Adolescent/Young Adult Chemical Dependency Program

Do you know the signs of teenage alcohol or drug use, abuse or addiction? If you suspect your teen or young adult is abusing drugs or alcohol, look for the following signs:*
• Academic decline. Your teen’s grades suddenly start to fall. They show no interest in school or learning. They have frequent absences, truancy, and discipline problems.
• Changes in social behavior. They are “running around with a bad crowd”-- new friends who are less interested in standard home and school activities. Their choice of clothing might change, showing a new fascination with clothes that highlight drug use.
• Changes in behavior at home. They start arguments, break rules, or withdraw from the family. They show sudden mood changes, irritability, irresponsible behavior, low self-esteem, poor judgment, depression, and a general lack of interest. You may notice a use of incense, room deodorant, or perfume to hide smoke or chemical odors. They might begin using mouthwash or breath mints to cover up the smell of alcohol.
• Unusually secretive behavior. They may show increased secrecy about possessions or activities. There could be subtle changes in conversations with friends, using “coded” language.
• Physical changes. Teens are fatigued, or have repeated health complaints, red and glazed eyes, and a lasting cough.
• Monetary issues. There may be unexplained disappearance of money. There could also be unexplained acquisition of items of high monetary value (if a teen is dealing drugs). Or, an increase in borrowing money.
• Evidence of drug use. You may see paraphernalia such as pipes, rolling papers, etc. There could be evidence of using inhalant products (such as hairspray, nail polish, correction fluid, common household products)--rags and paper bags are sometimes used as accessories. Check your medicine cabinet—there could be missing prescription drugs—especially narcotics and mood stabilizers.

While not all of these behaviors can be caused by drug or alcohol abuse, it’s important to stay attuned to your teen if you suspect something’s wrong.

If you are concerned about your teen or young adult, Baptist’s Adolescent/Young Adult Chemical Dependency Program offers a free assessment. During the assessment, trained counselors will talk with your teen to find out basic information such as age and medical history, including allergies and any prescription drugs they make be taking. They will also ask about the teen’s history of drug and alcohol use, and what caused the teen to come in for an assessment. After the counselor has completed the interview with your teen, you will be asked to join the assessment process for additional information. At the end of the assessment, the counselor will recommend whether or not your teen needs treatment.

Baptist Behavioral Health Services’ Adolescent/Young Adult Chemical Dependency program provides treatment for people ages 13 to 21. The program is outpatient, so clients are not hospitalized during treatment.

Baptist’s program lasts for approximately 12 weeks, meeting from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursdays. Your teen will meet for group therapy with other teens and young adults in the program. A chemical dependency counselor meets with the group to lead discussion and provide a holistic therapeutic approach combined with the 12-step philosophy. The program also provides psychiatric care for patients who have psychiatric disorders in addition to chemical dependency.

Most commercial insurance plans provide coverage for the program, as well as the state of Mississippi’s Children’s Health Insurance program (CHIP).

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*sources:
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/teens_alcohol_and_other_drugs (accessed 4/22/2008)
The AntiDrug, a project of the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy
http://www.theantidrug.com/ei/signs_symptoms.asp ( accessed on 4/22/2008 )