Troubled Teens Resources

“Not all doctors agree on what addiction or dependency is, because traditionally, addiction has been defined as being possible only to a psychoactive substance (for example alcohol, tobacco, or drugs), which is ingested, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and alters the natural chemical behavior of the brain temporarily. Many people, both psychology professionals and laypersons, now feel that there should be accommodation made to include psychological dependency on such things as gambling, food, sex, pornography, computers, work, exercise, cutting, and shopping / spending. However, these are things or tasks which, when used or performed, cannot cross the blood-brain barrier and hence, do not fit into the traditional view of addiction.”
(source)

A good friend was upset at the suggestion that her teenage son’s obsession with his computer,Ipod and cell phone were all tantamount to addiction. She was even more indignant that another friend thought that the problem was severe enough to require intervention of some sort.

“What, should I disconnect my whole family?”

No,just your at-risk teen and intervention is as simple as applied common sense.

If most of the teenager’s friends have become virtual, it’s time to intervene with human connections. A part time job comes to mind.

If the teen doesn’t exercise any more than their mouse hand, then an intervention of a barbell or an exercise CD might re-introduce the concept of natural energy to the teen.

If your teen has never strummed a real guitar or touched a keyboard, intervene by replacing the Ipod with an actual musical instrument.

Teaching a restless teen to direct passions, to channel energy effectively would seem a good way to harness the compulsiveness of a potentially addictive personality to productive ends. Perhaps a predilection towards addictive behavior can be redirected, thwarted, by teaching a teen the power of his own mind to alter reality constructively.

The definitions for addiction and it’s causes will keep changing and will range from new psycho-babble to sound, researched based therapies. Meanwhile, a parent could go far with conducting simple interventions of common sense.