When an adolescent is admitted into a teen drug addiction treatment center, this does not mean that those responsible for that child’s care outside of the facility will have nothing more to do with the program once the door closes behind the patient. On the contrary, many addiction treatment centers require that the primary adults in a child’s life also participate in the drug addiction treatment process.
Discovering this may be particularly stressful to some parents or responsible adults, especially if the relationship with the teen is strained or even considered a “toxic” one. However, it has been learned that relationship issues often play a role in teen drug addiction.
For this and other reasons, the addiction treatment center that requires parental/adult involvement in the drug addiction treatment process will inform them of when and how their participation will proceed. Such procedures may include group therapy sessions with other adults who also have children with teen drug addiction problems.
Once the initial reluctance (if indeed there was any) has passed, many adults may find that knowing there are others who are experiencing the same problems as them very beneficial. Talking to someone who does truly understand, and is not just saying so, can be the very thing that was needed.
The goal of addiction treatment centers is not to assign blame or even responsibility for a child’s teen drug addiction. Rather, the facility is more interested in seeing that the teen is getting the help needed, as well as involved adults.
Adults who are facing teen drug addiction problems can call 1-800-559-9503 or log onto http://www.addictiontreatment.net/ and receive information, not censure.
