As a parent or guardian, witnessing your teenage son or daughter struggling with recovery from alcohol abuse can be deeply disheartening and frightening. It may seem like an overwhelming problem. And you may feel you have no idea how to help them.
As a primary caregiver, you play a vital role in the recovery process and can provide the necessary support and guidance to help your teenager.
In this post, I’ll share tips and guidelines for how parents and guardians can assist their teens’ successful recovery from alcohol abuse.
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Recovery is a Critical Time
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, alcohol is the most commonly abused substance among teenagers in the United States. As a parent or guardian, discovering that your teenager is struggling with alcohol abuse can be overwhelming and stressful.
Recovery is possible for teens who are determined to overcome their alcohol addiction.
And supporting your teenager in their recovery is critical to their long-term success.
| Most importantly, parents and guardians can best help their teenagers in recovery by providing a stable and supportive environment at home. They can also help their teens access the necessary resources and support services that will aid in their recovery.
As a parent, you play a vital role in your teen’s recovery journey, so do take the time to establish and communicate a plan that works for both parties.
Remember, every teen is unique, and by tailoring your approach to their individual needs, you can help them grow into confident, successful adults.
11 Tips to Consider For Your Teen’s Recovery
Encourage open communication
Provide emotional support and reassurance
Supporting your teen emotionally during their recovery can help them feel more motivated and encouraged to continue with treatment. This can include expressing your love and belief in their ability to overcome their addiction, attending therapy sessions with them and actively participating in family counseling.
Remember to listen carefully and avoid being judgemental. Teens feel it’s important that they feel heard, understood, and cared for throughout the recovery process.
Understanding your teen’s individual needs and supporting them in a safe and non-judgmental environment can go a long way. By staying connected with your teen, you can foster a relationship built on trust and open communication so they feel comfortable turning to you for guidance and support.
Offer positive reinforcement
Be patient and understanding
Lend a listening ear and a safe space
Establish clear and consistent boundaries
Although it may seem like a constant battle, consistent boundaries and a loving approach will help your teen get back on track and stay in recovery. This can include monitoring who they spend time with, setting curfews, and restricting access to alcohol and drugs in the home.
It’s also important to set consequences for violating the boundaries and then enforcing them.
Provide constant encouragement and positivity
Encourage healthy habits like exercise, eating well, and getting enough sleep
However, making sure they exercise regularly, eat well, and get enough sleep can significantly improve their overall health and well-being as they continue on their road to recovery.
Helping them find enjoyable forms of exercise, offering healthy meal options, and creating a soothing bedtime routine can all contribute to creating healthy habits that will serve them well both now and in the future.
By focusing on these positive habits, you are not only supporting their recovery but also laying the groundwork for a healthy and fulfilling life.
Create opportunities for positive activities
By encouraging young people to explore their interests and find healthy ways to spend their time, we can help support their recovery and encourage a brighter, more positive future.
Create support for yourself
Seek professional help
5 Pillars for Supporting Teens in Recovery
Here are 5 pillars to guide you and your teenager in their recovery journey. Despite your best efforts to do this on your own, you may require further support. While not all may be needed, it’s important to be aware of your options.
1. Stable Home Environment
It all begins here. By providing a stable and supportive environment at home, parents and guardians can significantly impact their teenager’s success in recovery.
2. Individualized Treatment
With the treatment plans tailored to the specific needs of the teenager, this approach recognizes that every teen is unique. Recovery plans should be designed to reflect their individual strengths, challenges, and goals.
Individualized treatment may include therapies such as talk therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing, and other evidence-based approaches.
3. Family Therapy
Family therapy sessions provide a setting where issues can be brought forward and discussed together in a safe environment. This approach involves working with the entire family unit to support the teenager’s recovery.
The aims of family therapy are to:
- Improve communication and relationships within the family
- Address any underlying family dynamics that may contribute to alcohol abuse
- Provide support for the family as a whole.
- Learn how to best support a teenager during the recovery process
4. Support Groups
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or other recovery groups can also be beneficial for teenagers in recovery from alcohol abuse. These provide a supportive and understanding community where teens can share their experiences, receive guidance and encouragement, and learn new coping skills. Support groups can also provide a sense of accountability and motivation to stay on track with recovery goals.
5. Intensive Outpatient Programs
An intensive outpatient program (IOP) is a form of treatment for teens who require a higher level of care than traditional outpatient therapy but do not need the round-the-clock supervision of an inpatient program.
They provide a structured and comprehensive treatment option for people struggling with substance abuse, mental health disorders, or other behavioral health issues. IOPs provide a more intensive level of treatment compared to regular outpatient therapy.
| IOP programs aim to provide individuals with the necessary tools and support to manage their conditions, develop coping skills, prevent relapse, and improve overall well-being.
They typically involve a combination of therapeutic interventions, including:
- Individual therapy sessions with a licensed therapist
- Group therapy with peers facing similar challenges
- Family therapy to address relationship dynamics
- Various forms of specialized therapy such as psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
Programs, such as ours at Clearfork Academy, are designed to offer a more focused and concentrated approach to treatment while still allowing teens to live at home and maintain their daily routines and family relationships.
