Troubled Teens Resources

Paige was able to watch her daughter from another room. She could see beads of sweat on her forehead as she rocked back and forth, perched on the edge of a chair, staring ahead, eyes focused obsessively on a blank wall. She crouched in as if in pain, arms wrapped around her middle, clutching, rocking, waiting.

Intervention

Paige had agreed to accept the offer of treatment and rehabilitation her desperate family had arranged for her. It was an intervention of sorts - nothing big or fancy. They just confronted her, gave her their pain. Made her see that she had caused it. They’d offered her the opportunity for one last chance. She had agreed to attend a troubled teen boarding school.

Now they were waiting for her to picked up to go to detox. It had been arranged just in case she agreed. As her mother watched her troubled teen she almost started rocking back and forth in sympathy. Her daughter was in pain. She needed a fix. They were worried that she might give in to those awful longings and leave before the ambulance arrived.

What is detox?

It is necessary for an addict to go through withdrawal, to detox, before entering into a program. So, what is detox?

“Detox is the process of getting the alcohol or other drugs out of the addicted person’s system and getting him or her physically stable.

This procedure is best conducted under the watchful eye of an healthcare giver (medical detox), because it can be painful and dangerous. Medical detox safely manages the acute physical symptoms of withdrawal. For example, when a person withdraws from alcohol dependence, in a small proportion of cases he or she may experience delirium (the DTs); seizures, nausea, rapid heartrate, tremors and other symptoms.

Doctors may prescribe medicines to make the detoxification process safer and easier. They may gradually reduce the amount of the addictive substance until the person has completely withdrawn. Or they may have the patient take a medical substitute for the addictive substance (such as methadone for people addicted to heroin). At the same time, the doctor can make overall assessments that will be useful as a treatment plan is established.”
(Source)