heading off to college, especially those without a recovery program for students, having the Recovery Assistance Program in place can provide a safety net for your loved one.

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

On the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, families are mourning the deaths of three girls from methadone overdoses. CNN posted this interesting and terrible article this morning, talking about the tragic deaths of girls ages 13, 14 and 15. The three girls were sleeping over on a night just before starting a new semester of high school- and never made it home. On a reservation that has seen its share of drug and alcohol-related deaths, the loss of three young teenagers really struck home.

Picture 3 300x178 Methadone Deaths on Wyoming Reservations

The coroner ruled the deaths homicides- but it was not readily apparent where the drugs came from.The FBI got involved almost immediately following the deaths, as they do when felonies occur on reservations. As a result, not much is known about the case itself. Two teenage boys have been arrested in conjunction with the deaths, but no other details are really known at this time. In a culture that acknowledges a distrust of law enforcement, nearly 24 hours passed before authorities were contacted about the deaths.

A difficult situation for the families on this reservation; one can only hope that, through this tragic loss, the people on the reservation can be more aware of the dangers of drug use and abuse. Through this, more help may be available- at least we can hope so. A difficult and tragic situation like this, along with it being brought into the public eye, may actually result in some change.

If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, please contact us directly at 877-320-0247 or visit us on the web at www.a-i-r.com.

Susan G.

Mother of Drug Intervention Participant

“Everything was centered around trying to save the addict. I kept saying, what else do you have on your calendar except doom and destruction and prison. Families don’t know what they’re doing. Having a professionally designed intervention is a completely different experience. It gave me this loving courage that I hadn’t be able to find to say ‘We’re standing up against your disease‘” Watch complete story…

Posts Tagged ‘adolescent addiction’

Gaming Addiction “Like Cocaine” According to New Article

Innovative College Recovery Programs

Methadone Deaths on Wyoming Reservations

Make the Call

Real Stories

Susan G.

Mother of Drug Intervention Participant