Troubled Teens Resources

Schools for troubled teens provide time and tools for healing. If teenagers are also being treated for addiction, they also learn a great deal about it’s nature, what triggers it, what in their own make-up causes them to be susceptible and what measures can a recovering teen take to fend against all the temptations to use once they return home.

Parents should become just as knowledgeable about addiction as their troubled teens. It is very important for parents to be aware of what may cause the addict to misstep, and what they can do to make the home environment supportive of their teen’s recovery.

The following is a quick excerpt on an article that suggests ways to break the cycle of addiction, follow the link for more.

• “Addicts that are predominantly excitement seekers should concentrate on being content with the “ordinary” and developing an appetite for satisfaction rather than stimulation. Thrill-seeking addicts need to learn how to be content with ordinary activities and increase their appreciation for the “little” joys of life. Over stimulation creates satiation. Therefore, overcoming an excitement-seeking addiction involves learning how to live with less arousal and allowing your body and mind to become accustomed to lowered arousal.”
• “Addicts need to find alternative ways of responding to their trigger mechanisms. This means learning to deal with need in a more wholesome way. For instance, if boredom is a trigger, the addict needs to learn some way of handling boredom without resorting to the addictive behavior. If the trigger is depression, the addict must seek help in discovering the underlying cause of the depression and overcoming it. Suppressing depression is never a cure — it only prolongs the depression.”

(source)