DEAR PARENTS AND LOVED ONES,
If you have found your way to our web site, you are most likely very concerned about your child, your friend or someone else who is very important to you. In our experience, family members and loved ones have often worried about the addicted teen for several years before they find help. You may be experiencing a range of emotions, from intense anger and hopelessness to resignation and despair. Your feelings are normal given your anguish and/or frustration about the addicted teen.

When teens become addicted to substances, they often undergo a profound personality and mood change. They may become defiant, argumentative, sullen, isolated and they may even steal from you. It is easy to believe that the teen you loved and cared about has completely disappeared. In addicted teens, drugs and alcohol are the true culprit.

Once teens are clean and sober, they generally return to their pre-drug-using personalities. The question of whether or not a teen needs treatment is determined by an assessment. The Bobby Benson Center provides free assessments for teens in Hawaii. If you are not in Hawaii, please contact your local substance abuse treatment centers to find out about scheduling an assessment.

While treatment is available in many locations across the nation, not all addicted teens agree to enter treatment. The teen must consent to participate in a treatment program. Finding leverage is often extremely helpful in enhancing a teen's desire to accept treatment. Leverage could be handled internally by the family, or externally through family court if the youth is engaged in illegal activity. Internally, a family might make a decision that a teen will no longer be given money, phone privilege, use of a car, etc. until he or she is clean and sober. Externally, a teen may be court-ordered to treatment after he or she has been arrested for illegal activity, such as truancy, runaways, theft, curfew violations, or possession of drugs.

It is important that parents and other legal guardians seek assistance and support as needed to help deal with the challenge of helping an addicted youth, and the challenge of determining whether a teen is addicted. Help can be sought through local treatment centers, and family support groups, such as Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, and Tough Love. The local numbers for these organizations may be found in your local area phone book, or through your local area treatment centers.

Most importantly, please remember that help is available. Intervention and treatment are effective strategies to assist addicted persons. But even when the teen refuses help, there is support available for the family and loved ones through Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, Tough Love and private practice therapists. There are multitudes of people who have been through your same situation who are willing to be of assistance to you when you're ready to reach out. There is no time like now!