The specific structure and duration of an intensive outpatient program can vary depending on the provider and the needs of the teen. Typically, IOPs require participants to attend therapy sessions for several hours a day, multiple days per week. The duration of the program can range from a few weeks to several months, depending on the progress of the teen and the goals of treatment.
| IOPs are often considered a step-down option for individuals who have completed a more intensive level of care, such as inpatient treatment or partial hospitalization.
The flexibility of an intensive outpatient program can make it a suitable choice for teens who need ongoing support but don’t require 24-hour supervision. By providing a comprehensive and personalized approach, teenagers can receive the care and support they need to overcome their addiction and achieve long-term recovery.
Coping With Relapse: An Obstacle, Not a Failure
Despite best efforts, relapse is a possibility in the recovery process. Relapse is the recurrence of alcohol use after a period of abstinence.
Parents and guardians need to understand that relapse is not a failure, but rather an obstacle that can be overcome with the right support and guidance.
In some cases, relapse may be triggered by stress, depression, or other underlying mental health issues. Therefore, understanding the possible triggers is essential in developing coping strategies.
Here are 6 elements to consider when dealing with your teen’s relapse:
1. Educate Yourself on the Warning Signs of Relapse
For teens in recovery, the risk of relapse is always present, making it crucial to educate oneself on the warning signs. By being aware of these signs, not only can you act quickly in case of an emergency, but you can also help prevent relapse from occurring altogether.
While relapse is not uncommon, it’s important to remember that every person’s journey to recovery is unique and that there is no shame in seeking help when needed. With the right resources and support, teens in recovery can continue to thrive and lead healthy, fulfilling lives.
2. Support Without Judgment
As a parent or guardian, it’s important to cope with relapse in a supportive and non-judgmental way. One strategy is to re-establish open communication with your teenager and offer support without shaming or blaming them. Ask them what led to the relapse, listen without judgment, and express your love and support.
3. Encourage Resumed Treatment
It’s also important to encourage them to resume treatment as soon as possible and provide support in accessing professional help. Maintaining continuity of care is a critical success factor in recovery.
4. Back to Healthy Boundaries
In addition to empathy and support, setting healthy boundaries is important in dealing with relapse. This may include enforcing consequences if necessary, but also providing positive reinforcement when your teenager is making progress toward recovery.
5. Watch Out for Your Enabling Behaviors
It’s essential to avoid enabling behaviors that may contribute to further substance abuse, such as covering up for their mistakes or providing excuses for their behavior. Family therapy is often very useful in identifying these behaviors and creating strategies to substitute them with more helpful alternatives.
6. Again, Seek Professional Support
Finally, seeking professional support is crucial when dealing with relapse. Family therapy, individual therapy, or support groups can help teenagers and their families learn effective coping strategies, build resilience, and address underlying issues that may have contributed to the relapse.
Professional support can also help parents and guardians better understand how to support their teenagers through the recovery process.
| By following the suggestions above, you can significantly impact your teenager’s success in recovery and help them achieve a happy and healthy life free from addiction.
Remember to take care of yourself as well, and seek support when needed so that you can be the best possible support for your teenager.
The Road to Recovery
As a parent of a teenager in recovery, extra support and boundaries are required because it can be a bumpy ride.
Striving to understand your teen’s individual needs, providing emotional support and reassurance, setting clear and consistent boundaries while being understanding and compassionate, educating yourself on warning signs of relapse, encouraging healthy habits, and engaging in positive activities can all help them while they work towards recovery.
| Having a team of professionals to turn to really enhances the level of support your teen will receive. Ultimately this should ensure your teen’s success in the long run and can be one of the best investments you can make for their future.
We encourage you to take action today and contact us to talk over your son or daughter’s need for treatment so that together we can create an optimal path for sustained sobriety.
Originally from the Saginaw, Eagle Mountain area, Austin Davis earned a Bachelor of Science in Pastoral Ministry from Lee University in Cleveland, TN and a Master of Arts in Counseling from The Church of God Theological Seminary. He then went on to become a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor in the State of Texas.
Austin’s professional history includes both local church ministry and clinical counseling. At a young age, he began serving youth at the local church in various capacities which led to clinical training and education. Austin gained a vast knowledge of mental health disorders while working in state and public mental health hospitals. This is where he was exposed to almost every type of diagnosis and carries this experience into the daily treatment.
Austin’s longtime passion is Clearfork Academy, a christ-centered residential facility focused on mental health and substance abuse. He finds joy and fulfillment working with “difficult” clients that challenge his heart and clinical skill set. It is his hope and desire that each resident that passes through Clearfork Academy will be one step closer to their created design.
Austin’s greatest pleasures in life are being a husband to his wife, and a father to his growing children. He serves at his local church by playing guitar, speaking and helping with tech arts. Austin also enjoys being physically active, reading, woodworking, and music.
