Teens are seemingly struggling with alcohol addiction at a high rate? Fortunately, rehab treatment programs now exist across the US to counter this growing problem.

In recent decades, teen alcohol abuse has become a major issue among adolescents and young adults. According to national findings, 4.2 million teenagers engaged in binge drinking during 2019. Of those, more than 825,000 did so five times within a month.

So what do teen alcohol addiction treatment programs offer and how do they work?

Why Are Teens Drinking Alcohol?

Underage drinking occurs often at parties. Teens also drink alone inside their rooms. Due to age restrictions, teens abuse alcohol in risky ways. To avoid getting caught, a lot of teens binge drink. Their reasons for drinking include:

• Peer Pressure – Teens often drink because alcohol abuse is rampant all around them. They’ll see drinks at parties and want to fit in and not seem “square.” Some teens make dares and pressure their peers into drinking.
• Insecurity – A lot of teen alcohol addiction stems from insecurity. Teen boys might feel ashamed of their athletic performance or lack of macking skills. Girls might feel insecure about their looks or weight.
• Depression – Teen alcohol addiction also stems from depression. A boy might feel depressed about not having a girlfriend or thinking that he can’t get girls. A girl might have problems communicating with her mom. Teens in general often feel despair about their future prospects.

There are numerous risk factors associated with underage drinking. Teens often have less discipline or skill in operating motor vehicles. Adolescents are more prone to wild stunts, which can often turn deadly when mixed with drunkenness. Alcohol can also stunt brain development in growing individuals, hence age restrictions.

Teen Treatment Programs for Alcohol Abuse

Across the US, alcohol and drug addiction treatment providers offer rehab programs specially tailored for teens. Teen treatment services follow the same basic steps as general alcohol treatment but add counseling measures that apply specifically to the issues teens face in society.

Detox

Rehab starts with detox. It begins the moment a teen or adult halts alcohol and drug abuse and commits to sobriety. Detoxification takes between three and seven days, after which the patient begins a 30-90-day recovery program.

Detox is the most crucial and difficult stage of recovery. If a teen stops drinking cold turkey without supervision, he/she is likely to relapse on days two or three as cravings peak. To get teens past the withdrawal symptoms (nausea, headaches), detox should always be done under 24/7 supervision at a rehab treatment center.

Residential Rehab

After detox, the next stage in the recovery process usually involves inpatient treatment, where the teen stays at a treatment facility for one-three months. Treatment options vary between centers but most programs offer the following features:

• Private counseling – At teen rehab centers, each patient is assigned a private counselor. The teen shares his/her drinking habits and emotional issues that feed the problem. With this info, counseling staff can customize the best treatment program for the individual.
• Group therapy sessions – Teens also meet in groups to discuss their struggles with alcohol. Here teens share their insights and progress. This helps young people open up and feel comfortable among healthy, positive, like-minded peers.
• Health practices – During rehab, teenagers learn healthy lifestyle habits. These include structured daytime schedules (cleaning, time management) and positive problem-solving skills. This helps teens master the habits of sober individuals.
• Wellness activities – Most teens that drink heavily lack healthy hobbies. In rehab, the counseling staff will encourage activities like art therapy, music therapy, equine therapy (interaction with horses), animal care, exercise, hiking and outdoor adventures.
• Education – Teens also learn about the risk factors of drinking. While most kids know that they’re not supposed to drink, they don’t often understand why. In rehab education installments, teens learn about brain impairment, liver damage and the emotional effects of alcohol.

Aside from peer group counseling and activities, teen rehab centers take a holistic approach to treatment that tackles the co-occurring mental health issues that often feed into substance abuse. American addiction centers practice therapy in accordance with the Mental Health Services Administration.

Outpatient Treatment

As an alternative to inpatient treatment, most teen rehab centers offer outpatient treatment, which covers the same ground as residential inpatient treatment (support groups, counseling, activities, education). However, outpatients live at home and come to the center in the daytime for treatment. Outpatient treatment generally falls into two categories:

• Partial hospitalization programs (PHP) – Consists of 20-40 hours of weekly treatment, usually 4-8 hours per day. PHP is for patients who need intensive treatment but have ideal, sober home environments with proper supervision.
• Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) – Usually 9-19 hours of weekly treatment. The patient comes in during the morning, afternoon or evening for two or three hours of treatment. Ideal for less-severe cases of alcohol addiction. IOP allows patients to maintain their school and/or work commitments.

Some patients use IOP as a step-down option after completing residential rehab treatment. Most centers employ the 12-step model developed by Alcoholics Anonymous.

Additional Programs

Most rehab centers offer additional programs that extend beyond the facility and the patient’s drinking problem. The most important involve family members and outside accommodations.

• Family therapy – Teens with drinking problems often feel alienated from their parents and siblings. Today’s rehab centers promote multidimensional family therapy, where patients and relatives are brought together for group therapy sessions.
• Transitional living – For homeless youth with drinking problems, most US rehab facilities can connect teens with transitional living homes. This helps teens avoid the streets and work their way to happier lives.
• Job placement – Many rehab centers are connected with job-placement agencies, where outgoing patients fill their info and learn about nearby applicable job openings.

Alcohol problems extend well beyond the individual; they impact communities. Today’s rehab programs are designed to help teens land and thrive once they finish treatment.

Find Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment Providers

When teens start drinking, the problem impacts the entire family. Teen drinking (and substance abuse in general) is the cause of physical and mental health problems and erratic mood swings. To make your teen stop drinking, call a nearby rehab center today.