Adolescent Recovery Program

 

The Problem

The world that today’s adolescent lives in, is far more stressful but offers more freedom than any time in the history of our world. As a result we are seeing an entire generation being destroyed due to a lack of addressing the problem of addiction in the hopes that our children will “grow out of this phase” in their lives. We are working with teens in San Antonio and the surrounding area and the problem is staggering! National statistics show that many drug trends are dropping (http://www.drugabuse.gov/Infofax/HSYouthtrends.html ) but when we question teens, the statistics remain the same.

child-and-adolescent-counseling-for-depression-and-anxietyAlcoholism and drug addictions are diseases of denial. The person with the addiction denies the problems, as do those around them. They have to lie. If they told the truth, friends and family would be in shock. Everyone knows someone whose life has been devastated by chemical abuse. We have all seen teens, families and marriages damaged, lost jobs, legal consequences, abusive relationships, physical consequences, emotional illness, depression and suicide.

We have been on advisory councils for schools and most students and teachers agree that the problem is larger than parents and administrators are willing to acknowledge. When we ask students the number of their peers that are using drugs, they frequently remark between 50% and 97% of the students are using alcohol, marijuana and cocaine ON A REGULAR BASIS. When we ask them to tell us how many students in each classroom are drinking or getting high, it is easier for them to count the 1-5 classmates that aren’t using any drugs than to calculate the numbers that are.

It is useless to provide prevention to people who are already abusing or addicted. My statistics also come from a 2-year Columbia University study titled Malignant Neglect. Please read the article or at least the highlights. Seeing a psychiatrist or taking medications is rarely the answer. The solution is to help the students who are using drugs to learn how to live life sober.

  

The Solution

The program at Alamo City Treatment Services focuses on serving 14 through 17 year olds. We provide individual and family counseling. Our fees are designed to provide accessible treatment for every income. Family participation is strongly encouraged. We have found that the more a family is involved, the more successful the outcome.

teen+counseling,+teen+therapist,+therapy+for+my+teen,+teenager+therapist,+adolescent+therapist,+therapy+for+my+adolescentIt seems that many families are not attending treatment but rather sending their teens to psychiatrists for medication. A common misconception is to prescribe medications immediately which reduces most symptoms however does not resolve the problem. Usually what occurs is the student does not developed the coping skills necessary to live life without drugs or alcohol. It seems today that most adolescents believe alcohol and marijuana are a “right of passage” into adulthood. We would encourage families to please realize that the addiction invades every aspect of the being; physical, mental and spiritual. These are not resolved with medication, but with practicing new and better behaviors. Some professionals may have a 3 month waiting list and provide 15-45 minutes of counseling to reduce the symptoms, but we have a solution that can be achieved in less time than the waiting list.

 

If parents want to know what to do about their teens that are using drugs, we would encourage them to buy the book, Don’t Let Your Kids Kill You by Charles Rubin. It has some outstanding recommendations and approaches to deal with chemical dependency and abuse.

 If you or  family member have a problem with an addiction, please call. Some can stop on their own, but the fix is only temporary. Addiction is a physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual problem that rarely goes away. There is a solution and we want to help. Don’t struggle alone anymore. Let us help you find the answer with a proven solution that works.

 

Please contact us at 210-541-8400 for more information.

If you have any further questions, please contact us at:
Alamo City Treatment Services
Addiction Counselor Training School-San Antonio
12042 Blanco Rd., Suite 101
San Antonio, TX 78216
210-541-8400