It is a heartbreaking fact that teenage drug and alcohol abuse has skyrocketed over the last decade. Many teenagers may find themselves on the path to a life of addiction if they do not get professional help with getting clean and sober. For some teens, the idea of leaving home to stay in an inpatient treatment program is simply terrifying, and they may not work hard to succeed. Fortunately, there are outpatient drug programs available for teens, and these are some of the benefits they have to offer.
After-School Meetings
One benefit of an outpatient program is that the teenager can attend meetings and appointments with drug rehab therapists after finishing the day at school. This helps the teen keep up in school and also encourages him or her to keep working towards their education.
Family Therapy
Many teen outpatient drug programs have days during the week when the teenager can bring a close family member in with them for meetings with the drug counselor. This helps both the patient and the family member discuss their feelings together with the counselor while also helping improve communication with each other.
Often teenagers do not even think about how negatively their drug abuse affects their family members. These meetings are often an eye-opening experience for the teens when they begin to realize how important their getting clean is to everyone close to them.
Group Therapy
Another important part of teen drug outpatient programs is group therapy meetings. In these meetings, patients sit down with a counselor and other patients their own age to talk about their problems and determine how they can be successful in staying drug-free. This gives teenagers a sense that they are not alone and that other people their age understand what they're going through.
Skill Building Activities
In outpatient drug programs, teenagers can also participate in various skill-building activities that can help them succeed in adulthood. For instance, if a teenager is interested in a certain career path, the program workers and counselors encourage this and help the patient learn how to work towards achieving their career goals.
If the patient attends meetings and participates in the activities required at the outpatient drug program, he or she is likely to complete it successfully. However, if they refuse to do what is required, their parents do have the option of enrolling them in an inpatient drug program instead.
If you think your teen needs an addiction recovery program, call a company like Bridgeway Recovery Services Inc.