Teen Help Programs: When Your Teen is Simply Out-of-Control and the Internet is Hindering Your Search
Don't be a parent in denial. You are not helping your teen.
Whitney Houston. Michael Jackson. Amy Winehouse.
Addiction is treatable. Death is not.
These celebrities are certainly not your teens and probably not what your teens are even worrying about becoming. Chances are – parents don’t believe their kids will even become addicts. That is the problem. Parent denial can actually cause more harm to your child than you realize. We all know the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. It is the same with parents. Until you recognize your teenager is spiraling out of control, and this behavior has escalated beyond your typical teen – you are only loving your child to death.
How many parents will share with me their teen is only smoking pot. Seriously? The marijuana today is not what it was in the 60′s. Today marijuana is being laced with higher levels of PCP, and other ingredients that can lead to addiction.
Cough medicine. How many teens are using your medicine cabinet at home to get high?
Prescription medicine. How many teens are taking you or their grandparents RX’s?
These are not bad kids. These kids don’t come from the other side of town, they can be in your neighborhood. At your private school. In your Sunday church service. Good kids making bad choices is part of every culture. I hear from parents that have solid marriages of over 20 years, faithfully attend church, family meals and vacations and have a teen that has wandered off track. This can happen to anyone. Why? That is a million dollar question -and the the why isn’t as important as it is to get them help before it is too late.
Getting them help will help you find out the why. When did this behavior start going wrong. Why? How? What? After exhausting all local resources including adolescence therapy, you may need to take the major step into residential therapy.
Who do you trust online? Internet fact vs Internet fiction.
Now you get on the computer and start search for residential therapy – teen help programs – boarding schools – and you are not sure what you need.
The Internet is daunting, as most 2012 parents realize when they start typing in all sort of key words – and before you know it – you are bombarded with all sorts of programs and schools and “sales reps” that seem to have answers – or so you think.
This is when you need to step back and understand that YES, you do need help, you do need an intervention and you do need to remove your teen from their environment enable to get them the help they need. Let’s face it, therapy isn’t working anymore – if you can even get them to attend.
My mantra has been – learn from my mistakes when I wen through this. Read – www.aparentstruestory.com – and you will see you need to take your time. It is not to scare you – it is to educate you.
Here are a few tips to remember:
- Look for programs that are not attached to “sales reps”. You want to speak directly to an owner or director. Someone that has a vested interest in your teen. Someone that their reputation will be reflected on your child’s success (or lack of). Someone who you can hold accountable through the duration of your teen’s stay.
- Look for the ACE factor. A=Academics – Always ask for a copy of their accreditation for education – be sure it is transferable back to where you live. C=Clinical – Be sure the clinical staff is credentialed. E=Enrichment programs – These are critical to be sure your teen is stimulated in a positive direction to want to make better choices. This isn’t about breaking your child down, it is about building them up.
- Ask for parent references of parents with the same gender and age of your own teenager. Also take it a step further. Ask for families that are in your same geographical area. This way maybe you will be able to meet with them and possibly even the graduate of the program you are considering.
- Keep in mind – Short term programs – short term results. Don’t get sucked into them.
I have many more tips and offer free parent consultation at www.HelpYourTeens.com.
Don’t reach your wit’s end and make a rash decision – made an education choice…. Be an educated parent – this a major emotional and financial decision.
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Tags: Addiction and Teens, At Risk Teens, Boot Camps, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Problem Teens, Residential Treatment Centers, Struggling Teens, Teen Depression, Teen Drug Use, Teen Help, Teen Help Programs, Therapeutic Boarding Schools, Troubled Teens, Wilderness Programs, Wits End
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Hi Sue,
Great tips to help parents navigate this often confusing situation.