The 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicates that the highest abused class of drugs among teens, aside from marijuana, is prescription medications.
“Addictions often begin innocently,” begins a spokesperson for Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center. “And, that’s one of the biggest dangers with prescription medications. People, teens particularly, think that since the medication doesn’t come off the street and is actually prescribed by a physician, that it can’t possibly be harmful to them. That couldn’t be further from the truth. There are some prescription drugs that actually pose a greater risk of addiction than street drugs. And, that’s the reason they are so heavily regulated and prescribed for a finite period of time - because they are so powerful and can result in overdose and, ultimately, death. When an addiction takes hold, it is often difficult to be released from its grips without entering into drug rehab.”
It is estimated that nearly one in five teens, approximately 3.2 million total, have abused prescription medications at least once. The first step towards prevention or experimentation is education about the dangers of experimenting with any substances. Emphasizing the negative aspects of drug abuse often serves as a deterrent to abusing drugs.
Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center has long been an advocate of alcohol and drug abuse prevention through education, starting at the family and community level. Since its inception, Mountainside has been committed to creating ways that will help individuals to get and to remain sober.
The compassionate, caring treatment team at Mountainside is comprised of licensed and certified counselors and social workers as well as a Nurse Practitioner and a Registered Nurse, both of whom have specialization and extensive experience in drug addiction and alcohol treatment. For clients who may have psychiatric issues and/or a dual diagnosis, Mountainside provides the services of a Psychiatrist who also has specialization in addictions. As a result of their unique, innovative approaches to addiction treatment over the past 12 years, Mountainside has become the model for the addiction treatment field.
The program, along with its professional addiction treatment team, have earned national recognition and resulted in Mountainside being invited to Washington by the White House to meet with the White House Drug Czar, John P. Waters, for an in-depth meeting on what makes its program so successful. These accolades did not go unnoticed within the addiction treatment field and resulted in the adoption by many throughout the country of a more holistic approach to drug addiction treatment.
If you or someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol, or if you have any questions, please contact Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center for a confidential inquiry at 800-762-5433.
